Seattle Diver? 5/4-5/6

[RockPro]

I'm an AOW Diver with 80+ dives, traveling to Seattle May 3-7 with oppertunity to dive 4-6 mornings. On the fence about bringing gear. Can travel with all but tank if I need.

I see some local shore dives not far from my downtown stay, but need to buddy up in this my first PNW diving. Anybody walking in these dates?

7mm Wet tollerable? Or should I charter it just so I can get dry and warm straight out of the soup? (Quite used to 54f at depth and 60f top-side.. similar conditions currently?)

Thanks for the insite or invite.. dive safe and often.

RockPro

 

[TSandM]

Well, I'm sorry that I'm out of town working that whole weekend!

Water temperatures right now are still in the high 40's, and they're unlikely to be a lot higher by then. Most of our students who dive wet dive 7 mil suits with 7 mil core warmers over them, so a total of 14 mm. You wouldn't have any problem renting a core warmer at any local shop, I shouldn't think.

Unfortunately, you are hitting some major spring tides, so you have a very large ebb in the early morning, with a minus tide (-.8 to -2.1) at somewhere between 10:30 and 11:30, followed by a 14 or 15 foot flood. This means your choice of shore diving sites is limited -- if you are staying downtown, and are thinking of the Coves at SeaCrest Park, those are diveable, but you'd want to go very early in the morning, to avoid an entry over some very slippery rocks. (Of course, if you're a SoCal diver, you're used to diving in that awful moving water they have down there, so slime might not bother you )

A charter might be a better experience, but if you can only dive in the mornings, you should be aware that our charters generally leave around 9 or so, and come back at 2 to 3 in the afternoon.

 

[RockPro]

Hey.. they you for that TSand. Yes.. SoCal diver.. worse yet.. founding member of NBTT dive club. (No Beach Too Tough).. so slime, moving water, rocks, 15' vis.. all part of the game. <g>

I snagged some time to look at the forecast last night.. Seattle, followed by Seattle, with a little more Seattle in spring. I think I'll sit this one out and check it again next time around.

Meanwhile.. I wish you all safe PNW diving.

 

[TSandM]

I'm not sure you're making a bad decision. Viz report from last night was about a foot and a half . . .