Let me start by saying that this site has an extremely long surface swim that can be quite challenging. Be sure to check tides and winds for this dive site. If the water is moving, it makes it for a very unpleasant surface swim and there is no underwater shelter because the water is an average of 10 feet deep until you get to the actual site, at the end of the dock.

Hazards here include floating logs in the water, and the possibility of some serious currents.

For your dives, follow the pilings on the dock until you get to the end, then start your descent close to one of the pilings. The depth here ranges from 20-60 feet and if you get outside the pilings, you will find a steep drop off.

It is very common to see large numbers of very friendly Ratfish here, as well as Hermit Crabs, Pile Perch, Starfish, and Anemones. Be sure to look up on the pilings. Most of them are covered bottom to top in sea life.

Parking for the Oil Dock is good and very close to the water. The only restroom facilities are portables, but there is a dive center nearby in case you forget something or need a fill.

Directions from I-5 North:

• Take the 220th ST SW exit – EXIT 179 – toward MOUNTLAKE TERRACE
• Turn RIGHT onto 220th ST SW
• Turn LEFT onto WA-99
• Turn RIGHT onto 228th ST SW
• Turn LEFT onto 95th PL W
• Turn RIGHT onto EDMONDS WAY/WA-104
• Take WA-104 W toward KINGSTON FERRY
• Turn LEFT onto W DAYTON ST
• W DAYTON ST becomes ADMIRAL WAY
• Drive all the way to the end of the road
• Arrive at MARINA BEACH PARK (498 Admiral Way)

Directions from I-5 South:

• Merge onto 244th ST SW/WA-104 via EXIT 177 towards EDMONDS/KINGSTON
• Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto EDMONDS WAY/WA-104 W
• Take WA-104 W toward KINGSTON FERRY
• Turn LEFT onto W DAYTON ST
• W DAYTON ST becomes ADMIRAL WAY
• Arrive at MARINA BEACH PARK (498 Admiral Way)

Take the West Seattle exit (number 163A) wish is south of Seattle. This is the exit just past the Tully’s sign. Cross the West Seattle Bridge. After you have gone over the high-rise on the bridge, take the Admiral Way exit. Follow Admiral Way up the hill and through the shopping district at the top of the hill. As you leave the commercial district you will descend the hill. Once you are off the hill, you will come to a stop sign at 63rd Avenue, turn right and proceed to Alki Avenue SW. At this stop sign turn left. Between 63rd and 64th Avenue, you will see a set of stairs going down to the park along the beach. Parallel park along Alki Avenue SW as near to the stairs as possible. The distance from I-5 to the site is about 5½ miles.

After arriving at the site pack your gear down to the seawall for assemblage. Two items of importance here, first, stay out of the bike/jogging/inline skate path, it is well marked and people utilizing this path shouldn’t have to compete for space. Secondly, please use the stairs, not the grassy hill as your pathway, the hill can be slippery and when carrying gear we don’t want you to fall.

The restrooms are housed in a brick building with a blue roof located on the water side of Alki Avenue at 63rd Avenue. The nearest public phone is located on the southwest side of 63rd and Alki.

Many training dives are conducted at “The Junkyard” because it provides a large sandy area at the right depths for skill assessment and is protected from all but the most extreme currents as well as the southerly winds that often occur on the sound, especially in the winter months. Local tides rise and fall by as much as 15 feet, causing currents during the flood and ebb, the currents at “the Junkyard” tend to move opposite of what one might expect, this is due in part to the points. On ebb (outgoing) tide the water will tend to pull you toward the residential area to the west. On a flood tide (incoming) the current will push you toward downtown Seattle. Remember that Seattlites enjoy year-round boating, so be sure to display a proper diver-down float/flag system any time you are in the water.

Over at Alki’s seawall, diving can begin anywhere you like. The Junkyard proves that its name is truly appropriate. Here you will find heaps of oval-shaped household porcelain, along with bathtubs, computers, refrigerators, and stoves. Although some may consider such debris environmentally unfriendly, try telling that to the ling-cod fish, octopus, decorator warbonnets, hermit crabs, grunt sculpins, and skates who inhabit it. The old time bath tubs are remnants of the bathtub races of the mid 1900’s.

