Lake Crescent

Post by . » Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:08 am

BASSMAN wrote:
Scubagrunt wants to dive Crescent Lake!
(Q: is Crescent Lake always a deep dive? Or, can you enjoy it at a reasonable depth?)

Breaking this off from a different thread.

Lake Crescent - It's in a gorgeous area, very inviting, clear, calm water. That's all above water. Beneath, well, it's a lake. Sheer walls that go straight down, 80-100ft vis. But that's it. A few crawdads here and there. The view at 100ft is the same as 10ft. It's more popular among tech divers and tech diving classes because it's calm, clear and deep (660ft). I've dived it a few times as a gear-rinse or backup dive after diving nearby Salt Creek Park, or when I tagged along with a tech buddy when he and others went to dive the Warren car, but I had to break away at a safe depth while they continued to 170ffw. I mostly went just to enjoy the trip and camaraderie, not necessarily the diving.

Dive it at least once for the experience, but go in the spring or summer and plan on an entire day there, it's a long drive. There isn't a lot to see unless you have the training and equipment to get you to the Warren car. Rumor has it there are one or two other antique vehicles w/in recreational depths, but I don't know exactly where they are, and even then, I wouldn't make the trip just for that. John Rawlings is our resident expert about Lake Crescent and the Warren car.

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:39 am

There is also a "peak/hill/bump" in the middle of the lake that comes from the bottom of the lake up to, if I remember correctly, 60-100 ffw.

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 2:54 pm

I have taken a recreationally-trained friend to East Beach ... where we've done reasonably nice dives to about 70 ffw. There's an old sunken barge on one end of the beach ... and you'll be approached by the occasional curious trout trying to figure out exactly what you might be. Otherwise, it's just a nice, refreshing dip in clear, clean-tasting water ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

lamont · Post by **lamont** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:59 pm

Scootering a contour from the East Beach is really nice. Lots of dead trees, big rocks and structure to scooter around.

straitscuba · Post by **straitscuba** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 11:41 am

I have made over 100 dives at lake crescent, mainly because it is close, but also because there are great areas to take classes. If you dive Lake Crescent, stick around a little longer and try a night dive there! It is amazing, there are thousands of crawdad eyes reflecting back into your light and hundreds of trout out feeding. It is a completely different dive at night. If the moon is full and the vis is good, try shutting off your dive light, there is enough moonlight to see where you are going and it is kind of eerie. The rocks and trees that Lamont mentioned are whats left of the landslide that seperated Lake C and nearby Lake Sutherland about 10,000 years ago! another spot to see evidence of the landslide is in barnes cove accessed through bovee's meadow. In about 60 feet of water is a lone cedar tree that is still standing! Check out the dive sites section of my web site for more Lake Crescent diving spots and a few pics.
http://www.straitscuba.com

straitscuba · Post by **straitscuba** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 11:45 am

Also at East Beach, at about 90 feet is a small 12foot or so boat with a one cylinder motor mounted in the middle laying next to a tree. From the looks of it, it has been there for at least 50 yrs. I have heard that there is a sunken pontoon boat at about 120 feet, but have yet to confirm it. The barge at east beach is actually the remnants of the ferry that used to take cars across the lake. Which reminds me, I hear you can still find coal with the company logo stamped into it around Log Cabin resort which is where they used to load coal for the ferry!

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:21 pm

so how long of a drive is it?? sounds like it could be worth it once as a day trip

straitscuba · Post by **straitscuba** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:44 pm

Lake C is about 25 minutes west of Port Angeles

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:51 pm

sorry i meant from seattle.

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 1:00 pm

straitscuba wrote:Check out the dive sites section of my web site for more Lake Crescent diving spots and a few pics.
http://www.straitscuba.com

Nice dive site reports. I've been wondering about getting out on the Peninsula for some diving... shore for me since I don't have a boat. I've also been looking for sites that don't have extreme current issues. Enjoyed the read!

