Puget Sound Diving??

[Kevlax2]

I had a great day diving with Bandito Charters when I visited the Tacoma area. Highly recommend them.

 

[Dave1234]

I thought I'd post here instead of starting a new thread, don't want to get the "thats already been asked" post,

I'm currently going through a NAUI IDC and wondering if anyone can recommend a LDS or club etc. in the South sound area that can help me out getting re-familiarized with local dive spots and conditions? I haven't dove out that way since 2000, current plan is to be back there in April.

(Yes, I have no imagination when it comes to screen names.)

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Dave, your good to go there is plenty of naui shops around, being from japan diving they will all be more than willing to re-familiarize you back to PNW Diving.


Happy Diving

 

[ChevaYEA]

Hi Dave1234, where exactly do you live?

 

[ChevaYEA]

JT851, Glad to hear you are going to be up in this area. I vacation in Monterey and quite honestly, you'll be bored here with most of the Puget Sound shore dives, they just don't compare to shore dives in Monterey by way of diversity of life or reef structure. We have some walls, large and impressive walls accessible from shore, but mostly sandstone or clay and not much comparably to life growing on them opposed to the granite walls of Monterey. There are a bunch of cool boat dives that you would enjoy so I strongly suggest one of the local charters. In the Puget Sound, both Bandito and Porthole charters are excellent and will give you a great experience. Our most spectacular diving is in the San Jauns or the Straight of Jaun De Fuca, but those are a bit out of the way from your destinations. Unfortunately, Westport isn't particularly famed for diving (but you could dive for crab and save a ton of time fishing for them ) so Hood Canal was a good recommendation by Grateful diver.

In an attempt to point out attractions that might be unique in the Pacific Northwest for a diver from Monterey, can you let us know what would you like to see? There are some sites that are guaranteed sightings for Wolf Eels and Giant Pacific Octopus. There are several modest wrecks you can check out. We have lots of Ratfish here that we take for granted but i know they are less common in Monterey. Some sites always have LOTS of them, like Three Tree North (which is a shore dive) and several others.

Anyways, I hope this is helpful. Lets us know what you are looking for and We'll point you in the right direction. Heck, we'll even join you, just let us know when!

 

[danclem]

I am not so sure I agree about the difference between Monterey and Puget Sound shore dives. I had a great dive trip to Monterey in November (highlight being surrounded by moon jellies when a mola mola swam through). I did not find the marine life to be any where near as plentiful as in places like Edmonds.

The plumose anemone, number and variety of rock fish, lingcod, cabezon, and nudi's are pretty amazing up here. Beside the moon jellies and mola mola, I very much enjoyed the sea pen, decorator crabs, different tube anemones, and of course the kelp forests in Monterey.

Good diving in both areas!

Have fun up here: hope your 14 hour drive up is as uneventful as mine was.

Cheers,

Dan

 

[TSandM]

I have dived Puget Sound and Monterey, and think both offer some superb diving. I think the Breakwater is a lot like many of our easy shore dive sites -- a little silty, life where you can find it. Lobos is more like some of our better shore diving sites. And in both places, if you can get out on a boat, you can find the most amazing diving.

One has to remember that people going from one place to another are often perfectly happy at first with the newness of a different diving environment. My LA friends went gaga over alabaster nudibranchs at Les Davis, of all places, because they see that species infrequently and when they do, they are nowhere near as big.

So to the OP -- Don't let anybody tell you you can't have amazing dives here!

 

[ChevaYEA]

I thought I'd post here instead of starting a new thread, don't want to get the "thats already been asked" post,

I'm currently going through a NAUI IDC and wondering if anyone can recommend a LDS or club etc. in the South sound area that can help me out getting re-familiarized with local dive spots and conditions? I haven't dove out that way since 2000, current plan is to be back there in April.

(Yes, I have no imagination when it comes to screen names.)

Okay, for olympia diving, this might point you in the right direction...

There is a great club in that area (but I forget the name) but you can find them through the shop Capital Divers in Olympia. There is also an Underwater Sports there, They are the largest chain of shops in Washington and will likely have a club also. They'll point you in the right direction.

There's a couple charters in the area that can get you to some really cool boat dives close to you. But as for shore, some of the most popular are the Tolmie Barges, and then North a bit toward Steilcoom to Sunnside Beach. You can also head up the Hood Canal and visit Hoodsport-N-Dive and dive Sund Rock and Octopus Hole. Both are great dives. The water down in the Olympia area provides some great diving in the winter...but in the summer it often turns green and visibility drops to near nothing sometimes. That's when you'll want to head northward to other parts of the Sound.

Hope this helps. You can find more details about the dive sites I mentioned by following the links. There are some other guys here on the board that can fill in the gaps down that way too.

 

[ChevaYEA]

I am not so sure I agree about the difference between Monterey and Puget Sound shore dives. I had a great dive trip to Monterey in November (highlight being surrounded by moon jellies when a mola mola swam through). I did not find the marine life to be any where near as plentiful as in places like Edmonds.

The plumose anemone, number and variety of rock fish, lingcod, cabezon, and nudi's are pretty amazing up here. Beside the moon jellies and mola mola, I very much enjoyed the sea pen, decorator crabs, different tube anemones, and of course the kelp forests in Monterey.

Good diving in both areas!

Have fun up here: hope your 14 hour drive up is as uneventful as mine was.

Cheers,

Dan

I have dived Puget Sound and Monterey, and think both offer some superb diving. I think the Breakwater is a lot like many of our easy shore dive sites -- a little silty, life where you can find it. Lobos is more like some of our better shore diving sites. And in both places, if you can get out on a boat, you can find the most amazing diving.

One has to remember that people going from one place to another are often perfectly happy at first with the newness of a different diving environment. My LA friends went gaga over alabaster nudibranchs at Les Davis, of all places, because they see that species infrequently and when they do, they are nowhere near as big.

So to the OP -- Don't let anybody tell you you can't have amazing dives here!

I figured I would get some feedback from our local divers about the Monterey comparison. No knocking the Northwest dives, I love it here...I love Monterey too. I would still like to know what he is interested in seeing, then we can point him in the right direction.

 

[Dave1234]

I appreciate all the input, especially the links.
I just want to get as much info as I can before I get back to the area.

I'm pretty sure the links and the info provided on those sights will help me find some local dive buddies and get me re-introduced to cool (as in cold), low vis, and huge bio diversity diving.
I've been spoiled that last few years diving throughout SE Asia.

I dove a few places mentioned in the posts but back in 98-2002 so I'm sure they won't look like anything I remember. Only dive I'm sure hasn't changed is American Lake, a great place to see the history of the beer can/brands of Tacoma/Ft.Lewis.