Alki beach is primarily sandy, turning to pebbles between the seawall and about 50 from shore where the eel grass starts. The eel grass is the nursery of the sea, so look closely for small jelly fish, skates, crab, nudibranch and such. Alki’s shallow, sandy bottom averages 25 feet before dropping off to a line at a depth of 50 – 60 feet. This line runs parallel to shore, following this line is a great dive. And out there among the collection of porcelain the line has floats and other obstacles placed along it, so look closely for octopus, grunt sculpins and squid eggs.

As you venture deeper the sea bottom begins its gentle drop off to 100 feet and more. Occasionally, a curious harbor seal may come to see what you are up to, big skates and even a six gill shark have been spotted in this area.

Review by Jill Keeler

SALTWATER STATE PARK -DES MOINES, WA

This site is very popular with the general public, so expect it to be crowded if you are diving on a sunny day. You may likely find people shore fishing, barbequing, and collecting rocks and shells.

The parking lot is large, but it’s best to get there early to be able to park close to the water. Bathroom facilities are clean and close, and they have an outdoor shower (located right before the parking lot) to clean your gear.

Because this is a state park it is very well taken care of. Unfortunately there has been talk about a lack of available funding to keep it operating and it may end up being closed to the public at some point.

The park is open from 8am to 9pm during the summer, and 8am to 5pm in the winter.

SITE HAZARDS:

• Boat traffic gets very close to the reef. Bring your flag and don’t surface too close to the reef.
• This is a very tide and current sensitive site so make sure you time your dive well. It is best to go during a slack tide or small exchange.
• There is no protection from the current.
• Be prepared for a long hike to the water, and a long walk in the water before a long surface swim. (NOTE: If you think Edmonds Underwater Park is too long of a swim, don’t bother trying this site.)

WHERE TO DESCEND:

There are three big white buoys at this location. Surface swim to one of the two closest to the beach. One is south and the other north. Start at the southernmost buoy and, after descending, follow your compass northwest until you reach a depth of 45 to 55 feet (depending on tides). At this depth follow your compass north and you should run into the first reef. The reefs are large piles of rocks with large cement poles, about the size of a telephone pole.

WHAT YOU WILL SEE:

Here you may find large lingcod, ratfish, crabs, and a varied assortment of nudibranchs. Once you explore the rock reef, swim east (back to the beach) and you will run into an old reef comprised of tires and wood logs at about 35 feet. This area is teaming with plumose anemones, starfish, and bull kelp.

Directions from I-5 North:

• From I-5 S, take the WA-516 exit, EXIT 149, toward KENT/DES MOINES
• Turn RIGHT onto S KENT DES MOINES RD/WA-516
• Turn LEFT onto WA-509
• Turn RIGHT onto S 251ST ST/WA-509
• Turn LEFT onto 8TH PL S
• 25205 8TH PL S # 1 (Salt Water State Park) is on the RIGHT

Directions from I-5 South:

• From I-5 N, take the S. 272ND ST. exit, EXIT 147
• Turn LEFT onto S 272ND ST
• Turn RIGHT onto 16TH AVE S/WA-509
• Turn LEFT onto WOODMONT DR S/WA-509. Continue to follow WA-509
• Turn LEFT onto S 252ND ST
• S 252ND ST becomes 8TH PL S
• 25205 8TH PL S # 1 (Salt Water State Park) is on the LEFT

T-Dock – Mukilteo

This site is very popular with Open Water students on weekends. It is not uncommon to find 20-30 student divers in the water at any given time.

There is ample parking for divers at the T-Dock, which includes a small section next to the Silver Cloud Inn, right near the staging area. Another parking lot is located across the street from the Inn

A word of caution: Currents can be very strong at this location, and it’s entirely possible to have a surface current heading in one direction, while at depth it is running opposite. Slack Tide is the best time to conduct your dive at this site.

There are some other hazards to be aware of here. The ferry terminal is located adjacent to this dive site, and there can also be a fair amount of other boat traffic to avoid. Never play in traffic!

