Diving in the Northwest
Living in the Northwest, we're fortunate to have access to some of the best shore diving in the world. Hood Canal and Puget Sound offer some great diving, right in our own backyards. In less than an hour (from Olympia) you can be in the water enjoying the awesome underwater world.Local waters are abundant with sealife. You'll see octopus, china rockfish, plumose anemones, sponges, wolf eels, nudibranchs and lingcod to name a few. Plant life gives spectacular color to underwater walls and rock structures. Typically, water temperature averages from a low of 45 degrees in the winter to a high of 50-60 degrees in the summer. Most people dive in drysuits but you can stay warm wearing one of our wetsuits with a hood, boots and gloves.
The list below includes some of our favorite dive sites that we visit pretty regularly on our weekly shop dives. Our shop dives are typically shore dives but we also schedule boat dives through local charter companies. Check our Calendar for more information about upcoming shop dives.
When diving in the Northwest, it's important to consult the
appropriate current table for the best times to dive as some sites can
be affected by strong currents. For tide information, pick up a copy
of the official Tide and Current Table available at the shop or check out our tides link to access information on local tides & currents.If you have questions about these sites or any others you plan to dive, give us a call at the shop and we'd be glad to give you more information.
For more detailed information about local shore dives, we highly recommend you pick up a copy of Northwest Shore Dives by Stephen Fischnaller. If you plan to dive in the Northwest, this book is an absolute must have. The newest edition describes 55 dive sites throughout Puget Sound, Hood Canal, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Rosario Strait and the San Juan Islands. Site descriptions include bottom depths, suggested skill levels, current patterns, correction factors for estimating times of slack current, driving directions, site facilities and non-diver activities. Readers are also introduced to 55 marine animals commonly seen by divers. If you don't have a copy already, you can purchase one next time you're in the shop. Or, give us a call and we'll mail you a copy.
* This book is now OUT OF PRINT and no longer available however if you can find a copy ANYWHERE... GET IT!! *
Agate Pass - Skill Level - Intermediate/Advanced
Location:Agate Pass is located between the northwest end of Bainbridge Island and the Kitsap Peninsula.
Description: Thousands of animals, both large and small make this current-swept environment an impressive dive site. The bottom is primarily sandy cobblestone with intermittent patches of clay shoals of shell fragments, sandy areas and a few large rocks. Depth is approximately 43 feet. Agate Pass can be dived either during slack current periods or as a drift dive. This is a serious drift dive -- If you don't dive slack, be prepared for strong currents sweeping you over the bottom. Shore access is available 24 hours a day. There are no facilities at this site.Alki Beach Park - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Alki Beach Park is located in West Seattle NE of Alki Point.
Description: The sandy bottom, wharf pilings and eelgrass habitats are home to a large variety of animals. Depth ranges from 22 - 78 feet. You'll most likely find sea stars, sun stars, nudibranchs, crabs, sea pens, plumose anemones, cabezon, lingcod, copper rockfish, kelp greenling and perch. Access hours are 5 a.m. - 11 p.m. The park also has restrooms, picnic tables, barbecue stands, benches and restaurants are close by.Edmonds Underwater Park - Skill Level - Intermediate
Location: Edmonds Underwater Park is located in Edmonds immediately north of the ferry pier.
Description: Protected by wildlife sanctuary status, hundreds of invertebrates and fish live on and around the walls of the park's artificial reef -- the DeLion Dry Dock. The sunken drydock is home to many HUGE lingcod, cabezon and a variety of rockfish. Many other smaller structures are located north of the dry dock which are connected by concrete block and cable guidelines. A map of the underwater park is posted near the west end of the rest room. Depth reaches 43 feet (10 foot tide). When diving this site, be careful not to venture into the ferry lane. Stay inside the park boundary which is marked on the bottom by a row of tires. Access hours are 6 a.m. to dusk. Park has restrooms, changing areas, outside shower and limited parking.Edmonds Oil Dock at Edmonds Marina Beach - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Edmonds Marina Beach is located in Edmonds one mile south of the ferry pier.
