Making the Olympic loop

[PendOreillePirate]

Hi,

I have lots of dive opportunities during my vacation this year and am looking for a dive partner(s). I am not familiar with these areas at all, so someone with some knowledge would be good. This is my third summer scuba diving and have logged on the order of 40 cold water dives in that time and am comfortable down to 100 ft. I pay attention and am a safe diver plus my wife will provide surface support in her kayak to keep my diver down flag over our heads. I have placed my itinerary below, so if you are interested or know of someone who might be, please drop me a line.

Thanks,

Pat

07/29-08/03 Long Beach/Willapa Bay area.
08/03-08/04 LaPush.
08/04-08/08 Sequim.
08/08-08/10 North Whidbey near Deception Pass.
08/10-08/11 Conconully reservoir.

[maelstrom]

You have chosen some extremely challenging areas to dive, most not even feasible. I am not aware of any charters for diving on the Pacific coast, nor any shore diving there. There is shore diving off of the jetty in Sekiu, and Salt Creek, but these are difficult, advanced dives. Deception Pass has extreme current and is a boat dive safe only on minimal tide exchanges. Consider Lake Crescent, Hood Canal or inside the hook at Port Angeles near Sequim. I am available for a dive or 2 in Hood Canal or the Western side of Puget Sound on 8/3. These would be 60-90 minutes driving from Sequim.

Hal

[CaptnJack]

In addition to what Hal said...

Conconully reservoir is pretty benign. If you go uplake from the dam along the roadside (I think this is the north side) you will find an irrigation overflow spillway. Its a box culvert sticking out from underneath the road maybe 80 yards uplake from the dam. If its flowing you will find extreme current (although not dangerous it'll just push you out into the lake a little ways) and some trout hanging out in the current. You can potentially sit in the slack water at about 15-20ft depth adjacent to this raging current and check out the trout. Normally it can be pretty hard to sneak up on trout on scuba, but they are distracted by the bits of food washing down the sluiceway/overflow.

[PendOreillePirate]

You have chosen some extremely challenging areas to dive, most not even feasible. I am not aware of any charters for diving on the Pacific coast, nor any shore diving there. There is shore diving off of the jetty in Sekiu, and Salt Creek, but these are difficult, advanced dives. Deception Pass has extreme current and is a boat dive safe only on minimal tide exchanges. Consider Lake Crescent, Hood Canal or inside the hook at Port Angeles near Sequim. I am available for a dive or 2 in Hood Canal or the Western side of Puget Sound on 8/3. These would be 60-90 minutes driving from Sequim.

Hal

Thanks for the reply, Hal. I figured that the open coast stuff would be sketchy at best. I was hoping more for something like Sequim Bay, Port Townsend or any of the other little inlets in that area. Unfortunately, on the 3rd, we are driving from Long Beach to LaPush with the 5th wheel and will not make it to the Sequim area until the next day, but thanks again for the offer. As for Deception Pass, I was only saying what area I would be staying in. I've been there in a boat during tidal exchange and have no intention of diving there.

CaptnJack,

Thank you for the info on Conconully. I most likely will not be able to find a buddy to dive there anyway.

If you guys are ever over this way (NE WA and N ID), let me know and we'll put something together.

Pat

[Alexitt]

Keystone would be a good choice for your time on Whidbey Island... It's on the other end of the Port Townsend Ferry if that's the way you're getting to Whidbey... There can be some pretty rippin' current through there at times but it's one of my favorite places to dive... Timing is everything though and doing a couple dives there is a great way to spend the day... I'll be working so won't be able to go then but have fun...