When beginning your dive, take a compass heading of 310 degrees and you should find at about 20 feet (depending on tide) a line set up for students. This line is approximately 100 feet long. Follow the line, going left to the end, where you will locate a big cement block. (Look around while you’re in this area and you might see an octopus.) There is a big log that you will follow down to about 45 feet. Stay at 45 feet while continuing to the right and you will run into a large PVC octagon. If you are lucky, you may see harbor seals, octopi, crabs, and/or star fish.

Bear in mind that visibility for T-Dock can be affected by winds, current, tides and rain (river runoff). I recommend that you always use your compass when diving here. The natural slope is not necessarily the best way to get back to the beach.

All-in-all, this is a very good training site.

Directions from I-5 North:

• Merge onto WA-526 via EXIT 189 toward MUKILTEO/WHIDBEY ISLAND FERRY
• Turn RIGHT onto 84th ST SW/WA-525
• Turn RIGHT onto MUKILTEO SPEEDWAY/WA-525
• Turn RIGHT onto FRONT STREET
• Arrive at MUKILTEO BEACH/796 FRONT STREET (left side- next to the Silver Cloud Inn)

Directions from I-5 South:

• Merge onto WA-525 via EXIT 182 toward WA-99
• Turn RIGHT onto FRONT STREET
• Arrive at MUKILTEO BEACH/796 FRONT STREET (left side- next to the Silver Cloud Inn)

Keystone Jetty-Whidbey Island

When planning a day of diving at Keystone Jetty, always include backup plans for a day at the beach because you can never tell if the conditions will be good enough to dive when you get there. It can be a beautiful, calm day in Everett and a very windy day on the island.

Plan your dives here for slack tides. It is possible to dive in a flood, but be careful not to go beyond the jetty. Also, don’t be surprised to find a current pushing you to the beach as you begin your dive only to have it turn around and push you towards deep water at about 30 feet or so. Always be aware of the changing conditions at this site.

This dive site is popular on weekends only so if you ever have the opportunity to dive here on a week day you, and your buddy may get the place to yourselves!

Hazards here include strong currents, floating logs, big bull kelp at entry point, and beach erosion that makes for a big step into the water.

For your first dive, follow the jetty and look under the rocks. At this site I have seen a huge Lingcod that was easily 5 feet long. Depending upon the tides, you may reach 50-60 feet and find that it starts to get shallower. Don’t go to the end of the jetty as this is where the strongest of the current will be. Always keep a visual on the jetty.

On your second dive, be sure to check out the pilings left from an old dock. The maximum depth here is 20 feet so you can take your time checking out all of the pilings. It’s likely you will see some crabs, anemones, and starfish hanging around. This site is a photographer’s paradise with so many different species represented in a very small area.

This is a really good site because it has easy access parking and the public facilities are very close. There is enough to see to make a few trips here, but I recommend this site for advanced divers with experience in Northwest diving because of the currents. Make sure you bring food and all of your dive gear with you since the closest dive shop is miles from the site.

Directions from I-5 North:

• Take EXIT 230 toward WA-20/BURLINGTON/ANACORTES
• Turn RIGHT onto GOLDENROD RD
• Turn LEFT onto WA-20/AVON CUTOFF – continue to follow WA-20 W
• Turn LEFT onto WA-20
• Turn RIGHT To stay on WA-20
• Turn RIGHT onto S MAIN ST
• S MAIN ST becomes ENGLE RD
• Arrive at KEYSTONE JETTY and parking lot (left side – just prior to Port Townsend/Keystone Ferry)

Directions from I-5 South:

• Merge onto WA-526 via EXIT 189 toward MUKILTEO/WHIDBEY ISLAND FERRY
• Turn RIGHT onto 84th ST/WA-526
• Turn RIGHT onto MUKILTEO SPEEDWAY/WA-525
• MUKILTEO SPEEDWAY/WA-525 becomes MUKILTEO-CLINTON FERRY (check ferry schedule/fares)
• MUKILTEO-CLINTON FERRY becomes WA-525 (stay on WA-525 for 26 miles, following signs for Port Townsend/Keystone Ferry)
• Turn LEFT onto WA-20/W WANAMAKER RD – continue to follow WA-20
• Turn RIGHT to stay on WA-20
• WA-20 becomes ENGLE RD
• Arrive at KEYSTONE JETTY and parking lot (left side – just prior to Port Townsend/Keystone Ferry)

Cove 3 – West Seattle

This is very popular site for beginning divers and students. On weekends you can find a crowd here, as instructors from many of the area’s dive centers bring their students to this site. Most weekdays you can have the site all to yourself!