Description: At this marine sanctuary, there are wharf pilings and a sandy bottom to explore. It also has a small topside park and is convenient to the North Seattle area. You'll a variety of animals similar to those at Edmonds Underwater Park. You may run into some current here and it's also a long swim out to the pilings. This is a working pier so be careful to stay clear of oil tankers, barges or tugboats. Depth ranges 48 feet - 56 feet. Access hours are 6 a.m. - 10 p.m.Fort Worden State Park - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Fort Warden is located on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula three miles from the Port Townsend Ferry Pier.
Description: At this site, you can dive the reef and/or the pier. A few feet from shore, you'll find an artificial reef and adjacent pier. The south end of the reef contains mounds of old tires while the northern half is made of scattered logs and hollow concrete piles. There are more animals on the reef than the pier but both structures provide decent habitat. Depth at the end of the pier is 31 feet. Facilities are close by at the park. Access hours are 6:30 a.m. - dusk (Apr. 1-Oct. 15) and 8 a.m. - dusk (Oct. 16-Mar. 31).Fox Island Bridge - Skill Level - Advanced
Location: The bridge is located near the north end of Fox Island, eight miles from the west side of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
Description: Diving this site is both challenging and exciting and limited to short intervals of slack between the torrential flows of heavy current. Timing is critical when diving this site. During the brief slack periods you can venture out into Hale Passage. The bottom is primarily sandy-cobblestone with exposed areas of clay ridges and drifts of shell fragments at the base of the shallower pylons. At the base of the round inshore concrete piles, depths range from 18 - 28 feet. Maximum depth at the center of Hale Passage is approx. 64 feet. 24 hour access.Fox Island East Wall - Skill Level - Intermediate
Location: Fox Island East Wall is located on Troy Point at the east end of Fox Island, 3 nautical miles south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
Description: This site has three layered sandstone walls that have been cut and scoured by current over time. You probably won't find the same large number of animals you would on rock walls as few animals stay attached to the soft surface in the strong current. Bottom is sandy cobblestone. Below the ledges, the bottom slopes downward past the 110 foot depth. At least 2 ledges are located on the south side of the Fox Island Fishing Pier and a third is located north of the pier. Access is one hour before sunrise and one hour past sunset. The pier has public restrooms.Fox Island West Wall - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Fox Island West Wall is located on the west end of Kamus Drive located on the southwest side of Fox Island.
Description: This site starts out with a sandy bottom that slopes downward to a rock ledge protruding from the bottom somewhere between 56 and 64 feet. Sand dollars live in the shallow waters near the entry point. Other animals living in the area include moon snails, flounder, nudibranchs, octopi, sea cucumbers, orange plumose anemones and swimming anemones. Access available 24 hours a day, no facilities.Jorsted Creek - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Hood Canal approximately 10 miles north of Hoodsport. Limited parking available in the turnout along the road.
Description: Very short swim to two large rock piles between 20 and 50 feet are covered with anemones, sponges and a variety of plant life. Crabs, fish and an occasional octopus can also be found. A deep wall lies beyond the north rock pile with the top starting at 60 feet and descending vertically to 110 feet. Access available 24 hours a day, no facilities. *NOTE - you should know that the trail leading down to the dive site is VERY steep and you need to be in good physical condition to get to and from the water while waring your equipment, however, you can make several trips up or down to make this site quite comfortable to do.Keystone State Park - Skill Level - Intermediate
Location: Keystone is located in Admiralty Bay on the west side of Whidbey Island, five miles south of Coupeville. The park is right next to the Keystone ferry dock.
Description: This current swept jetty is a great place to see huge plumose anemones, ling cod, octopi, rockfish, kelp greenling, nudibranchs and wolf eels. A sandy bottom stretches between wharf pilings and a rock jetty. Bottom depths on the outside of the pilings and at the end of the jetty reach 28 and 62 feet respectively. Keystone is one of Washington state's underwater marine preserves. When diving this site, stay close to the jetty away from the ferry lane and boat traffic. Access hours are 8 a.m. to dusk. Restrooms and showers are available at the park.Les Davis Marine Park - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Les Davis Park is located on Tacoma's waterfront on Ruston Way.
