Newbie planning first dive at Edmonds UWP, questions...
- Thread starter Matt S.
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jim T.
Guest
Matt,
Langley Marina/Tire Reef on Whidbey Island is another very easy dive. Not current intensive at all. Lots of life to see on the reef and marina breakwater (vertical) log wall. The viz here can sometimes be bad but it can also be 15'-20' a lot of the time.
(Sometimes even 40'! but I wouldn't count on that very often.)
It's a shallow dive. 25'-40'. Mostly flat bottom but with enough of a gentle slope back to the beach to get comfortable newbie natural navigation checks and do a no hassle safety stop. There are two very convenient "dressing" walls on the boat launch at the shore entry point and parking right there.
I use this site for new gear checks, weighting and trim checks and undersea life viewing. It's a very good beginner's site if the viz is decent. Some compass skills are advised though. This is basically an E, S, N, W dive.
Hope that's helpful for you.
Langley Marina/Tire Reef on Whidbey Island is another very easy dive. Not current intensive at all. Lots of life to see on the reef and marina breakwater (vertical) log wall. The viz here can sometimes be bad but it can also be 15'-20' a lot of the time.
(Sometimes even 40'! but I wouldn't count on that very often.)
It's a shallow dive. 25'-40'. Mostly flat bottom but with enough of a gentle slope back to the beach to get comfortable newbie natural navigation checks and do a no hassle safety stop. There are two very convenient "dressing" walls on the boat launch at the shore entry point and parking right there.
I use this site for new gear checks, weighting and trim checks and undersea life viewing. It's a very good beginner's site if the viz is decent. Some compass skills are advised though. This is basically an E, S, N, W dive.
Hope that's helpful for you.
OP
Matt S.
Contributor
Jim, I looked up Langley Marina online and it looks great. Thanks for the recommendation.
Check out the photo on this site...
http://scuba.huskychemist.org/DiveSites/LangleyTireReef.htm
It's not a great angle... I assume you head out to the gap and bear right, along the outside of the marina? That must be the breakwater.
I have to admit I've never even been to the island... lived up here for years now and I have never been far from the Seattle area aside from a road trip to Spokane to buy a pinball machine.
Check out the photo on this site...
http://scuba.huskychemist.org/DiveSites/LangleyTireReef.htm
It's not a great angle... I assume you head out to the gap and bear right, along the outside of the marina? That must be the breakwater.
I have to admit I've never even been to the island... lived up here for years now and I have never been far from the Seattle area aside from a road trip to Spokane to buy a pinball machine.
jim T.
Guest
Hey Matt,
PM me if you'd like to discuss diving together at Langley. I'll show you the entry route. I'm still slow at gearing up and catching my breath so I'm plenty patient for others. I'm generally available on week days too.
Basically you go off the end of the boat ramp but have to head N.-ish to your left and go under the pier, N. of the pilings to submerge.
At the shore end it's standing depths generally, so you can lean on a piling to put fins on etc.
This route takes you past the point where you might swim into the marina which is
dangerous and strictly forbidden. You'll see the Western end of the vertical log breakwater ahead of you. You can surface swim to it and descend there traveling E.
along the wall. (Depths approx. 15-20ft. here.) At the end of the wall, the tire reef
will become visable and you follow it around to your right heading S.-ish.
Depths on the reef are around 30-45'. Be careful to watch for the tire reef's southern end. Once past it you are in the marina/boat traffic area. Listen for boats
before ascending at Langley. It's a tiny rural marina so there is very little traffic most of the time. I haven't been there in late spring or summer though...
The only thing that may "throw" you a bit on the tire reef is that there is a "cut" or path between two parallel tire reefs which you may swim "into". Just come back out the same way or if the ambient light is good (generally is with a reflecting sand bottom) you can swim over the top of the reef to the "other" reef and head S.
Good beginner site. Easy to surface if you feel disoriented. No current to deal with. Good place to practice basic compass skills like reciprical couses, etc. because natural navigation clues are ample to check yourself against the compass.
(I did my Nav. class here a year and a half ago, and I was so tuned into my compass that I completely forgot to register natural navigation landmarks I had to go back for another dive so I could actually see the site!)
There can be "some" current here but it's never been more than a very very gentle drift that can be easily swum against. Often there isn't any noticable current.
The biggest problem is that the viz can vary from poor to great. There is a halocline here at times that you have to dive under to get better viz. I think even in horrible viz, diving along the wall you can get close enough to enjoy critter viewing and practice nav skills, buoyancy control with a visual check (the wall), etc.