The best parking for this site is on the street (Harbor View Ave SW). The small lot provided for Seacrest Park and the Elliot Bay Water Taxi has a 2 hour maximum limit, so it’s usually not practical to park there if you plan on doing more than 1 dive. Convenient public restroom facilities are located adjacent to the parking lot, on the street end of the Alki Crab & Fish Co.

Hazards at Cove 3 include boat traffic, logs on the beach, and slippery rocks during low tides. Because of the location, winds, tides, and currents have very little affect on the site itself, but I don’t recommend it during an extremely low tide. Also, heavy rain will cause the visibility to be limited due to river run off. I have personally seen this site range from zero to 30 feet in visibility.

For this dive, you can set your equipment at the edge of the sidewalk, but be cautious crossing as there can be a lot of bicycle, skater, and pedestrian traffic. If you’re standing in front of the water on the right side, you will see the yellow buoys marking the no swim area. On the left, and out to the center, there is a white cylinder/navigational marker. To the left of that are the pilings from an old dock.

The white cylinder/navigational marker is a good place to start your dive. Depending upon the tide, the base can be at 30-45 feet. Keep that depth and continue traveling to the left (keeping the slope to your left). Move slowly and don’t hit the bottom as the bottom here is fine silt and in no time you will have a mess. You will easily locate the pilings if you keep your depth accurate.

Here I have seen small octopi, flounders, ratfish, squid, and (my favorite!) I got to swim with a harbor seal.

On your way back, keep the slope to your right and slowly move shallower. After your safety stop you will come to the entry point. Continue looking around during your stop as the dive is not over. You may still get to see some nudibranch or sea pens.

Important note: Always use a diver down flag at this site and make sure you read the sign posted by the city about the “NO SWIM AREA”. This is strictly enforced!

Directions from I-5 North:

• Take the W SEATTLE BR exit – EXIT 163A – toward SPOKANE ST
• Stay STRAIGHT to go onto WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE
• Take the HARBOR AVE/AVALON WAY ramp
• Turn RIGHT onto HARBOR AVE SW
• Continue on HARBOR AVE SW for 1.3 miles
• Arrive at SEACREST PARK/COVE 3 (1660 HARBOR VIEW AVE SW) – (left side – next to Alki Crab & Fish Co.)

Directions from I-5 South:

• Take the W SEATTLE BR/COLUMBIAN WAY exit – EXIT 163
• Take the W SEATTLE BRIDGE/SPOKANE ST ramp toward SAFECO FIELD/SEAHAWKS STADIUM
• Turn SLIGHT LEFT to take the W SEATTLE BR ramp
• Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE
• Take the HARBOR AVE/AVALON WAY ramp
• Continue on HARBOR AVE SW for 1.3 miles
• Arrive at SEACREST PARK/COVE 3 (1660 HARBOR VIEW AVE SW) – left side – next to Alki Crab & Fish Co.)

Cove 2 – West Seattle

This is a very popular site for students and experienced divers alike, so be prepared for crowded weekends all year round. It is quite common to see instructors and students from our local dive shops diving alongside advanced divers using rebreathers.

The best parking for this site is on the street (Harbor View Ave SW). The small lot provided for Seacrest Park and the Elliot Bay Water Taxi has a 2 hour maximum limit, so it’s usually not practical to park there if you plan on doing more than 1 dive.

Hazards at Cove 2 include boat traffic, logs in the water, and slippery rocks during low tides. You can dive here most of the time with very little change from winds and tides, but I don’t recommend this site during an extremely low tide because the entry gets very tricky due to floating logs and jagged, slippery rocks.

As with most of the shore dives in the area, this site is very easy to navigate. There is a slope from the beach down to about 120 feet, depending on the tide. Visibility ranges from zero feet to 30 feet, although I have been told 100 feet of vis has been recorded here. The worst visibility usually occurs after a lot of rain and run off from the river.