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:00 pm

Lake diving is great for high exchange days! The water at Lake Crescent is 100% gin-clear... it's almost weird how clear it is (nothing like a normal lake). It's like looking through a perfectly flawless crystal with a bluish hue... and the water is quite chilly. Beautiful country though and a nice campground. It'd make for a fun trip!

straitscuba · Post by **straitscuba** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:19 pm

Other great peninsula sites that aren't so current affected are the Sekiu "catacombs and Port Angeles Harbor. In the harbor you can expect to see large log bundles that have sunk in the past when the harbor had a lot of logs floated there waiing for export. In the log bundles, you will find varying species of rockfish, Lincod, greenling, surf perch, playful seals, and the ocasional octo! There is also the remnants of a foss tug that sank some years. Don't know exactly when, but it is steam powered so i'm sure it is old! If any of you make it up this way for a dive, let me know; I am always ready to get wet!

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:23 pm

straitscuba wrote:Other great peninsula sites that aren't so current affected are the Sekiu "catacombs and Port Angeles Harbor. In the harbor you can expect to see large log bundles that have sunk in the past when the harbor had a lot of logs floated there waiing for export. In the log bundles, you will find varying species of rockfish, Lincod, greenling, surf perch, playful seals, and the ocasional octo! There is also the remnants of a foss tug that sank some years. Don't know exactly when, but it is steam powered so i'm sure it is old! If any of you make it up this way for a dive, let me know; I am always ready to get wet!

I may take you up on that this Winter. I am trying to catch up to my regular dive buddy (Bassman) so we can do our 100th dive together. Just did #83-86 with Sounder... Thanks again Doug! I can get free during the week during the day... Weekends and Wednesdays are harder for me. How's the Winter diving?

straitscuba · Post by **straitscuba** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:39 pm

Winters are the best time to dive here, Nov-about May. I am always free on mondays, but can get mornings and early afternoons off work almost anyday! $\:D/$

lamont · Post by **lamont** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:28 am

Sounder wrote:Lake diving is great for high exchange days! The water at Lake Crescent is 100% gin-clear... it's almost weird how clear it is (nothing like a normal lake). It's like looking through a perfectly flawless crystal with a bluish hue... and the water is quite chilly. Beautiful country though and a nice campground. It'd make for a fun trip!

Yeah, that blue-green gin-clear glacial lake water is kinda trippy. The lake itself may wear a little thin, but its way different than lake washington or puget sound. The way the fresh water preserves all the dead trees is also kind of eerie. Its worth at least a weekend of diving every now and then for a chance of pace, imo.

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 10:25 pm

a 6 hour haul is a way to go for a dive but maybe for a weekend some day, are there any other clear lakes closer to the seattle area that people have dove in?? im sure there are some at altitude.

Dolphin_Diver · Post by **Dolphin_Diver** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:44 am

my family goes fishing in septemberover there and the water @ sekiu is always clear and thats in olsen's resort. it would be fun to plan a diving/ camping trip for a weekend do some lake diving and sound diving and instead of a long drive home get to hang out with some new friends. i think i'd be fun.

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:03 am

straitscuba wrote:Winters are the best time to dive here, Nov-about May. I am always free on mondays, but can get mornings and early afternoons off work almost anyday! $\:D/$

Let me hammer out some calendar details and I'll shoot you a PM. I can do Mondays as well... I'd take off real early and be in your area around 9 for a couple of dives... then I'd need to get out of town by at least 4 or so. It sounds like it'd be worth the drive! $\:D/$

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:54 pm

hey tom let me know, im intrested in diving some new spots. we can car pool, i got the donuts

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:47 pm

burntchef wrote:hey tom let me know, im intrested in diving some new spots. we can car pool, i got the donuts

Still workin' on the calendar, but I'll give you a shout.

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:24 pm

cool, 2 weeks notice works best for me but a full week and i can most likely do some shift trading.