EUP is a fantastic dive for new divers. The depths are shallow, the dive areas are very well marked, the site provides a fantastic suite of services (bathrooms, food, etc.), and the stuff you see is AMAZING.
I have been to this site more than a dozen times, in all sorts of conditions, in all seasons. I have had to call one dive because of poor visibility. Other than that, I have never experienced any challenges related to tides, current, or any other concern.
This is absolutely a very reasonable dive for brand new divers who proceed with due caution & reasonable attention to detail.
Here are some excellent resources for EUP:
http://www.pnwscuba.com/directions.htm#edmonds
You should practice dive planning. It is a skill you'll need on lots of northwest shore dives, and this is a good place to get experience.
I would use this link:
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow. ... ds&units=f
to track tides. Typically, I like to be in the water about a half-hour before a peak or trough, and plan to exit no later than a half-hour after the peak or trough. For most sites in the Puget Sound, that's a general rule of thumb. Each site can have its own peculiarities, so you want to do your research for each new place you dive.
Typically, the water flows north to south when the tide is coming in, and south to north when it is going out. You want to plan your dives so that you swim "up current". If you swim with the current, you will find that the swim back to your entry point is much harder and can take much longer. The danger is that if you don't turn your dive at the right point you could find your gas supply running low before you return to your exit.
If you swim "up current", then your swim back to your exit point should take less time & use less gas than the first half of your dive, which means your dive plan is a bit simpler.
When you look at a tide table, the power & force of the current created by the tide is related to the difference in the height of the water as the tide exchanges. The larger the difference, the stronger the current. Some tide tables will give you an estimated value in terms of knots of speed rather than changes in depth. The more knots, the stronger the current.
Matt S. wrote:
Dive Plan?
I was planning on getting a map at the LDS there, and simply following the ropes out and back, staying far away from the ferry. But it's hard to figure this part out with no actual experience at the site.
Unlike virtually every other dive site in the Puget Sound, EUP has an on-site map that clearly shows where the "sights" are. In addition, marker buoys have been installed at certain points of key interest, and cables have been laid on the bottom in a large grid which allows even novice divers to have some visual references when navigating.
You will find this map posted on the structure at the site that houses the restrooms. The local Underwater Sports also has maps & advice for new divers on the site.
Two issues you must consider:
The EUP is a long, long swim from shore. It can take 10 minutes of swimming to get to the first row of buoys. More adventurous dives to further points require an even longer surface swim.
Going out, this is not necessarily too much trouble for most divers. But after being in the water for a half-hour or so on a dive, you may find the swim back quite tiring. If you are diving a dry suit, you may also want to think about restroom issues.
Secondly, if you are a brand new diver, you may want to make your first dives with some friends with more experience. Lots of people dive EUP regularly; post a message here on the board to see if anyone is diving the area the same time you want to - you may meet some new friends, and have a chance to dive with others with a bit more experience.
My very first dive after being certified was at EUP. I was
stunned at the difference between EUP and Alki. And after more than 150 dives, I've yet to see any bigger fish in the Pacific Northwest.
Good luck, and good diving!
Ryan
