Edmonds Oil Dock Question

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 8:22 am

Hey everybuddy!

Especially those of you in the North End.. Jared and I are planning on diving the Edmonds Oil Dock on Saturday.. I have read that it is best to dive at slack (found that through Janna's site, Thank you Janna). So can anyone tell me what time is slack at Edmonds on Saturday? And if anyone has any pointers or points of interrest that we have to see whilst there?

We don't have a time yet as we don't know when slack is but if we figure that out anyone is invited to join us.. We are just going to be playing around with my new camera.

Cheers,

Holly

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:13 am

I'd love to, but alas, the work demons have me in their grip....

](*,)

-Valerie

jeff98208 · Post by **jeff98208** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:31 pm

i like divning near the pillings on the dock. anenomes of all colors.

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 7:39 pm

are you diving early?? id join but would need to be done by 11 so i can get to work,

Post by . » Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:15 pm

GillyWeed wrote:Hey everybuddy!

Especially those of you in the North End.. Jared and I are planning on diving the Edmonds Oil Dock on Saturday.. I have read that it is best to dive at slack (found that through Janna's site, Thank you Janna). So can anyone tell me what time is slack at Edmonds on Saturday? And if anyone has any pointers or points of interrest that we have to see whilst there?

We don't have a time yet as we don't know when slack is but if we figure that out anyone is invited to join us.. We are just going to be playing around with my new camera.

Cheers,

Holly

Oil Dock can be kinda funny. There are times when I timed it "by the book" and it was rippen, and times when I just grabbed a buddy and jumped in w/o consulting anything and it was great. I still time it "by the book", but I prepare myself in case it's not real slack.

If you want to time it during high tide slack, per Tidelog and NWSD (I highly recommend you get a copy of both), I would plan on being in the water to begin the swim out around 11:00am. Personally I prefer to surface swim out to the "T" and reserve my air for that part. Tour the T and the pilings either clockwise or counter-clockwise, but be sure to stay in sight of the pilings. There's nothing but sand on either side, except for the west end, and it's easy to get disoriented.

I've also done the Oil Dock during minus tides, but you have to walk out to the T, and on Saturday it's going to be dark at minus tide, not recommended if you haven't dived the site before.

Photo ops - lots of very large anemones of all colors and types, abundance of sunflower stars, northern feather duster tube worms. Apparently they did not get the memo abot creosete treated pilings being bad for marine life. Also lots of ratfish.

Save enough air to scuba back in, navigate by following the pilings. Moon snails are often found in the shallower end closer to the beach.

Sorry I can't join you, that's a working day for me.

jeff98208 · Post by **jeff98208** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 5:18 am

just keep in mind the pillings are on your left going out, and on your right coming in.if theres enough petrol in the wifes van, i might beable to join.

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:22 am

Per Brinybay's recommendations I think we will be ready to swim around 11:00.. Anyone is welcome to join but we will want to be starting promptly because I have to be back home in Federal Way and not all drippy wet with gear before 3:30... I still have to confirm that with Jared but I know I wont mind sleeping in a little bit..

BTW I do have the Northwest Shore dives book and the new 2007 tidelog.. Just didn't have the tidelog for 2006... so THANKS! I have yet to take the tides and currents class so I am usually just guessing most of the time.. (have had some instructions so educated guessing but still guessing)

Cheers,
Holly

Rob Holman · Post by **Rob Holman** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 11:04 am

I use the Admiralty inlet off bush point current station for slack.

The current can really rush there so do time it to hit the slack and don't dive it on a major exchange.

The surface swim is further than the Edmonds oil dock so beware of that as well.

This Saturday my program shows the following at Bush point:
10:08 AM max flood at .9 knots
12:09 PM Slack before Ebb
4:44 PM max ebb at 3.7 knots.

given these stats with the huge ebb on the way, it is better to be early than late. I would count on a 15 min surface swim. So if you are going to plan an hour dive, start swimming to the dock at about 11:25, drop down around 11:40, and plan on hitting the shore again by 12:40. if you see the current start to pick up while you are under the dock, abort the dive and start heading back.