From 15-60 feet you will find the most aquatic life: logs filled with anemones, crabs, star fish, and a number of different species of fish and nudibranchs. Move slowly and look under rocks and logs and you may get to see an octopus. Keep your fins from touching the bottom as it is very silty and you can quickly lose visibility. I strongly recommend a light for diving at Cove 2. Your best bet is a HID 10 watt or better.

Important note: Always use a diver down flag at this site and make sure you read the sign posted by the city about the “NO SWIM AREA”. This is strictly enforced!

This site is definitely on my top 10 list of the best dive sites in the area. It has everything: good parking, public facilities, easy access to the water, close proximity to the city, and a plethora of marine life!

Directions from I-5 North:

• Take the W SEATTLE BR exit – EXIT 163A – toward SPOKANE ST
• Stay STRAIGHT to go onto WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE
• Take the HARBOR AVE/AVALON WAY ramp
• Turn RIGHT onto HARBOR AVE SW
• Continue on HARBOR AVE SW for 1.3 miles
• Arrive at SEACREST PARK/COVE 2 (1660 HARBOR VIEW AVE SW) – (right side – next to Alki Crab & Fish Co.)

Directions from I-5 South:

• Take the W SEATTLE BR/COLUMBIAN WAY exit – EXIT 163
• Take the W SEATTLE BRIDGE/SPOKANE ST ramp toward SAFECO FIELD/SEAHAWKS STADIUM
• Turn SLIGHT LEFT to take the W SEATTLE BR ramp
• Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE
• Take the HARBOR AVE/AVALON WAY ramp
• Continue on HARBOR AVE SW for 1.3 miles
• Arrive at SEACREST PARK/COVE 2 (1660 HARBOR VIEW AVE SW) – right side – next to Alki Crab

Edmonds Underwater Park

Recently renamed in honor of the man who has long spearheaded the efforts of local divers to develop and maintain it, Bruce Higgins UW Trail is one of the area’s most popular sites for good reason

Established at Brackett’s Park in 1970 by city ordinance as a marine preserve and sanctuary, Edmonds Underwater Park has a system of trails marked by 3,000 feet of mooring line that crisscrosses the bottom.

OFFICIAL WEB SITE

This site is considered by many divers as a beginner site, mostly because the max depth on the site is 40 feet, but this site is very current and tide sensitive and also physically demanding for its long surface swim, so that should be taken into consideration. The other hazards here are the proximity to the ferry and unpredictable visibility.

Parking can be challenging in the summer as this is a very popular beach, and not just for divers.

Once you arrive at the site, the first thing you want to do is go look at the site map. The map is on the west wall of the building where the restrooms are. If you get close to the jetty you will see a buoy at the end. This buoy marks the beginning a “jetty way”. For your first visit I recommend you start at “jetty way”, follow the line and, as long as you have a visual of the line, navigation will be no problem. If you lose the line your best action is to ascend and get back on course.

Because this is a protected area you have a chance to see some of the largest Cabazon,  Lingcod, and many varieties of invertebrates that live in the region.

Visibility at this site can be from inches to 30 feet. When the visibility is limited it can be very challenging because of the depth. Since there is no “deeper side” to navigate to the visibility will stay about the same all over the site.

Directions from I-5 North:

• Take the 220th ST SW exit – EXIT 179 – toward MOUNTLAKE TERRACE
• Turn RIGHT onto 220th ST SW
• Turn LEFT onto WA-99
• Turn RIGHT onto 228th ST SW
• Turn LEFT onto 95th PL W
• Turn RIGHT onto EDMONDS WAY/WA-104
• Take WA-104 W toward KINGSTON FERRY
• EDMONDS WAY becomes SUNSET AVE S
• Turn Left onto MAIN St
• Cross railroad park on right

Directions from I-5 South:

• Merge onto 244th ST SW/WA-104 via EXIT 177 towards EDMONDS/KINGSTON
• Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto EDMONDS WAY/WA-104 W
• Take WA-104 W toward KINGSTON FERRY

• EDMONDS WAY becomes SUNSET AVE S
• Turn Left onto MAIN St
• Cross railroad park on right