Thinking about moving to WA - where is the good diving?

[GreatLakesWreckDiver]

My family and I are thinking about moving to WA. Wife wants to start her own home health care business out there. Maybe the Port Angeles area but nothing in stone at all. We want to make a trip out to look at areas and I thought I would see where some good diving is. Currently I live in WI near Green Bay and dive inland quarries, Lake MI and Lake Superior. The Vienna off Whitefish Point, MI is my all time favorite diving.

I like any type of diving but love shipwrecks. Salt or fresh is fine by me and I can go deep or ice dive. Wife prefers 70' or above and warmer conditions if she could choose. Son is only 9 but is SEAL certified and can easily do a 60 minute cold water dive at 15 - 20' with me. He will be going for Jr. OW next year.

Wife wants to stay away from the rainy areas of WA but otherwise she knows I would like to be an hour or two from multiple diving opportunities. I am an IT guy and it is my one way to get away from the darn cell phone! Hopefully they don't figure out how to make them work under water

So I ask for advice on where the good places are to live based on location to diving and probably in smaller city settings (20K or more population). And if anyone knows of any good jobs for an experienced network engineer.....let me know.

[Dusty2]

The area around Puget Sound is the the dive capitol of the northwest but the east side of the sound is pretty much one big city from Everett all the way to Olympia with the traffic to match. However it is better from the diving point of view and probably more lucrative from a home care business side. But if if your looking for small town feel you'll not find it here. It does offer good potential from the IT side but it sounds to me like there is a lot of turnover in that world from the comments I hear on the board.

The west or port Angeles side is the place if you want small cities but the economies of these smaller cities tends to be more depressed. Of the towns on that side Port Townsend is my favorite for both diving and ambiance and is the only one with a good dive shop and good dive spot litterally right in town. Port Angeles is a bit larger but doesn't offer much in the way of diving and from there west you heading into the rainiest part of the state and very low population. Sequim is between PA and Port Townsend and is probably the least rainy of any place on that side. There is next to nothing dive wise there but it is centrally located, not far from Port Townsend or Port Angeles and it is a retirement mecca so probably not a bad local for a home care business.

For a wreck diver there isn't a lot of any size except the Diamond Knot west of Port Angeles.

[Penopolypants]

I don't have a lot of suggestions on non-rainy places to live - Sequim is probably the least rainy spot on the west side of the state, and would put you near both the ocean and the Olympics, which are gorgeous. There are some great diving spots near there on the Strait, but they are often current sensitive and weather dependent. The other side of the Cascades is practically desert, but would put you several hours from diving. Not undoable, but not quick either.

For wrecks, both fresh and salt water, check out Scott Boyd's fantastic webpage here, http://www.boydski.com/diving/wreck_dives.htm, or pick up his even more fantastic book Northwest Wreck Dives.

[thefeve]

But if if your looking for small town feel you'll not find it here.

I dunno about that necessarily. We live in Mukilteo, just south of Everett and find it is very similar to a small town community feel. Of course its not the exact same, as I-5 is so close and surrounding "cities, but I do tend to appreciate the access to bigger city commodities more than dislike it.

As far as the "non-rainy" part of Washington - that's sort of difficult to do and stay near the best diving spots. I grew up on the east side of Snoqualmie Pass in the center of the state, and its much more of a 4-season climate, with much less rain, snow in the winters and warmer summers. However, diving in the sound is a minimum 2 hour drive away, if not more.

I'd say come and check out the area first. I really like the north end where we ended up. Great access to just about everything Seattle has to offer within a 30 min to an hour drive (pending traffic of course) and yet still far enough outside downtown to have that smaller town community feel. I'm not as familiar with the South Sound so can't speak to that, but there's several pockets here that people tend to really like, Edmonds and Mukilteo being two that I could suggest highly.

Not sure about jobs, but if you want to work for a huge company, Boeing is also right here in Everett, and I'd bet they'd have something in your field, if you can get in. The hiring process can take a very long time (I know from experience:))

Good luck!

[dlh]

Okay, I had to look it up. Seattle (and the PNW) does not get that much more precipitation than Green Bay, and almost none of it is going to be snow. It rarely snows to any significant degree in the low lands, and I know Green Bay is like a Glacier in Winter. Plus Green Bay gets about triple the rain in the summer vs Seattle. All up, I would sell the fact that PNW weather is milder with far fewer extremes. Looks like an upgrade to me!

