Looking for buddy 7/7 to 12 weeknd/night diving Edmonds area

[swwhitford]

Hello, I'm going to be in the Seattle area (Mountlake Terrace area) for business for a week, and am hoping to squeeze in some diving. A quick web-search mentioned Edmonds, and revealed some dive shops in the area, but I'm looking for some recommendations and buddies.

I'm looking to do some diving July 7, and possibly some dusk/night diving other nights that week. I have no experience diving on the West Coast (or the Pacific ocean for that matter), are there any nearby sites that stand out as a classic pacific northwest dive?

I'm from Massachusetts, and have about 200 dives, mostly in cold New England (temps average 50-75 F). I have a divemaster certification, along with AOW, night, and drysuit. I'm comfortable at depth, and have done a bunch of wreck diving around here.

I'll probably only be bringing my regulator, fins, mask, gloves, & boots, and would need to rent/borrow the rest. As I said, according to google there are a few dive shops nearby, any favorites?

Thanks in advance!
-Steve

[LCF]

Edmonds is a great place to do your first Seattle area dives, as long as we aren't in the middle of a horrendous algae bloom. (It's shallow, so the muck that forms in the top 30 feet is pretty much what you dive in there.) But looking at the tides for July 7, Edmonds might not be the best choice, because it's a HUGE exchange with the nadir in the middle of the day. Edmonds at low tide is at best a PITA, and at worse, you can run into some really annoying current.

The good news is that late afternoon and evening diving during that week should be pretty pleasant.

What kind of gear do you use at home? If you're familiar with a backplate and harness system, I know you can borrow gear from any number of people (including me!).

I don't know what your budget is, but you might consider looking into a charter for that Sunday, if you have the whole day to dive. Charters can help work around some of the tide and current constraints that affect our shore diving options.

[spatman]

Check out the Dive planning section for groups that might be gathering near you for weekday dives. There are a few regular dives described here:
http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17214

+1 for getting on a charter if you can.

As for the gear you need, some folks might be able to loan you items for your dives. What size drysuit do you usually wear?

[Norris]

I can most certainly meet up with you to show you around. We also do a weekly Wednesday dive in that area followed by a visit to a nearby pub.
Look for Bubbles and Suds and I will make sure to post during the time you are here. Feel free to PM me for more information.
I have a tank you could use, and depending on your size, maybe a drysuit. Also I didnt see hood in your list, and I would suggest one of those too.

[swwhitford]

Thanks for all the great responses! I was considering a charter, and now I'll definitely look into it for Sunday. Norris, the Wednesday dive sounds perfect, I'll look out for the post, and maybe PM you when it gets closer.

I normally dive with a Jacket-style BCD, but I've tried out a backplate system in a pool. I liked it but never went any further because my BC was still holding together. It would probably take me a little time adjusting to the difference, but I'm willing to use it. My drysuit is a M/L Bare Tri-laminated suit, but I could probably use a larger size without any problem.