Welcome to the Pacific Northwest Orca Bait forum!

[Sasquatch]

Even though this thread's last post is over a year old here is my vote:

ORCA

Awesome critter! Now what happens? A poll perhaps? Some other resolution?

 

[Uncle Pug]

Well that settles it then. The *Orca* will be our mascot and we will continue to use the post dive flipper clapping call of Uncle Pug as the forum name: *Orca Bait*.

 

[Solitude Diver]

Well that settles it then. The *Orca* will be our mascot and we will continue to use the post dive flipper clapping call of Uncle Pug as the forum name: *Orca Bait*.

:rofl: :lol:

Too Funny!

 

[diversmarts]

Almost ended up as bait for one of these bad boyz!

Long story, PM me if you want to hear the near gory details.

 

[flyfishin]

Hello to all:

Fairly new to scubaboard... and just found the local forum. Just wanted to say hello

 

[boingophreak]

Greetings to all you in the PNW. I will be moving up to the Sponkane area next week and am trying to find out if there are any diving opertunities in the area. I am looking forward to diving in the Puget Sound area when I can make it over there.

Most of my diving experience is in the Monterey/Carmel area of N. California and I have done some high altitude diving at Lake Tahoe.

Please PM me with any information that you can provide.

Thanks,

 

[Soakedlontra]

Hello folks!

I would like to dive at Sunrise Beach north of Gig Harbor on Sunday.

I have never dived there and I have been reading info about this dive sites on a couple of dive sites guide books.

I am trying to figure out when is the best time to dive this site that is current sensitive. One book and an old article published by the North West Dives News suggest diving this site during slack before the flood and another book suggests diving it on a tidal exchange of exactly 8 feet, at high water at the end of a flood...

I am a beginner diver so I do not have much experience with currents, flood, ebb etc...so now I am totally confused.

Any help?

 

[DavidG]

Soakedlontra,
I, like many of the others on this forum, have dove this site quite often and it's one of my south sound favorites. I've dove it from my boat, dive charters and from shore. Haven't dove it for a while now that the boat is moored up in the San Juans though. (Now I'm spoiled).

IMOpinion, diving at slack is always best - little to no current.

At this site the shore enterance/exit is north of the best part of the dive. Problem is that some of the home owners don't like divers walking on "Their" beach so rather than ruffle feathers we usually make the swim or do the boat.

If from shore I like slack at highwater. It can make for a deeper dive but I like having the current with me both to the site and then back to the exit site. At low slack, I usually dive at 70' so at high slack it'd be about 14' deeper. I don't use much air so it's not a biggie for me.

From the boat you don't have to worry about the swim so I always go at low slack.

As far as the dive books recommendation of doing it at a 8 foot exchange, I believe what they are trying to say is that viz is best when there is minimum water running through the area. I've dove it with 15' changes and 10' changes and while the viz may be better at a 10' change, it's nothing compared to a good old summertime alga bloom.

PS, good spot for octos - and enjoy the dive.

 

[Hunter Ricky]

Hi NW divers!
I live in Alabama and soon will be relocating to the Puget sound area. The NW is not new to me as I was born in Idaho. I believe I will get more diving in up there as its a 6 hour drive for me now.
Just glad I found this site

 

[Soakedlontra]

Soakedlontra,
I, like many of the others on this forum, have dove this site quite often and it's one of my south sound favorites. I've dove it from my boat, dive charters and from shore. Haven't dove it for a while now that the boat is moored up in the San Juans though. (Now I'm spoiled).

IMOpinion, diving at slack is always best - little to no current.

At this site the shore enterance/exit is north of the best part of the dive. Problem is that some of the home owners don't like divers walking on "Their" beach so rather than ruffle feathers we usually make the swim or do the boat.

If from shore I like slack at highwater. It can make for a deeper dive but I like having the current with me both to the site and then back to the exit site. At low slack, I usually dive at 70' so at high slack it'd be about 14' deeper. I don't use much air so it's not a biggie for me.

From the boat you don't have to worry about the swim so I always go at low slack.

As far as the dive books recommendation of doing it at a 8 foot exchange, I believe what they are trying to say is that viz is best when there is minimum water running through the area. I've dove it with 15' changes and 10' changes and while the viz may be better at a 10' change, it's nothing compared to a good old summertime alga bloom.

PS, good spot for octos - and enjoy the dive.

Thanks David for the info.

I look forward to dive there even if I am a little bit anxious about getting all the timing right. This dive may be a bit too advanced for me . But then how can I improve my diving skills if I keep choosing dive sites that are super-safe, typically for beginners(well a part from taking more classes that are out of my budget for now)?

(I dived Keystone Pilings and drift with the current to the jetty and I did a second drift dive further up on that beach eastward at the Tire Reef)

Cheers