Salt/fresh water dive sites for a new NW diver?

texdiveguy · Post by **texdiveguy** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:19 pm

Any dive locations for a visitor 'new' to this area to get their fins wet both in salt and fresh waters....something not overly complicated for a NW newbie-?

Could only probably spend 4-5 days diving and would be caring all my own gear minus any gas fills.

Thanks in advance..

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:43 pm

How many days do you have? Do you have access to the Steve Fischnaller Shore Dives book? If you have a weekend or so, I'd recommend:

Edmonds Underwater Park
Keystone
Sunrise Beach Park

3 of the better PNW sites. The first is easy breezy, the latter 2 are fairly straight forward if you have the book and can do the simple math slack current corrections. Fine on single tanks, no major logistical hassles.

Richard

texdiveguy · Post by **texdiveguy** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:27 pm

CaptnJack wrote:How many days do you have? Do you have access to the Steve Fischnaller Shore Dives book? If you have a weekend or so, I'd recommend:

Edmonds Underwater Park
Keystone
Sunrise Beach Park

3 of the better PNW sites. The first is easy breezy, the latter 2 are fairly straight forward if you have the book and can do the simple math slack current corrections. Fine on single tanks, no major logistical hassles.

Richard

Richard this is the type info. I am gathering...as to the book...no I don't have it but that would be easy to solve. I can do some internet research on these areas.

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:38 pm

Here ya go:

Has just about everything you need to know to get started in salt water at some of the more prolific sites (critterwise).
Current tables available here:
http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/curren ... d2.html#OR

You can also jump on a charter. Bandito in Tacoma, Deep Sea in Anacortes, and Porthole (a travelling 6pack) are probably the 3 most commonly used.

Freshwater is a bit tougher. In Lake Washington there are a bunch of wrecks but knowing their locations and putting together a (typically Tech) dive to these sites is a bit more involved. Only a couple are shore accessible and those require scooters. Vis is gawd awful (~4ft) below about 60-70ft in the lake.

Probably the "most dived" is the P4Y "Bomber" which belly flopped off Sand Point in Seattle ~50yrs ago. Its upright and intact on the flat silty bottom, max 154ft-ish. Not done on air these days, way too cold dark and silty. Has nice turrets and guns, not really penetrable but the paint is still visible.

texdiveguy · Post by **texdiveguy** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:57 pm

CaptnJack wrote:Here ya go:

Has just about everything you need to know to get started in salt water at some of the more prolific sites (critterwise).
Current tables available here:
http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/curren ... d2.html#OR

You can also jump on a charter. Bandito in Tacoma, Deep Sea in Anacortes, and Porthole (a travelling 6pack) are probably the 3 most commonly used.

Freshwater is a bit tougher. In Lake Washington there are a bunch of wrecks but knowing their locations and putting together a (typically Tech) dive to these sites is a bit more involved. Only a couple are shore accessible and those require scooters. Vis is gawd awful (~4ft) below about 60-70ft in the lake.

Probably the "most dived" is the P4Y "Bomber" which belly flopped off Sand Point in Seattle ~50yrs ago. Its upright and intact on the flat silty bottom, max 154ft-ish. Not done on air these days, way too cold dark and silty. Has nice turrets and guns, not really penetrable but the paint is still visible.

You have gone way out for making my task to easy--lol..thanks.
The P4Y would defl. be something of interest. Also thanks for the charter info., those ops would be of invaluable help to a guy like me!

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:48 pm

Let us know when you are going to be here, and I'm quite sure that you'll have no lack of people offering to meet up and show you our local mudholes. There's really quite a bit of good diving from shore, and some superb sites accessible by boat.

texdiveguy · Post by **texdiveguy** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:42 pm

LCF wrote:Let us know when you are going to be here, and I'm quite sure that you'll have no lack of people offering to meet up and show you our local mudholes. There's really quite a bit of good diving from shore, and some superb sites accessible by boat.

Appretiate the offer....seems like folks here are very kind and more than willing to share the areas dive spots with a visitor!

Seth T. · Post by **Seth T.** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 6:45 pm

Yep, diving up here rules! $\:D/$

Chevayea · Post by **Chevayea** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:49 am

You can take a look at my personal dive website if you like. It allows you to select the type of dive you want to do and will kick out the results along with photos and reviews. Let me know if you find it helpful. The link is below in my sig.

texdiveguy · Post by **texdiveguy** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:44 am

Chevayea wrote:You can take a look at my personal dive website if you like. It allows you to select the type of dive you want to do and will kick out the results along with photos and reviews. Let me know if you find it helpful. The link is below in my sig.

Hey thanks for the link and offer...I bet it will be of interest....I will set aside some time this evening to give your site a look. :-)