Dalco Wall

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:55 am

Dive Site Name: Dalco Wall

Skill Level: Advanced

Current Sensitive: Yes, although the book of Puget Sound Boat dives is wrong. This site is divable throughout flood at the Narrows. It should not be dove on an ebb. Current sets continuously to the west-northwest. At "slack" it merely slows down before picking up speed again. This is because the current in Colvos Passage flow north continuously and this site is at the south-east tip of that passage. We dove for the hour before "slack" before a small flood exchange. A slight current moved northwest throughout this time.

Location/Address: South tip of Vashon Island west of ferry terminal, coordinates to follow

Directions: Launch at the Point Defiance boat ramp

Free Parking: Point Definance is an expensive ramp to use. Off-season rate on 11/11/07 was $11.

Staging Area: Just the boat, tidelands are private

Surface Swim: Short although depends on where you anchor

Nearby Facilities: Bathrooms at the boat ramp

Special Considerations: We dove this from an anchored boat no problem. But if you are a novice at this site leave someone aboard. There's almost no risk of being swept by the current over to the ferry terminal since the current doesn't run that way. A scooter would be ideal for visiting the possibly intermittent ledges in the 155-170ft range (see below). No scooter required to see the main wall.

Maximum Depth: 170ft

Dive Site Description: There is a gravelly + sand slope offshore from an old foundation/bulkhead. Set the anchor into this sand and gravel well with plenty of scope.

The slope continues down to about 60ft and the wall. The wall then drops vertically to 145ft. There are some huge barnacles here but this is sandstone so most larger critters break off in the current. Highly sculpted sandstone. At the base of the wall another slope which continues down to about 155-160ft. There is another highly carved clay ledge which then drops to 170ft. Based on the depth sounder there are no more ledges between there and the bottom of Dalco Passage around 200-220ft.

Seth T. · Post by **Seth T.** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:38 am

Sounds great, but shouldn't this be considered a tech dive since the max depth is 170 FSW?

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:58 am

Yes it was for me. 2 other people on my boat diving at the same time kept it to <100ft. So you can decide for yourself how deep you wanna go

gcbryan · Post by **gcbryan** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:31 pm

It's an impressive wall just due to it's size. As was pointed out since it's a clay wall there is not much on it. When we did it we got lucky and saw a large Wolf Eel out hunting. As was pointed out you can decide just how far down the wall you want to go.

Chevayea · Post by **Chevayea** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:04 am

You can decide how deep you want to go on this wall so it is good for advanced or tech divers. The bottom of the first wall is only 80-110 down and then there is a second wall just a little ways beyond it that drops down much deeper. Its very impressive and easy to find (right in front of the cement bulk head) but watch that current when you are on the shelf above the wall. It can really move!