Visiting from Socal!

[ligersandtions]

Hi all!

My husband and I are visiting a couple times this summer (so many people getting married!) and figured we'd try out some of the great PNW diving I've been reading so much about. We're both originally from the area and moved to socal a couple years ago.

We'll be staying with his family in Steilacoom while we're up there and would like to get some (shore) diving in. The first weekend we'll be up there is going to be a quick one, so we figured we'd try out Titlow or Sunny Side (assuming we're not advised otherwise) since both places are close. That will be the weekend of July 26th, and unfortunately our only opportunity to dive will be Saturday morning. But at least we'll get that much!

We fly in the night before around 5pm. We'll have to get our bags and such, have the parents pick us up, "fight" with traffic to Tacoma/Steilacoom area, and hope one of the LDS is open for us to rent some tanks. Anyone know if any of the LDS are open later in the evening than 7pm? And if not, what are the odds that a non-certified person could rent the tanks for us? I'm guessing the odds are pretty much zero, but we're just trying to figure out how to maximize our dive time before the wedding. If we wait till they open at 9am, we'll only be able to get one dive in, and it would definitely be great if we could get two in. Also, is there any preference of dive shop over another? I saw two in Tacoma (Underwater Sports and Lighthouse Diving Center)...

Our next trip up (the weekend of August 17th) will be longer, so we should be able to get two days of diving in hopefully. Any "must dive" places around that you would recommend?

We are really looking forward to being back home....and can't wait to try out this new experience back in the PNW! Maybe we can meet some of you local divers!

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Well titlow is next to day Island wall, If NWGratefuldiver is free ask him to be your dive guide and then your tanks will be waiting and he can take you on the dive at the right current time.


You can pm him, of course hell probably chime in soon, tides look almost doable for day island late morning, or low slack early morrning, then titlow.

If greatful has commited he could give a good reference for other guides to help with problem of no time to get tanks and get them back.


Happy Diving

 

[TSandM]

I don't know anything about Sunnyside, but I would avoid Titlow on Saturday morning. There's an eight foot exchange (flood tide) that morning, and Titlow is pretty current-sensitive. I've been in the water there at the wrong time, and it's not fun. Too bad, because Titlow is one of my favorite dive sites.

You might consider Les Davis . . . It's not as pretty a site as Titlow, but I have had some good dives there, and it's not current-sensitive.

Bob (NwGratefulDiver) would be a wonderful companion and guide, if he's available. I love to take visiting divers out, but unfortunately, I'm working that weekend.

 

[ligersandtions]

Please excuse my ignorance....but how do you tell when is a good time to do a shore dive and when is not?

I'm assuming you know that Titlow is more current-sensitive than Les Davis is because of experience, but would there be any way to tell otherwise?

I suppose if diving doesn't happen, it doesn't happen....but it would be really great if it could work out for us since we probably won't be back again until winter, in which case it will be far too cold for us to dive, as we'll be in 7mm wetsuits. Here's to hoping we can make something work! Suggestions are alway appreciated....and we'll look into Les Davis. Thanks!

 

[TSandM]

Well, there is a lot of good information in the Northwest Shore Dives book, which will tell you whether a site is current-sensitive or not, and what the time corrections for slack are. Some information also gets spread by word of mouth, and some gets acquired the hard way

 

[PinkPADIgal]

How much later than 7pm? If you call and let us know, we can stay late for you.

Sunnyside is used a lot for dive training. It is a long walk from your car and IMO, not worth it. Les Davis is a much better dive and there is a lot more to see there.

If you check with the shop, one of our pros would be happy to do a couple of dives with you.

 

[ligersandtions]

How much later than 7pm? If you call and let us know, we can stay late for you.

Sunnyside is used a lot for dive training. It is a long walk from your car and IMO, not worth it. Les Davis is a much better dive and there is a lot more to see there.

If you check with the shop, one of our pros would be happy to do a couple of dives with you.

I would assume it will not be much, if any, later than 7pm. The flight lands at 5:03pm (theoretically....but of course, it's Alaska Airlines, which is notoriously late!).

Thanks for the offer to have someone dive with us....that would be really great. How early are you available for dives? If possible, we'd like to be ready to get in at 8am....I (or my husband) will give your shop a call today and see if we can get something worked out. Thanks a bunch!

 

[TedWi]

Get on the dive boat Bandito, very nice!
Bandito Charters - Scuba Diving Boat Charters for Puget Sound

 

[ligersandtions]

Get on the dive boat Bandito, very nice!
Bandito Charters - Scuba Diving Boat Charters for Puget Sound

I saw all the raves about Bandito, and we may try that out for our August trip, but we are going to be so short on time for this trip that we need to do some shore diving so we can be in and out, and back home in a fairly short period of time.

Gotta be at a wedding in eastern Washington by 5pm....short trips back home just do not give us enough time to do all the things we want to do

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Unfortunately I will be out of town that week-end.

If it were me, I'd come a little bit further north and dive at Redondo ... for the past couple months it's been THE shore-dive for neat critter sightings ... here's some pics from the dive I did there last night ...

Miso Soup - PhotoShow Circle

Anything along the Tacoma Narrow will not be a good choice that week-end due to current. To answer the question, local knowledge of dive sites is invaluable here ... which is why you are getting the alternative suggestions you are getting.

Amy mentioned Les Davis ... that would also be an interesting place for that day, as there's little current in Commencement Bay. But I think your chances of seeing something really neat would be better at Redondo.

Sunnyside (in Steilacoom) is a training site with a very silty bottom and not really much to see.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)