Green Bay: 30.49 inches average annual precipitation
Spring 7.62 in
Summer 11.02 in
Fall 8.05 in
Winter 3.8 in

Seattle: 36.15 inches average annual precipitation
Spring 8.44 in
Summer 3.39 in
Fall 10.77 in
Winter 13.55 in


http://average-rainfall.weatherdb.com/l ... -Wisconsin

http://average-rainfall.weatherdb.com/l ... Washington

[BillZ]

I don't have a lot of suggestions on non-rainy places to live - Sequim is probably the least rainy spot on the west side of the state, and would put you near both the ocean and the Olympics, which are gorgeous. There are some great diving spots near there on the Strait, but they are often current sensitive and weather dependent. The other side of the Cascades is practically desert, but would put you several hours from diving. Not undoable, but not quick either.

For wrecks, both fresh and salt water, check out Scott Boyd's fantastic webpage here, http://www.boydski.com/diving/wreck_dives.htm, or pick up his even more fantastic book Northwest Wreck Dives.

Sequim is also a retirement community which would be good for a home health care business.

Edit:
It's also really close to Hood Canal and Discovery Bay - both of which are great diving locations. You'd probably want to get a boat though - Most of the divesites in that area don't have shore access.

[Mortuus]

For a wreck diver there isn't a lot of any size except the Diamond Knot west of Port Angeles.

There's plenty! They're just reaaaaaaal deep...

For wrecks, both fresh and salt water, check out Scott Boyd's fantastic webpage here, http://www.boydski.com/diving/wreck_dives.htm, or pick up his even more fantastic book Northwest Wreck Dives.

+ 1 to that! That is a fantastic book that will tell you just about everything you need to know about local wreck diving.

[H20doctor]

good diving everywhere..

[John Rawlings]

The original poster didn't say how deep he is trained to dive. There are plenty of deep wrecks in Washington waters - in Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and in Lake Washington.

Scott Boyd's excellent book has already been mentioned. I would also urge the OP to take a look at the Maritime Documentation Society's website: http://www.maritimedocumentation.org/index.html

Also, take a look at this list of Washington wrecks on the DCS Films website: http://www.dcsfilms.com/Site_4/Northwes ... dives.html

[CaptnJack]

For a wreck diver there isn't a lot of any size except the Diamond Knot west of Port Angeles.

There's plenty! They're just reaaaaaaal deep...

Actually there are about 6 wrecks in the recreational range west of Dungeness Spit. The crane is a fantastic dive and <90fsw.

[renoun]

On the weather front some folks have already described some of Western Washington's meteorological features. Outsiders need to understand that "rains all the time" really means that July through September it's really sunny but during the rest of the year it is frequently cloudy/overcast/grey and will drizzle at some point during the day. Cliff Mass is a local expert on forecasting models that has written several blog eateries that might be particularly enlightening; Puget Sound Convergence Zone, micro-climates, Is Sequim Really Sunnier?, and Tale of Two Radars: Rainshadow and Windward Enhancement are a good start but his book is well worth reading too. In general you'll find more rain on the Western slopes of the Cascades and in the Puget Sound lowlands between Seattle and Everett (Bremerton and Port Ludlow on the other side of the sound).

I dislike long commutes but there are a variety of public transit options for commuting into downtown Seattle during regular business hours that make commuting from more distant communities more feasible than in the past. Commuting through Seattle isn't very pleasant by car and with a few exceptions isn't feasible by public transit. There are express buses, light rail (eventually to be extended to Seattle's Northern suburbs), commuter trains from the South, less frequent commuter trains from the North, passenger ferries, car ferries from across the Sound (that you can walk on to).

Metropolitan Seattle's suburbs (everything on the I-5 corridor between Tacoma and Marysville) are a mixture of pre-WWII communities with their own business districts and post-WWII development which is more likely to be residential subdivisions interspersed with strip malls (affluent communities have upscale strip malls with fancy stores). North of Seattle Edmonds, Muklteo, Everett would be examples of established towns that were surrounded by growth but retained a business core and distinct identity. You'll find that housing becomes more affordable the farther you get from Seattle but that means a modest house might decrease in cost from $550k to $250k which may still be shockingly expensive compared to Wisconsin.

