Salisbury Park, Hood Canal

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60south
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Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:24 pm

Salisbury Park, Hood Canal

Post by 60south »

Dive Site Name: Salisbury Park

Skill Level: Beginner to advanced. See caution below about current.

Current Sensitive: Yes, oh baby yes. Recommended for slack dives only. This is a choke-point in Hood Canal; mis-timing your dive can result in an exciting, unplanned ride on a Coast Guard rescue boat.

Location: Salisbury Park, east side of the Hood Canal bridge, near Port Gamble, WA.

Driving Directions: Google "Hood Canal Bridge" fer cryin' out loud. Click on the 'Maps' link at the top and zoom in. The park is just northeast of the east side of the bridge. If you head towards Port Gamble, you'll see the signs.

Free Parking: Yes.

Staging Area: A paved parking lot, picnic benches, and a floating dock.

Surface Swim: Nada.

Nearby Facilities: Restrooms with showers, right there, assuming they're working. Bring quarters in case the coin mechanism hasn't been conveniently jammed in your favor. Speed traps are located in Port Gamble, although that's more of a bonus than a facility.

Special Considerations: Geoduck and other commercial fishing boats frequently use the dock, as well as recreational fisher-peoples (don't you just love PC terminology?). Be careful and considerate of their operations, even though you have as much right to use the dock as they do. "I was in the right" would make a poor epitaph after being chopped to bits by a prop. That said, most of the time you can dive here, cautiously, with no problem. Surface away from the dock unless you know it's safe, of course. Because the currents can be rippin', take a gander down into the water before diving in. If all is calm, you're golden.

Maximum Depth: As deep as you want. Most of the good stuff is shallower than 60fsw. Plan your dive, dive your plan, and meditate on your belly button.

Dive Site Description: Let's be honest, there isn't a whole lot to see here. Mostly shell hash, some nice anemones and sea pens, and maybe a few other critters. This is mostly a site to get wet and blow some bubbles when you're tired of other places. However there may be unexplored areas and nifty finds around, so not all is boring. The shallows can be full of critters, and look for schools of fish under the dock. Because this area is heavily used by fisher-humans, you stand a good chance of finding snagged or lost jetsam on the bottom, such as nets and lures, anchors, motors, concrete-shoed-bodies, and other discarded paraphernalia.
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enchantmentdivi
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Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 6:24 am

Re: Salisbury Park, Hood Canal

Post by enchantmentdivi »

Awesome write-up! I needed a few giggles this morning.
Jenn
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Jeremy
I've Got Gills
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Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2011 3:25 pm

Re: Salisbury Park, Hood Canal

Post by Jeremy »

lol, we dove this today....was EPIC!!!
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