Florence North Jetty

[FlyinV]

Does anyone have any first hand info on diving Oregons scuba park at Florence on the North Jetty?

http://www.dtmag.com/dive-usa/locations ... nCoast.htm

Its almost typical Oregon to have a scuba park then make you drag around a dive flag or stay within 50 feet of an anchored dive flag Might be a cool place to check out if I am in the area someday ... not sure its worth the drive since you can get to the South Sound in about the same time from Portland/Vancouver.

Why can't Oregon put together something that sounds interesting and protected like Edmonds and try to attract all the divers that head north to perhaps spend some of their dive money here General visibility of 8 to 10 feet might be the reason that idea would never fly.

[Diver Doug]

General visibility of 8 to 10 feet might be the reason that idea would never fly.

Yeh or less vis, Ive often thought that it could be done. Like maybe Netarts. Put an entry away from the dock and improve the underwater. Maybe some ropes, or headings, to follow to certain areas.
Doug

[Scott G]

It's better the way it is... It is much different than the sound and it's not worth comparing... they both have good and bad points...

I will agree that it is funny for whoever does this to promote two of the most lousy dives in the state

They are both really easy in and out's, which is nice... i guess.

Explore a little... there are great dives in Oregon, very pristine in all cases of the outer coast.

there are many protected areas in Oregon, and more in the works...

Does anyone dive the WA outer coast?

Scott

[FlyinV]

It is much different than the sound and it's not worth comparing

Well Cool!

I am going to Newport on the 19th with the 7Cs so now I am really excited.
All my diving the past year has been Hood Canal, Puget Sound and Lakes.
It would be interesting to jump in the Oregon coast and be surprised by the difference!

[Scott G]

just keep a look out for swell... with anything less than 6' there are quite a few things to do on the south coast...e.g. diving from semi protected areas....

port orford jetty is the easiest and most reliable. there is a kelp bed directly in front.

if more adventerous and have a boat, there are a number of offshore reefs, that anyone who has dove a recognized world class area such as BC will tell you Oregon's reefs are better...

again, not as many days, by far, as the other places mentioned.

Scott

[lorne]

It's a great place for locals to get wet, go crabbing, and you can do it in any weather as long as the tide's right. As far as the marine life goes, it's no Keystone Jetty.

The article in the link seems pretty informative. Divers also access the Siuslaw from the crab dock on the South Jetty; there's the USFS fee though.

Dive flags shouldn't be required in the Siuslaw, just good sense. Different from Washington. To quote the Oregon Marine Board-

Diver-Down Flags

Federal law requires that scuba divers or snorkelers on federally controlled waters display the Alfa [sic] diver-down flag to mark their diving area. Two types of flags are used to indicate diving activity.

* A blue and white International Code Flag A (or Alfa flag), at least 3.3 feet (one meter) high and visible from all directions, must be displayed on vessels whenever these vessels are restricted in their ability to maneuver by the diving operation. This flag indicates that the vessel is involved in a diving activity.
* A rectangular red flag, at least 15 x 15 inches, with a white diagonal stripe is used to indicate the presence of a submerged diver in the area. Display of this flag is not required by Oregon law and does not in itself restrict the use of the water; however, boaters should always use caution and slow to “slow, no wake speed” (maximum 5 mph) when operating within 200 feet of a displayed flag.

Scuba divers and snorkelers should not place a flag in an area already occupied by other boaters or in a waterway less than 300 feet wide. Divers also should follow all of the water safety rules themselves.

Lorne

[AnnoyedSpelunker]

Two kinds namely your usual red and white diver down flag and then there's the alfa flag.
Fun fact: Although used interchangeably, the alfa flag and the diagonally striped diver-down flag serves a different purpose on paper.
The alpha flag is mostly reserved for dive research vessels, the marine biologist diver chaps to be precise.

Learning something new every day huh
Resources:https://diversabode.com/scuba-diving/dive-flag-guide/
https://scubaboard.com/community/thread ... gs.623872/