Salt Creek Rec Area...OK for newbies?

[Daweri]

Hi!
My husband and I each have 20 dives and are going to be camping at Salt Creek in August. I'm wondering if anyone has any info on this dive site and if the location is OK for newbie divers? I'm wondering how the current and surge is and best time of day/tide to dive the site. Also wondering if there are any dive shops nearby we could rent wetsuits and tanks from?

Thanks for your input!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Salt Creek is a wonderful dive site. How appropriate it is for newbies will really depend on conditions ... the area is a generally shallow dive, but entrances and (more important) exits can be tricky if there are any swells or waves ... which are common in the straits. You'll also most likely want to make multiple trips schlepping your gear down the stairs to where you get in ... it's a bit of effort.

But the diving's awesome!

There is also a lot of kelp in August ... make sure you keep your buddy team together and pay attention to each other in case one of you manages some entanglement.

This one's kind've on the borderline, to my concern. If conditions are just right, and you're a careful diver, someone with 20 dives and reasonable skills for that level should be able to handle it just fine. If there's any question about conditions, don't do it ... you'll just end up getting churned around in the kelp and then beating yourself up trying to get out of the water.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Camerone]

This one's kind've on the borderline, to my concern. If conditions are just right, and you're a careful diver, someone with 20 dives and reasonable skills for that level should be able to handle it just fine. If there's any question about conditions, don't do it ... you'll just end up getting churned around in the kelp and then beating yourself up trying to get out of the water.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I'll add to Bob's advice:

• Check your currents carefully. The Strait can be rough and you need to dive at slack. Inside Tongue Point, in the bay (Crescent Bay), it's a lot more protected, but it can still throw you around in surge.
• Read NW Shore Dives. They have the corrections for slack and good site info.
• Mornings are usually better than afternoons, as a general rule of thumb, as the wind picks up in the afternoon making surge more of a problem. Again, your best judgement here.
• Don't forget to stop at East Beach of Lake Crescent and make one dive in the fresh water on your way home to rinse all your gear off! You'll enjoy amazing visibility, funny tasting water, and clean, fresh gear (And, please, don't dive in the swimming area. It's a ticketable offense from the park rangers...the dive area is off to the right, down the trail in to the woods ever so slightly.)

 

[wkyongae@aol.com]

If you're not too tired or cold take all that gear off and head back out for some very nice snorkeling. Just floating around on the surface in and among the rocks and kelp can be just as exciting. Just watch the surge or like I do use the surge to sneak up on some very interesting fish by floating over rocks. Or just float along the rocks and see what decides to come out and check you out. Don't forget the eel grass beds as well. Many times I'm only in 2 to 5 feet of water. This is a great way for all ages to enjoy the water if they can stand the cold.

 

[Daweri]

Thanks so much for all your help and advise!