Seekin shore dive buddy in May?

[austinspace]

Hi PNW peeps,

I'll be passing thru Seattle and also visiting San Juan Is. in May, and was wondering if anyone here would be interested in getting together for shore diving? The trip plan is to fly into Seattle, drive down to Portland, then come back north to spend a weekend on SJI. Will be first time for me to be diving in the PNW.

Was thinking Edmonds Underwater Park any of these dates:

Fri May 11th
Thu May 17th (possibly)
Tue May 22nd.

or San Juan Island diving sometime May 18th thru 21st.

Cheers,

- John

 

[VooDooGasMan]

There are shore dives on S J I, lime kiln lighthouse, climb in in front of light house. small pox bay, go in at boat launch, go to right and stairs go up to camp ground. and a few others so just search and you will find the others. The two I mentioned are easy to get too, and dive at slack times.

 

[austinspace]

Thanks for the description VooDoo. Have the PNW shore diving book, and I also read about County Park which looks to be in same area. We'll be staying just north of there, but I'm the only diver in the group.

Any chance you'd be interested in diving SJI sites the weekend of May 25th (Fri thru Mon) ... and showing a first time PNW diver around ? I'm an experienced diver, but not solo. I wouldn't attempt these sites without a buddy/guide as I don't have any experience where tides are a real factor.

We picked SJI as a place to spend the weekend before I discovered that Naknek is no longer operating :-(

I suppose ferry back to Anacortes for a boat charter from there is also an option.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

That is ling season and I spear from the 21st till the 15th of following month, I have 10 pounds left, so I need to get a ling every day to make sure I have enough for the year. I hear there is still air and there might be divers on island, also call west beach resort on Orcas Island they are advertising for divers and have air, and might hook with a diver there. once you get a pass to SJI you can go island to Island for free by ferry. your third option is to take ferry from SJI to sydney not that far and dive there or victoria, get resevations if you hook up with canadian divers, and ask in there forum here on SB.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

austin, it is now called friday harbor dive services/charter 360 378 6202, give them a call and you might find a local on the island, or plan a charter.

 

[austinspace]

austin, it is now called friday harbor dive services/charter 360 378 6202, give them a call and you might find a local on the island, or plan a charter.

I called the Friday Harbor operation and confirmed that I can get tanks/fills from them, but not much else by way of diving operations (since I'm not able to skipper my own rental boat!) or finding a buddy.

Previously had asked Anacortes dive charter if there might be a charter on the day when I'll be traveling to/from SJI, but said its weekends only. So that leaves option of getting a very early start to take a ferry over to get on the 8:30am charter -- something I probably wouldn't do.

So we'll see what might materialize for divers on the island - since like you say its Ling season.

Shore diving at Edmonds Park also looks very attractive. Perhaps I can tap dive shops in Seattle to find a guide or dive buddy.

Thanks for the replies!

John

 

[VooDooGasMan]

I do understand john, diving in SJI is a chater thing as for the dive sites, it use to be $18 for a ticket and a few bucks for camping. I would camp at county park site on the water, and go dive a destroyer from a 10' inflatable at gooch Island, then dive a freighter, then dive turn point on stuart island. and come back and dive from county park down past lime kiln light house, crawl in boat. Then night dive county park. the next day do kellet bluff and destroyer. The entire weekend would cost me and my gal $60.

Now it is cheaper to warm water, or charter from mainland is the best budget.

There is a charter out of skyline marina, it is across the street from ferry terminal. well they use to. here is there link.

Lu-Jac's Quest- Reservation Calendar

Might have something during your travel time.