Northwest Dive Club

Great trip reports! What a treat to be able to enjoy warm water and even warmer weather. The sea life reminds me of the better spots I’ve been to in the Philippines.
I just wish tropical destinations would keep a few HP 100s on hand for those of us who like to go a little deeper and stay down longer.

Saltwater State Park on 7/15: horizontal visibility was 25' plus. Vertical visibility was such that shimmering light from the surface was still visible at 50'. Temperature was a balmy 54 degrees at depth.

A couple buddies and I dove at Saltwater State Park yesterday. Conditions were just fine. We got in the water a little after 9:00 am and had a nice 50 minute dive with no noticeable current at depth. There was a slight surface current flowing to the North as we were swimming out, just enough to need...

I'm also a big fan of the Waterproof H1. It much warmer than the various 8mm hoods I used to use. I recently got a second one with the higher visibility orange and reflective stripes. The bib can be carefully trimmed with a pair of sharp scissors. I just cut off an inch around the back and seal the ...

The site is somewhat more current sensitive w/o the old oil dock. I pay more attention to the local current marker predictions now. As far as crabbing goes, there is still some structure on the bottom where the dock used to be, and a few crab may be found there. Occasionally crab may also be found s...

Try putting less air in your suit and more in the BC.

While Jess is certainly the one to ask about Weezle undergarments, there are also some more general considerations. First, thick neoprene drysuit a such as the D6 are normally worn with somewhat thinner layers underneath, as they provide insulation on their own. Second, shell suits will also usually...

I wish I could give a better description of where I found the Candy Stripe. I think it was in about 36 feet of water, but not right on the bottom. There weren't too many Orange anemones in the area, and it was definitely in one of those. I literally stumbled upon it while descending after dealing wi...

After many days of rain and drizzle, we finally had a gloriously sunny day on Whidbey Island! I managed to get one of the last spots in the first row of parking after taking the 8:00 am ferry. The few remaining spots were quickly taken, and a second row got started. Seems quite a few divers had read...

There will also be a group of us from Emerald Sea at Keystone on Sunday morning. We're doing our second dive at Skyline Marina (Skyline Wall) early in the afternoon.
Tides are looking good all weekend. Hoping for calm weather.

I'd like a Large in Rich Red.
-James


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Divers that use the D6 Pro suit usually report that it is quite buoyant even with relatively thin undergarments. You could try using the equivalent of a single layer of medium weight Polartec, or possibly Fourth Element Xerotherm. That would reduce the bulkiness under the suit, and also the amount o...

I can't make it this time, but I really appreciate seeing the notice here on NWDC. I still don't do Facebook.


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Well, it's hard to go wrong with classic black; but for a change of pace, how about Navy or Rich Red?


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Looks like a great area for diving! The other places I've seen 80' vis in cold water were at Magnolia Point north of Nanaimo and up around Browning Pass.

I've tried the DSS 17 lb wing and found it a bit small to keep me comfortable on the surface during rougher conditions. (I'm 6'-1" and 205 lbs.) I currently use a HOG 23 lb wing with a stainless plate for warm water diving. The extra lift comes in handy, and the wing doesn't 'taco' around the t...

The north end of Redondo was about 25 ft today, maybe more in places. Others reported being able to see the Black Pearl from the carousel boat.


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Happy Thanksgiving!
We are lucky to have so much good diving in our area, as well as a great community!


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I disagree with the methods taught by SSI (and PADI) for buoyancy control with a drysuit. I prefer to add just enough air to my suit to eliminate squeeze and stay warm. I use my BC to compensate for depth and the reduced weight of gas in my tank(s). The method taught by the recreational agencies ten...

A drysuit is a piece of equipment, similar to your BC. In fact it is useful as a redundant means of buoyancy control. You will probably find it helpful to take a drysuit orientation, which will give you some skills and drills to work on. It will take some practice to become familiar with the new con...

H20doctor wrote:Wow .. I didnt know that was a dive spot ?

Been living under a rock much?
;-)


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Interesting question... Since I've never dove wet in the sound, I can't make a direct comparison. However, being streamlined in the water greatly reduces effort, and thereby reduces air consumption. Both of my suits are compressed neoprene, and fit me very well. I think the air added to a suit only ...

Were there any takers for this Sunday the 8th? Seems like there would be reasonable current at Edmonds in the early afternoon.


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In the ScubaPro line, the classic cold water regs would be a Mk17 or Mk25 paired with a G250(v), G260 or A700. As a bonus, these can be found and serviced in most places around the world.


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Dalco Wall is largely a structure dive. The wall is clay and changes over time, but there are usually big slabs that have broken away from the main wall. There may be bore holes from burrowing clams and small critters inhabiting the holes and small overhangs. Sometimes lots of shrimp. It is also qui...