Puget Sound in July?

[billt4sf]

My wife and I are going to Seattle for a wedding in July and we have a few days we could dive. I am wondering if it's "worth it" in terms if the chance we would have the conditions we need to have fun. We dive regularly (once a month or so) here in Monterey, but for her to feel comfortable we need:

at least 10 feet viz
very low surface waves and surge
easy beach or ramp walk-in

In case you are familiar with Monterey, we dive the Breakwater and occasionally Pt. Lobos, but only when conditions are good for us.

If the risk / reward ratio is good, can you recommend some dive sites for that time of year? We could likely get anywhere within a few hours drive of Seattle, Victoria, or Tacoma. I think that covers pretty much the entire region!

We would obviously love to see a GPO!

Thanks,

Bill & Emily

 

[fisheater]

Haven't dive there yet, but from everything I hear, criteria numbers 2 & 3 won't be a problem. Seattle divers don't like it when the water moves. (Tidal currents excluded.)


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[RVBldr]

The big problem may be your 10' viz requirement. From downtown, Alki Cove 2 fits your requirements, but in July, you're playing hit and miss with the normal summer plankton bloom so viz may be the just soup, or you might get lucky and hit a period between blooms and get some decent viz. Check out Northwest Dive Club ? Index page.

 

[TSandM]

Bill, a lot depends on when in July you are here. Two of the weekends (12th and 26th) have horrendous tidal exchanges with the nadir at midday; this makes all shore diving here less pleasant. The other two weekends have really nice exchanges and would be suitable for many sites.

Easy entries and lack of surf are almost never issues here. Many of our shore diving sites involve walking into still water. In fact, my friends in SoCal call that a "Seattle entry"!

Our visibility is rarely less than 10 feet. Yes, we do have horrible algae blooms that can reduce the viz to a couple of feet, but they are unusual and more typical in the Spring, like now through May. Visibility here is cyclic, with blooms alternating with periods of fairly good visibility, and it is impossible to forecast in advance where in the cycle any particular date will fall.

If you guys are up here when I am not working, I would be happy to show you some of our easy shore diving. It's not as colorful, and doesn't have the same dramatic structure as Lobos, but it's easier!

 

[billt4sf]

Wow, Lynn, that's a very generous offer! When I told Emily about it, she was really excited! I think it has much to do with diving with a very knowledgeable female (and one in our age range, as well).

I'll send you a PM. Thanks again.

- Bill

 

[boulderjohn]

My single day of diving in Puget Sound is a highlight in my diving memory.

 

[billt4sf]

My single day of diving in Puget Sound is a highlight in my diving memory.

Because it was so much colder than NorCal waters?

BTW, how much more undergarment should we plan to wear? And how much more weight? Around here we get about 50 - 54 degree waters.

- Bill

 

[boulderjohn]

Because it was so much colder than NorCal waters?

BTW, how much more undergarment should we plan to wear? And how much more weight? Around here we get about 50 - 54 degree waters.

It was a highlight because of the beautiful creatures I saw, including an enormous GPO.

Just don't make the mistake I made.

I thought the water was going to be cold, so I brought my fluffiest, warmest undergarments (Whites MK3). This was in October. The water temperature turned out to be in the high 40s, not much different from what you are used to. After a one hour night dive, I was sweating. I looked like the Pillsbury doughboy, and there was barely enough lead in Seattle to sink me.

 

[tsc]

You might consider grabbing one of the local charters that can take you out to some of the sites- that aren't as fixed as the shore dives- Vancouver isn't a bad backup plan either as there are some easy dive sites up in Canada too.

 

[danclem]

I live in the Seattle area, and usually dive the Monterey area twice each year. Water temps are very similar: last Spring there was a cold water upwelling, and Pt Lobos was colder than Puget Sound. Surge and surf basically don't exist. Variations in visibility are very similar. No kelp forests, more fish and invertebrates.

If viz is low, best thing would be to go out with a local who knows the area: you will still see lots. Like Monterey, viz bottoms out in May/June, and usually starts to improve in July. Consider diving Edmonds: it is like a huge Metridium Fields on steroids. Easy navigation, depths to 40', amazing amount of life.

If you need someone to dive with, feel free to PM me. We are back from a Monterey trip mid-May.


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