North Beach, Port Townsend WA
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:57 pm
Dive Site Name: North Beach park, adjacent to Fort Worden, Port Townsend WA
Skill Level: All Divers, with a caution regarding currents.
Current Sensitive: In shore, not really. Farther out, yes.
Location/Address: Here's a map.
Directions: Drive into Port Townsend. Follow the signs to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. Near the fairgrounds there will be a road on the right leading to North Beach, Kuhn street. Follow Kuhn street to the park, continue down the boat launch, into the water, and drive until reaching Nanaimo. Dive the HMCS Saskatchewan.
Free Parking: Yes
Staging Area: Gravel parking lot with a small park.
Surface Swim: Short-long.
Nearby Facilities: Porta-potties.
Special Considerations: Current patterns are undetermined. Wind and surf action often makes the site too dicey.
Maximum Depth: 10-30ft.
Known Hazards: Kelp, wave action, surf.
Dive Site Description: A long, shallow, level bottom. Lots of kelp, it could be dramatic in high 'kelp season'. There are occasional rocks covered with life. You'd have to go very far out to get deeper than 30ft, which is not recommended because the currents start to rip. The beach is exposed to the straits and prevailing winds, and is not often a good choice due to surf action unless the winds are blowing off-shore; when this happens, nearby Point Hudson (which faces the other direction) may be too rough but North Beach becomes calm. All that said, it does make for an interesting change of pace. Seals and otters are often seen in the area.
Skill Level: All Divers, with a caution regarding currents.
Current Sensitive: In shore, not really. Farther out, yes.
Location/Address: Here's a map.
Directions: Drive into Port Townsend. Follow the signs to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. Near the fairgrounds there will be a road on the right leading to North Beach, Kuhn street. Follow Kuhn street to the park, continue down the boat launch, into the water, and drive until reaching Nanaimo. Dive the HMCS Saskatchewan.
Free Parking: Yes
Staging Area: Gravel parking lot with a small park.
Surface Swim: Short-long.
Nearby Facilities: Porta-potties.
Special Considerations: Current patterns are undetermined. Wind and surf action often makes the site too dicey.
Maximum Depth: 10-30ft.
Known Hazards: Kelp, wave action, surf.
Dive Site Description: A long, shallow, level bottom. Lots of kelp, it could be dramatic in high 'kelp season'. There are occasional rocks covered with life. You'd have to go very far out to get deeper than 30ft, which is not recommended because the currents start to rip. The beach is exposed to the straits and prevailing winds, and is not often a good choice due to surf action unless the winds are blowing off-shore; when this happens, nearby Point Hudson (which faces the other direction) may be too rough but North Beach becomes calm. All that said, it does make for an interesting change of pace. Seals and otters are often seen in the area.