Seattle area dive site recommendation for checkout dives?

[Seaweed Doc]

I'm looking for a dive site recommendation close to Seattle with some unusual parameters. Here are the key issues:

1. Easy parking mid-week at 10 am and 2 pm. The checkout dives will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays in March. That really rules out Alki Coves 1/2/3 because of passenger ferry commuters taking up the street parking spots. Unfortunately, times and dates aren't flexible.

2. This will be for open water checkout dives. Ideally, that means a reasonably steep dropoff so we can get to 60' without a long swim.

3. Minimal current would be ideal. Mukilteo works some days at some times, but not for the 8 hours or so I'd like to use to run 2 groups through 2 dives each. (At other times, the current would be a real problem.)

4. Ideally between Mukilteo to the north and perhaps Fauntleroy to the south.

It's been years since I've dove Edmonds: My understanding and vague recollection is that it's a long swim out to get any depth.

Maybe the junkyard? I've only done the eelgrass meadow there for work, so I don't recall how easy it is to get deep.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Also, apologies for those who already saw this request on the Facebook group for Puget Sound divers....

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Redondo hands down, except that does t meet #4

I’d vote against junkyard. There are not that many good training sites. Edmonds is too shallow and too much of a surface swim

 

[davehicks]

Three Tree Point is reasonable option. Parking should be fine mid day and it's a.bit north of Redondo just west of seatac in Burien. How many cars is two groups?

Redondo is probably your best choice really.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Dave,

3 tree? For 2 sets of classes of 2 dives each. there's no way current isn't going to be an issue. Hard to get 2 dives in there on a consistent basis.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Well.... Might have to try Redondo despite the longer drive. It's a good dive site for the purpose, for sure.

The only question will be how long it takes to get there from Queen Anne on a weekday morning around 9 am....

Thanks folks!

 

[OrcasC205]

I live in Magnolia and dive at Redondo frequently. It shouldn't be too bad heading south in the morning if you take the tunnel and 509 -- maybe 40 minutes tops. I can usually get to Redondo in about the same time as it takes me to get to Edmonds.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Thanks, all. When other sites wouldn't work, I've been using Junkyard or Redondo for dives 1 and 2 and Redondo for dives 3 and 4. (I try to make sure students don't dive the same site every time.) I appreciate all your input!