[WaGigKpn]

How lucky you are...I was born and raised here in Washington state and my roots are in the South Kitsap Area. If i were from out of state and moving into the state i would pick Sequim all day long...It is the driest place in Western Washington. It is also in a fantastic location, Especially for diving. The whole south side of the straight of Juan De Fuca is pretty much rocky and kelp. You also are not far from the ocean and the diving out there. There are countless wrecks along the straight and out on the ocean side of the state. I dont know of any in particular because i am not a wreck diver but in my searching for dive sites i have run across lots of them. The coast also does not seem to get much attention from the diving community so you may be able to run across wrecks that have hardly been touched.

Anyway. Hope you make it out here.

[Dusty2]

The reason that the coast doesn't get much attention is that most of it is nonexcessable from the land side due to everything from long beach north being Indian reservations not to mention being very rugged and very wet.

[CaptnJack]

The reason that the coast doesn't get much attention is that most of it is nonexcessable from the land side due to everything from long beach north being Indian reservations not to mention being very rugged and very wet.

And being the graveyard of the pacific means its essentially off limits for diving about 10 months out of the year, the "do-able" month is about 45 days sprinkled around June-July-August. A rare day here and there during the rest of the year which is pretty hard to plan for. Hence the complete lack of regular dive charters on the coast.

[ORDiver]

The reason that the coast doesn't get much attention is that most of it is nonexcessable from the land side due to everything from long beach north being Indian reservations not to mention being very rugged and very wet.

And being the graveyard of the pacific means its essentially off limits for diving about 10 months out of the year, the "do-able" month is about 45 days sprinkled around June-July-August. A rare day here and there during the rest of the year which is pretty hard to plan for. Hence the complete lack of regular dive charters on the coast.

The hardest thing about coast diving if you don't live somewhere ON the coast is getting that perfect combination of calm weather, calm seas, good tides and time to get out there. There's times to dive the ocean all year long. They're just usually on work days.

[CaptnJack]

The hardest thing about coast diving if you don't live somewhere ON the coast is getting that perfect combination of calm weather, calm seas, good tides and time to get out there. There's times to dive the ocean all year long. They're just usually on work days.

Seems that way. A 5 hour drive, even in July is way too far to go to find a 12ft swell with an 8 second period.

Of course the other issue is that there aren't any ramps where you need one. And the actual coastal wrecks have been beaten into a million tiny peices, the Andalusia isn't even on the coast itself and its completely flattened.

[ORDiver]

Seems that way. A 5 hour drive, even in July is way too far to go to find a 12ft swell with an 8 second period.

Of course the other issue is that there aren't any ramps where you need one. And the actual coastal wrecks have been beaten into a million tiny peices, the Andalusia isn't even on the coast itself and its completely flattened.

Yeah, the Washington coast is desolate. I'm sure there's some gems out there but it would take a lot of time and fuel to find them. If you really wanted to dive the open ocean the closest ramp to Seattle with easy ocean access (not the Columbia bar) is about 4hrs away in Garibaldi. It's fun. Basically find good tides / weather, cross the bar, head south and pick a rock. You can limit on clams on the way back in about 10 minutes. It's hard to justify the trip though when Puget Sound is your back yard.

[GreatLakesWreckDiver]

Sorry I haven't spoken up sooner. Was traveling for work and just got home tonight. Wasn't getting email alerts that there were any responses either.

As for depth of diving - I have been to 145'. Did it as a no deco first and then hung a bottle and dove it as a deco dive giving me 20 min of bottom time. Temps in the great lakes typically get in the 45 degree range below 70' and I have even been ice diving a few times.

I realize the wreck diving out there will be nothing like we have here. Wrecks is what the great lakes is known for - especially Lake MI and Lake Superior. But...i love just being in the water seeing just about anything. We have a lot of flattened wrecks here too - so just getting a few decent pieces of machinery and fish are all we have on the shallow ones.

Thanks for all the input. I have been out to WA many years ago and toured around for about 9 days. After that I took a job that I traveled all over the US and I have to say that the state of WA was always my favorite. Now when I was out there - it was a drout year so even the rain forest was on the dry side. There is a saying in WI - if you don't like the weather...wait 10 minutes.

We are heading out there for a long weekend towards the end of the month to look around. Wife will meet up with some folks that she knows out there. I'll be trying to feel out the job market out there. I seem to fall into a lot of manufacturing facilities for some reason but have done anything from consulting to management. Pretty adaptable that way. Of course I don't know that jobs are easy to come by anywhere now days so I would have to put the feelers out there and see what comes around.