A good hose rinse off area and bathrooms help too.
PM me if you'd like to discuss diving together at Langley. I'll show you the entry route. I'm still slow at gearing up and catching my breath so I'm plenty patient for others. I'm generally available on week days too.
Basically you go off the end of the boat ramp but have to head N.-ish to your left and go under the pier, N. of the pilings to submerge.
At the shore end it's standing depths generally, so you can lean on a piling to put fins on etc.
This route takes you past the point where you might swim into the marina which is
dangerous and strictly forbidden. You'll see the Western end of the vertical log breakwater ahead of you. You can surface swim to it and descend there traveling E.
along the wall. (Depths approx. 15-20ft. here.) At the end of the wall, the tire reef
will become visable and you follow it around to your right heading S.-ish.
Depths on the reef are around 30-45'. Be careful to watch for the tire reef's southern end. Once past it you are in the marina/boat traffic area. Listen for boats
before ascending at Langley. It's a tiny rural marina so there is very little traffic most of the time. I haven't been there in late spring or summer though...
The only thing that may "throw" you a bit on the tire reef is that there is a "cut" or path between two parallel tire reefs which you may swim "into". Just come back out the same way or if the ambient light is good (generally is with a reflecting sand bottom) you can swim over the top of the reef to the "other" reef and head S.
Good beginner site. Easy to surface if you feel disoriented. No current to deal with. Good place to practice basic compass skills like reciprical couses, etc. because natural navigation clues are ample to check yourself against the compass.
(I did my Nav. class here a year and a half ago, and I was so tuned into my compass that I completely forgot to register natural navigation landmarks
I had to go back for another dive so I could actually see the site!) There can be "some" current here but it's never been more than a very very gentle drift that can be easily swum against. Often there isn't any noticable current.
The biggest problem is that the viz can vary from poor to great. There is a halocline here at times that you have to dive under to get better viz. I think even in horrible viz, diving along the wall you can get close enough to enjoy critter viewing and practice nav skills, buoyancy control with a visual check (the wall), etc.
A good hose rinse off area and bathrooms help too.
Jeremy Bouwman
Contributor
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Langley is a very simple dive site, just swim on the left side of the docks on the way out and hang a right once you are past the dive site. I've never had any problems with current there.
OP
Matt S.
Contributor
Good info, thanks.
Is there a dive shop on the island for tank rentals or should I do that on the way up?
Is there a dive shop on the island for tank rentals or should I do that on the way up?
jim T.
Guest
You'll have to rent tanks and get fills in your area for the most convenience.
For longer Whidbey Dive Trips (to include Keystone, maybe a boat dive out of Anacortes)here are the two available shops:
If you come in from I-5 Route 20 via Anacortes, Anacortes Diving and Supply is a great, very well stocked shop. (360) 293-2070 Bob and Kelley are the owners. Tell 'em Jim T. sent you.
If you're coming up Whidbey via the ferry there isn't anything until way N. in Oak Harbor. Whidbey Island Dive Center. They also sell a shop produced Whidbey Dive Guide booklet that's outstanding. Nearest shop to Keystone. Wish they'd open a rental/fill shack in Langley. 360-675-1112 Pat Beach is the owner. Tell him Jim T. sent you.
I don't receive anything from Bob, Kelley or Pat but i do like them to know that I pass the word around.
They both have web sites. Anacortes' is great. Whidbey's is from 2004!
The Anacortes club is diving Langley on Sunday a.m. $10 ea. for non-members.
For longer Whidbey Dive Trips (to include Keystone, maybe a boat dive out of Anacortes)here are the two available shops:
If you come in from I-5 Route 20 via Anacortes, Anacortes Diving and Supply is a great, very well stocked shop. (360) 293-2070 Bob and Kelley are the owners. Tell 'em Jim T. sent you.
If you're coming up Whidbey via the ferry there isn't anything until way N. in Oak Harbor. Whidbey Island Dive Center. They also sell a shop produced Whidbey Dive Guide booklet that's outstanding. Nearest shop to Keystone. Wish they'd open a rental/fill shack in Langley. 360-675-1112 Pat Beach is the owner. Tell him Jim T. sent you.
I don't receive anything from Bob, Kelley or Pat but i do like them to know that I pass the word around.
They both have web sites. Anacortes' is great. Whidbey's is from 2004!
The Anacortes club is diving Langley on Sunday a.m. $10 ea. for non-members.
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