Description: There is an artificial concrete reef at this site starting at about 25 feet and heading downward past the 80 foot depth. This site is vast and prolific with all kinds of animal and plant life. Seals will sometimes visit this site. Great facilities, easy access and underwater attractions make this park a popular diving and training site. The park has picnic tables, restrooms and a small concession stand. Access is available 24 hours. *NOTE if you venture into the tire reef there is a serious potential hazard of nearly invisable fishing line, I personally choose to recommend NOT diving this portion of the site. If I see tires I turn around and go back to the concrete reef.Mike's Beach Flagpole - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Next to Mike's Beach Resort on Hood Canal approximately 15 miles north of Hoodsport.
Description: Recently designated as a marine preserve, this site is teeming with sealife and is home to octopi, wolf eels, many species of rockfish and diverse plant life. An extensive rocky reef starts at 15 feet and descends to 50-60 feet. To access this site, you must first stop in at Mike's Beach Resort and pay a $15 per person entry fee.Octopus Hole - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: On Hood Canal a few miles north of Hoodsport. Parking is very limited as this site is probably the most frequently used site on the Canal!
Description: A rock wall close to the beach extends for several hundred feet with a depth range of 20-50 feet. Many anemones and colorful sponges live along the top of the wall, wolf eels and octopi can be found. An excellent spot for night diving, you will see hundreds of shrimp, feeding crabs and phosphorescence.Salt Creek County Park - Skill Level - Advanced
Location: Salt Creek State Park is on the Strait of Juan de Fuca 11 miles west of Port Angeles.
Description: The dive site is part of Tongue Point Marine Life Sanctuary and is one of the most beautiful dive areas in Washington. Beneath the surface, you'll find a fantastically beautiful realm with submerged rocks, sand channels, thick kelp and thousands of attached free swimming animals. The cobblestone bottom reaches a depth of approximately 60 feet outside the kelp canopy. When diving this site, be careful of waves breaking on the rocky shore and strong surge and current. There are eighty campsites at the park, picnic areas, rest rooms and hot showers.Saltwater State Park - Skill Level - Intermediate
Location: Saltwater State Park is located southeast of Three Tree Point on Puget Sound.
Description: Artificial reef structures here consist of a series of tire reefs, a concrete beam teepee-like frame structure, an old pipeline and guidelines. They provide support for hundreds of tunicates, colorful tube worms, anemones and kelp crabs. Other animals at this site include nudibranchs, sea stars, plumose anemones, painted greenling and kelp greenling. Tire reefs extending to the north and south of the can buoy are located between 36 and 58 feet. There is ample parking in the lower camping area and the park has restrooms as well as hot and cold showers. Day use area is open 8 a.m. - dusk.Ed Munro Seahurst Park - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Ed Munro Seahurst Park is located south of Seattle in Burien north of Three Tree Point.
Description: The long sandy-cobblestone beach at the park provides easy entry into the water. Once in the water, you'll find minimal currents along with a sunken barge and an interesting community of colorful animals. Where a stream crosses the beach, you'll find a gradually sloping sandy bottom with an eelgrass bed. North of the eelgrass, the bottom slopes downward past 90 feet. Access hours are 8 a.m. to dusk. The park has restrooms, changing areas, picnic shelters and hiking trails.Sund Rock - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Sund Rock is located on Hood Canal about 2 miles north of Hoodsport.
Description: This is one of our favorite sites for both day and night diving. Designated one of Washington's marine sanctuaries, Sund Rock's ledges and rocky wall are home to a wide variety of marine life. It's not unusual to see several wolf eels and octopi in the same dive! This site offers two options: a north and south wall. To access the north wall, you must check in at Hood Sport and Dive and pay a $15 entrance fee. Shore entry at the north wall is extremely convenient as it eliminates a long surface swim to the site. To dive the south wall, you can park in the turnout just south of Hoods Sport and Dive and head down the trail to the shore entry. Entering here can mean a long surface swim depending on the tide. PLEASE NOTE: When diving the south wall, please be very considerate of the residents and obey the posted signs. Access to the south wall is 24 hours a day and access to the north wall is available until 6 p.m..Sunnyside Beach Park - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Sunnyside Beach Park is located in the town of Steilacoom approximately one-half mile northeast of the ferry pier.
