Planning dive trip to the Sound, any suggestions?

[Av06]

Hi there, I am going on a dive trip with my uncle, brother and dad in early August. We are going to have about 5 days and want to be sure to hit all the good sites. We have a camper van which we will be staying in but will probably need a camp site also because it can't sleep all four of us. Anyways I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions on a list of sites to hit. We are planning on not going to far past Seattle (we are from Portland) so that we can get as much diving with not to much driving time. We are all recreational divers with pretty good experience. We will also have a inflatable dingy that we have used to get out to sites that are a bit to far away from the shore to swim to.

I have done other trips up there and really enjoyed Salt Water State Park, which we used the dingy to get out too. We will most likely hit Edmonds Underwater Park because it seems like you can't really miss that. Other then that I was wondering if there was anything else we should make sure it hit. My brother wants to do a wreck dive if thats possible, are there any relativly shallow ones that we could do?

Finally we are also interested in doing a day of boat diving with a charter, I was thinking Bandito because they seem to be really popular, anyone have any other ideas?

Bottom Line Planning a 5 day trip to Puget Sound from Portland and want some suggestions of where to go. Also how people feel about Bandito Charters or any other charter boats up there. Also a good dive shop inbetween Portland and Seattle to rent gear for the week at.

Thanks a lot!

 

[scubak]

Bandito Charters is one of the best in the Puget Sound...
As for as gear goes, try any one of the Underwater Sports locations, I am sure they could help you.
August is usually murky in the Puget Sound for diving. You need to get below the goo layer...Edmonds is good, Hood Canal is good...
Have fun, be safe.
K

 

[TSandM]

I've done several Bandito charters and thoroughly enjoyed them. It's a good outfit, professional and efficient, and they've always taken us to places where the conditions are good and the timing is right.

There is such a variety and profusion of great dive sites around here . . . If you are up for a little bit of a drive (and the tides are good while you're here) Keystone Jetty on Whidbey Island is a wonderful dive and one which won't be there in a couple of years, because they are going to tear the jetty down and rebuild it.

I have also really enjoyed Titlow Marine Park, with the most fabulous mass of plumose anemones and a profusion of nudibranchs the day I was there.

Pick up a copy of Northwest Shore Dives. It would be a small investment, and give you a lot of information about a lot of site options.

 

[OE2X]

Don't forget Cove 2 in West Seattle or Redondo.

Bandito is a good way to go.

 

[gcbryan]

You might also want to consider using part of your trip to drive to Anacortes and camping in Washington Park. You can dive Skyline Wall as well as Keystone and also do some charter dives in the San Juan's out of Anacortes using DeepSea Charters.

 

[Av06]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. Looks like we are going to go with Bandito for sure, I talked to them on the phone yesterday and started to get things figured out. I'm not sure if we are going to do Hood Canal while we are up there, thats where my shop does their checkout dive so I have been up there at least 3 different weekends in the past year or so. Will the conditions be any better there then the Sound around Seattle?

Keep the sites comming if possible.

Kevin

 

[Cory_nw]

Kevin,
check this link out, is shows and tells about different dive sites around Seattle
http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/USA_West/Washington/index.htm
cory

 

[Av06]

Yea I have been looking at that site, lots of good information, thanks!

 

[Av06]

Any other sites that are a can't miss? Anywhere from the San Juans to the Sound.

Thanks

 

[Cold_H2O]

Sunrise is one of my favorites. Banditos goes there often. They also do Z-reef and Northwall.

Alki Cove 2, Redondo, 3-Tree to name a few sites.