Diving Edmonds Wednesday Oct 20th

[JamesP]

Hi,
A couple of months back I posted on here that I was travelling to the US and wanted to dive around the Seattle area sometime in October. Several people responded, and suggested I post again once I'd firmed up my plans. So, I arrive in Seattle on the evening of Tuesday 19th October, and leave again on the 21st, so have all day to dive on the 20th. Several people suggested Edmonds, and as I'm travelling by train, I can get to Edmonds from downtown Seattle. So does anyone want to buddy up that day?
Regards,
James.

[John Rawlings]

While I personally cannot do the mid-week dives, I'm certain that there will be many here that can!

You've picked a GREAT time for this - we have had REALLY good visibility lately and there seems to be a population explosion of Giant Pacific Octopuses. It'd be a good time to hit BOTH Edmonds and Cove 2 so that you get get the flavor of both sites.

Welcome to the PNW, even if it is just a temporary visit!

- John

[Norris]

Ouch I would have but the exchange that day doesnt look very pleasing for the time that I could dive there (6:30ish). It looks like about a 3:30 - 4:00pm high tide slack so that will be the ideal time for a splash....

Correct me if I am wrong please..

[JamesP]

John, I've just looked up Cove 2 and it looks great fun - thanks for the tip! Yep, I realise that midweek will be difficult for alot of people, but I'm hoping someone will be up for it.
Norris - haven't checked tide times for that day, was hoping that people with local knowledge would advise me. Is slack water really essential to dive in the area? You guys will know better than me about the local conditions...

[Norris]

Edmonds is a pretty current sensitive area. In addition it is a very shallow dive at 43' max, so hitting high tide is essential if you want to get the best dive you can out of there. Its a pretty large area too so lots of kicking plus currents can make for a tiresome dive. However you have the opportunity to hit it earlier in the day so if you can I would do it. Its a great sight with some VERY large ling cod, cabezones and many different varieties of rock fish.
The area has been protected since the 70's so some Lings have grown very old, large, and comfy there. I dove there last Wednesday and if you like nudibranchs it is an amazing time right now. The eel grass is home to 100's of hooded nudibranch and white lined Dironas are all over the place. Earlier in the day there is a high tide slack at about 3pm-ish. If you dive the site, especially with someone that can show you around, you will not be disappointed.

[4ster]

If you are in reasonable shape (not marathon athlete, just being able to swim without being winded) and not a novice diver Edmonds will be fine all day. It will not be deep anytime, that is not what Edmonds is about. It would be better not diving it after 6:00 as Norris said, but it is still doable. There is a loose group that dives Edmonds Wednesdays after work.

I can take the day or the afternoon off.

What will you need for gear? There is a dive shop across the street from the Edmonds train station. I can bring a 100 with a DIN valve with me.

[JamesP]

I am in reasonable shape (half-marathon athlete these days, I gave up running marathons a few years ago!), and not a novice either (~230 dives, some of which in UK waters, so used to cold water and poor visibility!).
In terms of gear, I will have everything with me except a tank and lead weights. Sorry, not used to your system for measuring tank sizes, but I think a 100 is slightly over 12 litres at 200 bar - that would do nicely, thank you! I assume I can hire some weights at the dive shop across the road?

[LCF]

How will you be getting from downtown to Edmonds? If you're taking a cab, I'd recommend going to the coves instead. For one thing, the tides/currents will be all but irrelevant there. For another, you can take the water taxi across from downtown Seattle, and it's inexpensive and kind of fun. And for a third, we've been having an epidemic of giant pacific octopuses in the Coves!

I'm not working that day, and I could join you for a dive. I can bring a tank -- are you Nitrox certified?

[4ster]

I am in reasonable shape (half-marathon athlete these days, I gave up running marathons a few years ago!), and not a novice either (~230 dives, some of which in UK waters, so used to cold water and poor visibility!).
In terms of gear, I will have everything with me except a tank and lead weights. Sorry, not used to your system for measuring tank sizes, but I think a 100 is slightly over 12 litres at 200 bar - that would do nicely, thank you! I assume I can hire some weights at the dive shop across the road?

You'll have no trouble diving at Edmonds.

Sorry, I didn't think to translate the units into the far better system the rest of the world uses. A HP "100" holds approximately 20% more volume than the standard 200 bar aluminum "80" that most dive charters use around the world but is about the same size because it is pressurized to 240 bar. Lets not get into how to spell "aluminum".
Weights can be rented at the shop across the street from the train station.

LCF's advice about the Coves is also good. We currently have a giant pacific octopus hanging out at Edmonds but GPOs don't seem to reliably make Edmonds home. It depends on your mode of travel and your route what works best for you.

[JamesP]

Ooo, so many options! The plan was to get the Amtrak train to Edmunds, as there's a stop seemingly right across from the underwater park. However, that plan wasn't fixed in stone - the problem with the Amtrak Cascades is that there is only one train there in the morning (dep Seatle 0740), and then one back late in the evening (dep Edmunds 2124), so I would be stuck there all day unless I got a cab back downtown. So the Coves might be a good idea, if tides and current are pretty much irrelevant. The water taxi looks pretty good too :-), and I love octopus!

[LCF]

Tides are largely irrelevant at the Coves, and tides are fine that day (the only time I really avoid diving there is at very low tide, because the entry/exit gets hairy). And you would have whatever part of the day you wanted in Seattle -- can you catch the train at the central station there?

[JamesP]

Yes, the train to Edmunds goes from the King Street station, but like I said, there is a train out to Edmunds first thing in the morning, and another one back fairly late in the evening. Assuming the water taxi runs a bit more regularly, perhaps the Coves is a better bet (although don't like to miss out on the huge ling cod!). Will think about the best way to do it, and try to figure out if it is possible to do both sites in one day. Another question: is the night diving any good at either site? Do you think that is an option? Say an afternoon dive and a night dive once it gets dark?
Thanks for all the advice guys!
James.

[JamesP]

LCF - only problem I possibly see diving the Coves is that there is no dive shop nearby. I know you said you can loan me a tank, but what about weights and an air fill if we wanted to do a second dive? There was a shop, Deep Fathom, very close by, but it seems to have gone out of business :-( Would you be up for a night dive there too? Perhaps one dive in the afternoon and then a night dive? Been reading up on it and it looks like a good spot to night dive too.