Description: The feature at this site is the old pipeline. The sandy bottom slopes out from shore and gradually slopes beyond the 100 foot depth. North of the pipeline in about 45 feet of water, there's a small boat with life-sized figures of Santa and Frosty the Snowman sitting in it's stern. Animals found at this site include flounder, sun stars, decorator crabs, nudibranchs, rockfish, tunicates and an occasional octopus. Access hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The park has an outside cold shower, restrooms and picnic tables. A nominal parking fee is charged to help maintain the park.Sunrise Beach County Park - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Sunrise Beach County Park is located at the south end of Colvos Passage north-northwest of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Gig Harbor.
Description: Octopi and wolf eels live in crevices along the rock ledges of Sunrise Beach. Many other species live on the bottom below the intertidal zone. These animals include moon snails, sea stars, sun stars, sculpins, painted greenling, red Irish lords, mosshead warbonnets, sponges and small colorful sea anemones. This site is affected by strong and variable currents. The depths of the rock ledges range from 38 - 60 feet. This is an unimproved county park with picnic tables and an outhouse adjacent to the upper parking lot. When diving this site, be aware of the park boundary and considerate of residents' privacy. Access hours are sunrise to dusk.Titlow Marine Sanctuary - Skill Level - Intermediate
Location: Titlow Beach Marine Sanctuary is located in Tacoma south of the Narrow's Bridge.
Description: A short swim from shore, two converging rows of pilings from the old Titlow Ferry Pier stand so thickly covered with plumose anemones that they form two white walls beneath the surface. Current can scream through here during exchange periods. Bottom depth ranges from 24 feet at the south end of the pier to 27 feet at the north. Facilities include picnic tables, restrooms and a cold shower for rinsing gear (seasonal). Titlow Beach Park is across the train tracks from the dive site and there's a pretty good restaurant on the water next to the dive site. Access hours are sunrise to dusk.Tolmie Underwater State Park - Skill Level - All Divers
Location: Tolmie is located at the south end of Puget Sound between Johnson Point and Nisqually Flats.
Description: This site features three large barges around which you'll find octopi, sculpins, perch, geoducks, sand dollars and skates. The barges are marked with can buoys so you can't miss them. The bottom slopes gradually reaching 59 feet at the base of the outside wall of the outer barge. If shore diving this site, be prepared for a LONG surface swim! The park is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The park has restrooms, changing rooms, picnic tables, kitchen shelters hiking trails and barbecue stands. Access hours are sunrise to dusk.Union Wharf - Skill Level - Intermediate
Location: Union Wharf is located on the Port Townsend waterfront at the end of Adams Street.
Description: Here you'll find a short sandy-cobblestone beach stretching between Union Wharf and the abandoned ferry pier. Bottom depths between the abandoned ferry slip and the four offshore pylons range from 24 - 38 feet. Animals are sparse at this site but you may be lucky enough to recover an artifact dating from the late 1800's. After it's construction is 1867, Union Wharf became a bustling sea port. Many of the bottles, plates, and mugs used by sailors were tossed into the water from Union Wharf and the ships moored alongside. Access is 24 hour a day.Warren Avenue Bridge - Skill Level - Intermediate
Location: The Warren Avenue Bridge crosses the Port Washington Narrows in Bremerton.
Description: This is a high current area and during slack periods you can explore the bridge pylons. Depths at the base of the pylons range from 20 - 48 feet. Animals commonly seen here include sculpins, gunnels, sun stars, plumose anemones and nudibranchs. Shore access is 24 hours a day and no facilities are available as the site is in a residential area.Home / Dive Training / Equipment /Local Diving / Travel / Calendar / Links
Capital Divers, Inc.
1621 Harrison Avenue NW, Olympia, Washington 98502
Phone: 360.866.3684
Fax: 360.866.3762
info@capitaldivers.comCopyright 2001. Capital Divers, Inc. All rights reserved.
Local Diving
Agate Pass
Alki Beach Park
Edmonds Underwater Park
Edmonds Marina Beach
Fox Island Bridge
Fox Island East Wall
Fox Island West Wall
Fort Worden State Park
Jorsted Creek
Keystone State Park
Les Davis Marine Park
Mike's Beach
Octopus Hole
Salt Creek State Park
Saltwater State Park
Seahurst
Sund Rock
Sunnyside Beach Park
Sunrise Beach County Park
Titlow Beach Park
Tolmie State Park
Union Wharf
Warren Avenue Bridge
Capital
Divers
1621 Harrison Avenue NW
Olympia WA 98502
360.866.3684
