New Divers in Steilacoom

[robjuge]

Hi!

My wife (27) and I (30) live in Steilacoom (military family) and we're looking to meet some people for dives and other outings, especially around Sunnyside beach.

I'm Advanced OW with 20-30 dives, but a LONG break in there. My wife was certified about 2 years ago and has 8 or so logged.

We've only dove a couple of times here so far, and we're about to purchase dry suits (7/7 is too thick for comfort).

I'm trying to take up crab catching as a hobby, and we're into underwater photography/video (rank amateurs).

Anyway, if anyone else is around the area, and would like to meet and potentially get wet, please drop me a message.

[Penopolypants]

Welcome! We have weekly dives all over the Sound in the evenings during the week. The Thursday crew might be the closest to you, but you both are welcome to go to any of them. Keep your eye on the dive planning section to see what's up for that week:

http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewforum.php?f=3

We're also having a club dive/bbq in a few weeks at Saltwater State Park if y'all are available. Even if you don't want to dive it's a great place to hang out, eat some food, and meet new people! More info can be found here:

http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21516

[McGlencoe]

The Sunnyside pipeline has become one of my favorite easy dives, lots of life in a desert, quite cool.

We'll be diving there in the evening within the next week or two, pm me if you're interested in tagging along.

[robjuge]

Thank you both for the replies.

Weekends are better for us--at least every other one. My wife is a night nurse right now, and works every other weekend. I'm a military attorney, and it seems that I never get off at a decent hour during the week!

I'm going to look at our schedules. We should be headed to the JBLM scuba shop to order dry suits in the next week. Hopefully they won't take too long to come in.

This forum seems like a really great place to meet. We're both pretty excited!

[dwashbur]

We're in Spanaway, not too far from you, and my wife is a day nurse. My wife and I are both DM certified and I love helping people get the most out of a dive. When we're down, I call myself the self-appointed worry wart, because I'm the guy who's always gyrating around in impossible positions to verify where everybody is. We love to take pictures, but haven't had the chance to get into crabbing yet. Maybe we can all help each other?

[Scubak]

Well, There you have it!!!
Plenty of opportunities to get back into diving!!!
If you are going to want to go crabbing you will need a license and make sure you look at the regs. to know which marine areas are open.
Also, a bunch of us like to crab as well.
I'd be happy to meet you for a dive anytime.
Kirsten

[robjuge]

I'm going crabbing tomorrow actually. Late notice, but should be fun!

[olalladiver]

Hate to rain on your parade if I am, but most of the sound is closed to crabbing now fora couple weeks... Hope you had plans for one of the areas that was open... or else, really sorry to be that messenger. :(

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/crab/

We're down in the south, too... Kitsap actually, so hope we connect on a dive at some point.

There may be winter season for crab, but we don't usually get that news til like November or something.

Don't forget your catch card for puget sound btw, or pay a 10$ fine next year when you get your license. Not that I have any personal experience with that...

[robjuge]

Oh, that sucks! They sold me the license a couple of days ago, after it was closed. Thanks for he heads up. I guess I'll be reading on what else I can catch, or I'll go for photos

[olalladiver]

Yeah, sorry about that.

Razor clams are a hoot if you got a shellfish license. PM me if you want details. Not open yet, but will be soon. There may be a winter season on crab, too... just depends on what got caught over the summer.

[olalladiver]

Yeah, sorry about that.

Razor clams are a hoot if you got a shellfish license. PM me if you want details. Not open yet, but will be soon. There may be a winter season on crab, too... just depends on what got caught over the summer.

[robjuge]

Oh, no. Don't be sorry. I'm glad as hell that you told me. It would have been awkward coming out of the water with crabs out of season. Thank you very much for keeping me out of trouble.

I'm just shocked that when I bought the license after the season was closed, that no one told me!

I don't have a license for clams, but I can get one. I'm thinking about going out to Westport for crabs. I'm told they're there all the time, and they're in season.

[olalladiver]

The person selling I bet has no idea what the seasons are... but if they did, man, that'd be poor form not to tell you. Seems like I usually buy my license from some 17 yo high school kid that has no interest in fishing, though, so probably good odds they just didn't even know or care... But clams should be on the same license... Shellfish covers all, I think... Crab, clams, squid, etc. There are still places it's open, just not around here. I've gotten some out at westport, but it's a bit more work... Might be good if you got a boat, though, I think. I don't, so have to do it off docks, etc, and have gotten some, but have done better in the sound actually. The docks get hit pretty hard.

Lemme know how you do and welcome to the board. Hope we splash (or crab or clam or something) sometime soon.