Pt Whitney...Nothing to see here. Dive #18

Tell us your tale of coming nose-to-nose with a 6 gill [--this big--], or about your vacation to turquoise warm waters. Share your adventures here!
Post Reply
User avatar
Scuba Swanie
Avid Diver
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 8:03 pm

Pt Whitney...Nothing to see here. Dive #18

Post by Scuba Swanie »

Drove up the Pt Whitney on Hood Canal this morning to join a dive with Underwater Sports Olympia. Long drive for very little to see. I did get in some great practice and was able to dive with 6 lbs less lead than yesterday. My lead load is now down to 34 lbs, down from a high 46 2 weeks ago. Bouyancy was the best yet. There were 10 divers today, 2 or 3 DM’s and one diver on his first post cert dive. Guess which one I got buddied up with...yep the green horn. I was a little concerned since I am still a green horn myself. But, it turned out to be a good experience. I was forced to take the lead, and had to have all my gear straight so I could take care of the new guy. I did the gas management, the navigation, safety stops, and the surface interval. The dive itself was pretty lame, almost no wildlife, about all we saw was some anemones on the pipeline, the current was pretty strong and there was a cold wind blowing directly onto shore. The water was cold (42) and the visibility was about 8-10 feet. EddieA was there from NWDC. Probably won’t make the drive for Pt Whitney again, although Sund Rock would be worth it.
Blowin' Bubbles and Havin' Fun!
User avatar
ScubaJess
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 2681
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2014 3:56 pm

Re: Pt Whitney...Nothing to see here. Dive #18

Post by ScubaJess »

:eric: :partydance: :taco: :pirate:
Last edited by ScubaJess on Sun Dec 31, 2017 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Live Long And Prosper!!!

Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions. :luv: :partydance: :eric: :taco:
User avatar
ScubaJess
NWDC Moderator
NWDC Moderator
Posts: 2681
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2014 3:56 pm

Re: Pt Whitney...Nothing to see here. Dive #18

Post by ScubaJess »

Wow sad about the lack of critters the best part of Hood Canal is the squat lobsters!!! But glad you got good practice in! I've never been to that site so I won't add it to my list. Thanks for the report! Happy New Year! :)
Live Long And Prosper!!!

Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions. :luv: :partydance: :eric: :taco:
Scubak
I've Got Gills
Posts: 1514
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:25 pm

Re: Pt Whitney...Nothing to see here. Dive #18

Post by Scubak »

Glad that you got to dive that site!
Great job of taking care of a new diver and awesome how you seem to be getting your buoyancy dialed in.
Kirsten
"Let's go diving!"
User avatar
Eddie A.
Frequent Bubbler
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:08 pm

Re: Pt Whitney...Nothing to see here. Dive #18

Post by Eddie A. »

Scuba Swanie wrote:Drove up the Pt Whitney on Hood Canal this morning to join a dive with Underwater Sports Olympia. Long drive for very little to see. I did get in some great practice and was able to dive with 6 lbs less lead than yesterday. My lead load is now down to 34 lbs, down from a high 46 2 weeks ago. Bouyancy was the best yet. There were 10 divers today, 2 or 3 DM’s and one diver on his first post cert dive. Guess which one I got buddied up with...yep the green horn. I was a little concerned since I am still a green horn myself. But, it turned out to be a good experience. I was forced to take the lead, and had to have all my gear straight so I could take care of the new guy. I did the gas management, the navigation, safety stops, and the surface interval. The dive itself was pretty lame, almost no wildlife, about all we saw was some anemones on the pipeline, the current was pretty strong and there was a cold wind blowing directly onto shore. The water was cold (42) and the visibility was about 8-10 feet. EddieA was there from NWDC. Probably won’t make the drive for Pt Whitney again, although Sund Rock would be worth it.
It was great meeting Scuba Swanie on this dive! This was dives 9 and 10 for me and I’ll agree there wasn’t much to see except the anemones and some HUGE crabs tucked in along the pipeline (the only structure at this site). I’ve heard that there are big GPOs at this site but their down normally around 90-100’ but I don’t think anybody in our group went deeper than 70’ yesterday.

My buddy was a DM from Oly Underwater Sports. I did get in a lot of work on my buoyancy while swimming around looking for the pipe and once we found it (on the second Dive) i think I did a decent job of hovering over it.

All in all, we got wet, so it was a good dive day! I’m on the fence whether I would make the trek to this site again, but if I did I would definitely want to get deeper and try to find he GPOs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
Tom Nic
I've Got Gills
Posts: 9368
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:26 pm

Re: Pt Whitney...Nothing to see here. Dive #18

Post by Tom Nic »

Sorry that Pt. Whitney didn't deliver for you guys! When viz is marginal this site can be a challenge.

It can be a long drive. I like to do it on my way to or from Port Townsend when I have decent tides to dive out there. I will also combine it with a stop at Norrander's Reef on the way back, since it is also a great site that is quite a ways past the Narrows Bridge.

I notice that non one went deeper than 70 fsw. In my few times here viz really opens up down deep, and the end of the pipe that goes to 90 fsw or so is really spectacular in the nice viz, with the Plumose on the pipe and the surrounding rockfish. You might give this site a try again when the wind is not directly at the shore and when you can use a bigger tank and go a bit deeper.

Thanks for the report!
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
Post Reply