Possession point ferry

[Jaksonbrown]

This weekend looks like a great weekend to dive some sites that otherwise might be current swept as Lynne was saying earlier. I am thinking about doing a boat dive on the possession point ferry wreck. Does anyone have any experience and possible suggestions, do's and donts of diving this site?
Any good anchor site suggestions? do's donts?

Any warnings,.. must see's etc.?

Thanks again for your info.

Cory-

[boydski]

Hi Cory,

We usually anchor just down wind/current from the wreck and then run a reel from the anchor, up over the wreck to the far rail. This makes it easier to find the anchor line, no matter which side of the wreck you swim down. There are a lot of concrete blocks on the bottom surrounding the wreck, so it is pretty easy to foul an anchor. Fortunately, it easy for a diver to move the anchor or unfoul it before ascending.

The last time I was out there, DFW had a big yellow buoy on the wreck, so finding it will be very easy.

[LCF]

This is a site that can have unpredictable surface current, so it's often necessary to hang onto the anchor line for the first 20 feet or so of descent, and it's important to get back to the upline to get back to the boat, or you could be swept an unswimmable distance away.

This is one of my favorite sites I've done in the Sound. There's little of the hull or deck left, but the remaining "ribs" form great hiding places for a wide variety of sea life. I've seen warbonnets, multiple species of nudibranch, several species of rockfish, and ling cod, as well as schools of olive rockfish, pile and shiner perch, and even a fly-by sea lion on deco.

The wreck lies in about 80 to 90 feet of water, depending on the tides (IIRC) so it's not a shallow dive.

[Dusty2]

Scan Back thru Jan's Whitby island critters. He did one on the possession point ferry awhile back

[dsteding]

This is a site that can have unpredictable surface current, so it's often necessary to hang onto the anchor line for the first 20 feet or so of descent, and it's important to get back to the upline to get back to the boat, or you could be swept an unswimmable distance away.

One of those that I'd want a boat tender for . . .

[CaptnJack]

There is no current correction station for this site. Try to go at Edmonds low tide since the ebb is 5x worse than a flood here. And leave someone aboard. If you go as a group of 4 you can do "2-in" and "2-out" and boat tend for each other.

[markwilson]

The directions are about right for the ferry. It can be hard to find though. There is also another dive site North of there called the fingers that is great. I've not been to muk this winter but tin the past they have pulled the floats at the launch site which can make things interesting if it's windy.

[CaptnJack]

I've not been to muk this winter but tin the past they have pulled the floats at the launch site which can make things interesting if it's windy.

Mukilteo sucks. In summer its crowded and expensive as hell. The floats are always pulled in winter.

Everett is a vastly better ramp. If that's too far for your boat you probably shouldn't be at Possession Point in winter anyway.

[sunnydude]

I read in the NWDN that the WSA was looking to place a mooring bouy at the site. That would make it much easier to locate and tie up.

[dsteding]

I read in the NWDN that the WSA was looking to place a mooring bouy at the site. That would make it much easier to locate and tie up.

There is a on-again, off-again WDFW buoy on it from what I understand. But, there are really good numbers for it readily available online.

[CaptnJack]

I read in the NWDN that the WSA was looking to place a mooring bouy at the site. That would make it much easier to locate and tie up.

There is a on-again, off-again WDFW buoy on it from what I understand. But, there are really good numbers for it readily available online.

The WDFW has not maintained a fishing reef buoy in 10+ yrs, zero budget for that. As far as I know, the only ones still alive are at Tolmie and Sucia (lame muddy reef btw). I doubt any buoy there would survive long, lots of fetch and abrasion on any line used. And chain needs an even larger float plus nearly as much maintenance anyway. Anchoring should not be that big a deal, its a sign of a well rounded diver to pick the right day & weather, motor out (or shudder sail!), drop the hook, dive, and return to the bar with tall tales.

[Pez7378]

Anchoring should not be that big a deal, its a sign of a well rounded diver to pick the right day & weather, motor out (or shudder sail!), drop the hook, dive, and return to the bar with tall tales.

:occasion5: Aaarrrrgh! Soar yeh fancy yersef a sailer do ye?

[sunnydude]

:occasion5: Aaarrrrgh! Soar yeh fancy yersef a sailer do ye?

Always with the comments.

Even if it was perfect slack tide...there would be no way that even tied up to a bouy would I not leave someone on the boat.

[boydski]

The WDFW has not maintained a fishing reef buoy in 10+ yrs, zero budget for that. As far as I know, the only ones still alive are at Tolmie and Sucia (lame muddy reef btw). I doubt any buoy there would survive long, lots of fetch and abrasion on any line used. And chain needs an even larger float plus nearly as much maintenance anyway. Anchoring should not be that big a deal, its a sign of a well rounded diver to pick the right day & weather, motor out (or shudder sail!), drop the hook, dive, and return to the bar with tall tales.

