SoCal diver looking to dive 16-17 Feb

[pasley]

I am coming to Portland OR on the 16 of Feb on Military duty, landing about 12:30 pm. I would like to get in some dives (1 or 2) on either Thursday night or Friday (or both). I have to work in Portland on Saturday and Sunday and fly home on Monday so Friday is my dive day. My wife (non-diver) will sit still for some diving, but not all day Thursday or Friday as she wants to see the sights too.

To prepare for the trip I am getting my dry suit certification this month and will rent a dry suit up there.

So I would appreciate the following:
1. Recommendation on where to go (easy drive from Portland). Would like to see the Giant Pacific Octopus so a site with good odds on that would be appreciated. Beach dive is probably preferred as the most flexible and cost effective. (wife does not dive and will be tagging along). I prefer to stay in the 60 foot or less range but will go to 100 if necessary to see what I want.

2. Recommendation on where to rent tank, BC, Dry suit (I will bring my regulator and computer, and fins).

3. Dive buddy? Anyone got Thursday afternoon or Friday morning off?

About me: 235 SoCal dives since May 2001. 215 or so of those were off the beach in Southern California. Conservative diver. Age 52 Wt 145, in better than average condition.
(562) 421-3094

 

[WADiverBob]

Hello Melvin!

I came home from California 1/2/06. I am free time on Feb. 16-17 but most Portland divers drove to Puget Sound area in WA. about 2-3 hours from Portland. No any dive sites in Portland area. I know few dive buddies from Portland like Puget Sound area( Tacoma, Seattle, Edmonds etc..).Yes, Giant Pacific Octopus there. Some dive shop have a rental drysuit ( I am not sure which dive shop). My some buddies know about it. I'll ask them if you can drive to Puget Sound area ?

 

[Solitude Diver]

I don’t know about the Portland area either. If you do decide to come to the Seattle area, I know at least a couple shops rent drysuits. TLSea (tlsea.com) in Des Moines, and Bubbles below (bubblesbelow.com) in Woodinville. Both are 30 minutes from Seattle. I think they both rent DUI suits. I’d recommend getting on DUI’s website, and looking up the sizing chart. Determine your size, and then call and reserve your suit ahead of time to make sure the right size is there when you arrive if you are going to drive all that way. You will probably not have a good dive if you have to rent a suit which does not fit right.

The last three times I was at Three Tree Point-North Cove, Burien, WA (early Dec) I saw a GPO under the cabin cruiser (about 700 ft So. of entry point pathway, in about 75 ft of water). I heard he is there frequently. (You may have to really get down and look back under with light to see). A couple other divers said they saw a few smaller Octo’s to the North (out from the Moose antlers.)

Every now and then there is a GPO hanging out under the Honey Bear Wreck in (Alki/Seacrest) Cove 2 (about 35ft deep just S of cove-by pilings that stick up out of water), but there are usually so many classes and students harassing him he seems to be gone more often than not. Both sites can be found easily by browsing the web. Cove 2 has better facilities for non-divers. Three Tree has none (nor bathroom) but probably much better odds of GPO.

I am sure there are other sites with current GPO sightings. Hopefully someone will post some for you. You might try calling some of the local dive shops as you get closer to your arrival time (if you come up this way) to see if there have been any recent sightings. They usually talk about it for class info.

There is another thread here with a few reviews of some other local shops if you want the info.

Good luck to you.

 

[pasley]

I am planning on driving up to WA to make the dive. I have heard that was what most do. Rentong a DUI would be perfect as that is the suit I am currently training with. Those easy out seals for the neck and wrist seals are great. Kind of a tupperware arangement, just press and an new latex seal is installed.

WADIVERBOB, if you are willining to dive with a SoCal diver, I am game.

A site close to south end of the Sound might be good, if GPO can be found there.
(562) 421-3094

 

[WADiverBob]

May we dive at Cove 2 ( alki/Seacrest) in Seattle on Fri. evening?There are nice fish & chip rest. ( eat a dinner) and facilities. Just short walk from parking. A best view of Seattle downtown in night. Your wife can rest and view and keep warm in the restuarant while diving. On Sat, dive in morning ? ( will find best site later). Are you plan for stay a night in Seattle area?

 

[WADiverBob]

Opp!

I was wrong about Fri. and Sat. Alki on Thursday evening. And dive on Friday morning.

 

[Cold_H2O]

I was at Cove #2 last week.. GPO under the plates.
What time Thursday night? You might get a few of us to join you.
3-Tree has been good lately. Redondo is another good option.

 

[Solitude Diver]

The wife and I dove Cove 2 today. Vis was probably about 15-20 ft. Not bad considering there were several classes there just before us.

We saw two large Octo’s. One under the Honey Bear (wreck) which was huge. Suction cups looked bigger than baseballs.

Other one was out in open by the yellow buoy lines just sitting there at about 45 ft. (Probably the one Gis Gal saw residing under the plates which are close by?) It was a pretty good size one as well (head bigger than basketball). We “petted” it and slightly lifted a tentacle to see if he would stretch it out. He moved only slightly exploring our hands and then just stayed there curled up. Wasn’t bothered by us at all. Pretty coll when there out in the open like that.

At this time, it is a good bet for a visit, especially with the facilities tha WADiverBob mentioned.

 

[pasley]

Flight lands in Portland at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, so get the rental car and bags on the road by 1:00 p.m. I was thinking of diving the South end of the sound, but will drive to where I must to dive and solicalize. So I would need drive time to Seattle? A night dive would work just fine for me if you think we can pull it off. Open to anything. Seattle would be nice as we could do the aquarium Friday before we headed to Portland. Recomedations for Good Best Western Qualify of hotel in the area. Dive shop to rent a drysuit. I certified Sunday in the DUI Trilaminate and would like to rent the same.
562-421-3094

 

[WADiverBob]

About 2.5 hours from Portland to Seattle. After stop at hotel before go to meet around 4:30-5:00pm at Alki? then splash about a hour after meet? A dark will be around 5:45 pm (sunset at 5:30 on 16th of Feb.).After diving, may eat at Fish & Chip (closed at 8:00pm).Sound good for you?

A rental drysuit (?) at TL Sea Diving in Des Moines about 16 miles south of Seattle. They are closer I-5 freeway ( exit 149B).
www.tlsea.com
(206)824-4100 or (888)44TLSEA

A Seattle Aquarium is very nice.They have underwater dome surrounded by 400,000 gallons of water. Open at 10:00am. Also, nice waterfront and some restuarants and shopping, gifts, etc...
www.seattleaquarium.org
After morning dive on 17th, you will have time to see aquarium or anywhere before back to Portland. If any change, let me know. Do you need a direction map for Alki?