I would get there a good hour early and watch the current. If is seems slow (which it should be) I would start the surface swim earlier.

Don't under estimate the surface swim. It's further than it looks and if the current is running, even though it is only 10 feet deep, you fight a 90 degree cross current about 70% of the way back.

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:17 pm

The surface swim is further than the Edmonds oil dock so beware of that as well.

That is what we are talking about right? I haven't dove either the EOD or the UWP so I just want to make sure of which you are talking about.

Thanks for the in depth report.
Holly

Rob Holman · Post by **Rob Holman** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:25 pm

oops meant to say the surface swim at the edmonds oil dock is further than the uwp

it takes about 15 min

have fun

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:36 pm

Thanks Rob!! I'll try! I am more worried about staying warm.. But I should be concerned with the current..

Rob Holman · Post by **Rob Holman** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:38 pm

oops meant to say the surface swim at the edmonds oil dock is further than the uwp

it takes about 15 min

have fun

Rob Holman · Post by **Rob Holman** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:39 pm

if you have lots of current you be nice and warm!

Post by . » Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:35 pm

GillyWeed wrote:Thanks Rob!! I'll try! I am more worried about staying warm.. But I should be concerned with the current..

Be very wary of the current, yes. As I said, the Oil Dock can be a little unpredictable. Sometimes the wind can kick up a good surface current. And as Rob mentioned, that cross current about 3/4 the way down is always there, but varies in strength. Trick is to stick close to the pilings. Once the current carries you away from them, it's a bear to get back. This is one of my favorite sites. It should be a good dive, lots of marine life.

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:30 am

Thanks guys I am on my way out the door now.. Wish me luck... That there wont be too much current...

Cheers,
Holly

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:05 am

Holly, look forward to hearing a dive report upon your return.

Dave

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 8:14 am

Well lets just say I am still tired from the swim.. And there was a lot of current.. It was a constantly moving north current which I don't understand because even after slack it was still moving North. It was almost as bad below as above but we still did it. I got some pretty good pictures too that I will try to get up soon. Saw crabapoluza and the plumose anenome show.. Also one or two ratfish and a pretty little girl spotted greenling.. I had fun playing with the camera again but I was horrible with my bouyancy everytime I tried to use it.. The next time I dive there I am going to do so in a boat.. That swim was a killer for me..

jeff98208 · Post by **jeff98208** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:01 am

is me and my brother do when we dive the oil dock is as soon as we're about half way out we make our decent. provided the tide is not a mile out.

Rob Holman · Post by **Rob Holman** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 11:04 am

What time did you drop in?

I cannot recall what direction the current moves on an ebb there. it may be in an eddy from Possession Point so an ebb might move move North.

If you went in later, it is possible it had already changed given there was such a small flood.

Some current sensitive sites like Skyline wall you actually don't want to dive on a small exchange as the currents are less predictable and may never stop ebbing or flooding. I don't remember the oil dock being one of those sites, but it was only a 5 foot exchange going into a whopping 13 footer on the back side! I'm betting it changed early on you.

GillyWeed · Post by **GillyWeed** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 11:14 am

We actually dropped about 11:45 and we still hadn't hit the 't' in the dock.. But maybe it was just less down below but I really felt like it lightened up around 12:00 when we were rounding the corners.. (In time for slack).. And then it seemed to really pick up again as we started back down the pilings to the entry point. Again I could have been imagining it but that's what it felt like. It was still a great dive and we got some good pictures... But I was tuckered out..

jeff98208 · Post by **jeff98208** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:20 pm

surpringly that is what happened the first time my brother and i dove the oil dock. it started out blah

then lightened up.

Northwest Dive Club

Edmonds Oil Dock Question

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