Ocean diving would be different for me. I have done boat diving off the coast of FL in some pretty rough water without any issues but I realize different water brings different conditions. On the great lakes they just call out the water conditions by wave height. Fortunately I don't get sea sick so I have been out in some pretty rough water - some by choice and others by conditions changing while on the dive (gets back to that 'wait 10 minutes' thing).

Right now I have a 20 minute farmland commute to work but previously I had a 45 minute highway/city commute. Taking public transportation isn't a big deal for me. I used to do that when I lived in Milwaukee and actually enjoyed it because I could work or relax during the commute.

Know we will be going to Sequim so my wife can meet up with her contacts. Not sure what else we really have on the plate.

[Dusty2]

We pretty much have the same thing weather wise. Week ago friday we went in with a mild chop and came out to 3 to 4' surf conditions. the next day we had 40mph winds followed the next by light surf and drizzle going in and sunny and flat calm coming out! Also the weather tends to be localized, meaning it could be sunny here and raining like hell a few miles away.

The big difference up here will be current. Almost all dive sites will have current to some extent from mild to wicked in some areas so learning the tide tables and current offsets will be essential.

Our water temps run 45 to 55 so your pretty much in the same range. However we seldom get ice even in fresh water and almost never in the salt water sites.

If you were to settle in the Sequim area you also are very close to Vancover Island, Canada which has some awesome wrecks and is only an hour or so from Port Angeles via ferry. It also has some of the best secluded dive destinations in this part of the world.

When you head out this way let us know. You will find we are a very accommodating group and we can set you up with some get acquainted dives. If your going to sequim try Octopus gardens Dive shop in Port Townsend. It is the best shop on that side of the water. If it is a good current week I will be over there and can show you some of the best dive spots on that side.

[GreatLakesWreckDiver]

When you head out this way let us know. You will find we are a very accommodating group and we can set you up with some get acquainted dives. If your going to sequim try Octopus gardens Dive shop in Port Townsend. It is the best shop on that side of the water. If it is a good current week I will be over there and can show you some of the best dive spots on that side.

Appreciate that. It is always great to find folks willing to help out a new guy. Currently I am VP of the Fox Valley Scuba Club (http://www.fvsc.net) and already put in two years as president. I am the same way when folks come our way. Usually talk their ear off about diving in the area until they join the club

I watched some videos and have been reading up on diving in that area. Although it is said the great lakes do not have tides - they do...just NOTHING like the tides you have out there so I will definitely need a lesson on how to read the water and what to expect. One of my favorite dive areas is the Mackinac Straits. There are a ton of ship wrecks in very good condition but there is a pretty stiff current under the surface and many wrecks are in the active shipping lanes. The boat captains call out their Security call on the radio and we have never had an issue with cargo vessels. I noticed on the videos I watched that a lot of guys are using scooters. Is that to handle the currents or just for exploration. I've played around this them but haven't used one on an an actual dive.

We will be flying out there on the 24th and up in the Sequim and surrounding areas on the 25th and 26th Then flying out on the 27th to come back home. I'll definitely stop in at the scuba shop to see what is going on. Think my dream job would be finding some way I could combine IT work with scuba diving. I really need to find more time for getting under water.

[Dusty2]

The scooters are mostly for play because they are just plain fun but they also greatly expand the area you can dive in. They allow you to go places where normal shore diving would be impractical or in some cases unsafe. Not so much for fighting currents. Most of us try to avoid currents and have become pretty good at timing dives to avoid or in some cases use the currents.

As it works out that is excellent timing and the tides are very favorable. Both the 25th and 26th have good afternoon current windows. I will probably be in port Townsend that week. No wrecks but tons of critters.

[GreatLakesWreckDiver]

Wish we could turn it into a diving weekend, but we will have to pack a lot into a short time. Actually my wife just switched the weekends so now we are headed out there on Halloween and coming back Sunday morning. I still plan on stopping by the scuba shop to check it out.

[Dusty2]

Hey in loo of actually diving with me you can check out my photos on hte site in my signature block. Most of them come from Port Townsend.

[GreatLakesWreckDiver]

Sounds great. I'll do that.

[Nwbrewer]

I noticed on the videos I watched that a lot of guys are using scooters. Is that to handle the currents or just for exploration. I've played around this them but haven't used one on an an actual dive.

We use scooter because they're awesome. Lots of diving in Puget Sound is shore diving. Since there are so few shore access scooters really open up the area that you can dive. If you're used to paying for charters, it doesn't take long for the cost equation to balance out for a used sierra.