They did have a large, low yellow buoy on the wreck this summer, but it was not something that you could really tie up to. I think my last trip to the wreck was in September or October and the buoy was still in place then, but may not have survived our lovely winter storms. I think the Mark V is heading out there on Friday and Saturday, so should be able to verify that the buoy is (or is not) still in place.

Of course if you need good coordinates for the wreck, I do know where you can find them....

[Jan K]

Last time we dove on the ferry on November 23, 2008 - the buoy was gone.

[CaptnJack]

:occasion5: Aaarrrrgh! Soar yeh fancy yersef a sailer do ye?

Ummmm... I have sailed. I can sail. I like sailing. I also like beer and getting home for beers, like TODAY!

On balance beers win over wind.

[sunnydude]

Of course if you need good coordinates for the wreck, I do know where you can find them....

You mean I can find them here: http://www.boydski.com/diving/dives/pos ... -ferry.htm ? Your site has some excellent information.

[CaptnJack]

They did have a large, low yellow buoy on the wreck this summer, but it was not something that you could really tie up to.

Whenever I see a "mooring buoy" I think of a Norrander's buoy that I did tie up to once. As we descended I saw what was holding it in place and beat fins back to the boat to anchor with something legit. The rode was worn through 2 of 3 strands completely and the last strand was down to something you could sew buttons on with.

[pensacoladiver]

I dove the ferry 2 weeks ago Sunday. The bouy was gone, and has been for some time now, to the best of my recollection. It was pretty easy to find the site with GPS and Fish Finder though. 2 Weeks ago, was a pretty high water exchange, so we were there before slack and even at slack, the surface current was ripping.

I had to run a line from the bow to the stern so my dive buddies could work their way up to the anchor line. It was strong enough that we actually considered aborting. However, as stated in an earlier post, once we got down about 20 feet, the current pretty much disappeared.

GREAT DIVE. I have dove it twice now and still not seen the whole thing. There are currently huge Lingcod there guarding their egg colonies.

Enjoy

Chad

[Pez7378]

Chad,

Welcome to the NWDC! Thanks for the "short" report We'll be diving this site very soon.

[pensacoladiver]

Thanks Pez,

I have been a "lurker" on the board for a while now. Just could not resist chiming in when I saw the Possession Point Ferry post. It really is an incredible dive.

Chad

[dsteding]

We dove it today. There were two other boats, and the Mark V.

Overall a good day--my only comment is that people should really consider what they are dropping anchors on. One boat pulled anchor to recover divers, and then motored right back over the wreck--almost dropping on top of a bunch of bubbles. I cared because it was Chris and Joe making those bubbles. Another dropped anchor with way too little scope, gets on Channel 16 with the Mark V and starts discussing things over that channel--instead of switching to another and keeping it open for emergencies--and was considering pulling the anchor and resetting, despite bubbles all around the bow of the boat. I barked at them too because those were still Chris and Joe's bubbles. I don't think their anchor was dragging, they were just swinging around on it with the current.

Kudos to the Mark V, they motored right in, slick as can be, dropped a shot line on the wreck, and then backed off and anchored. We anchored ~20 feet up current of the wreck and ran a reel to the wreck, and got two teams in between 10:30 and 12:45 with very little surface current. VIs was ~15 feet on the wreck, with a hazy layer and a slight halocline at 20 feet.

[Fishstiq]

We dove it today. There were two other boats, and the Mark V.

Overall a good day--my only comment is that people should really consider what they are dropping anchors on. One boat pulled anchor to recover divers, and then motored right back over the wreck--almost dropping on top of a bunch of bubbles. I cared because it was Chris and Joe making those bubbles. Another dropped anchor with way too little scope, gets on Channel 16 with the Mark V and starts discussing things over that channel--instead of switching to another and keeping it open for emergencies--and was considering pulling the anchor and resetting, despite bubbles all around the bow of the boat. I barked at them too because those were still Chris and Joe's bubbles. I don't think their anchor was dragging, they were just swinging around on it with the current.

Kudos to the Mark V, they motored right in, slick as can be, dropped a shot line on the wreck, and then backed off and anchored. We anchored ~20 feet up current of the wreck and ran a reel to the wreck, and got two teams in between 10:30 and 12:45 with very little surface current. VIs was ~15 feet on the wreck, with a hazy layer and a slight halocline at 20 feet.

Agreed! Originally, my thought was "Be careful with the anchor so you don't damage the wreck". It never occured to me that someone might redrop an anchor, into bubbles, and knowing there were around a dozen divers somewhere below them!!! Doug, thanks again for the invite, and for keeping anyone from smashing us with heavy sharp metal stuff.

[CatolicDiver]

Hey, I was there, too (on the Mark V). What a lovely day to be diving there.

I was surprized to see so many nudis on the wreck. Can't wait to dive it again. I still haven't seen the whole wreck after 3 dives there.

[dsteding]

I still haven't seen the whole wreck after 3 dives there.

We were the white RIB anchored off to the west a bit, kinda out of the fray.

Scott and I took scooters, so we did a lap of the whole thing, around and then swam up the middle. I agree, lots to see there--great structure.

Hopefully Scott will be along posting pictures soon.