Planning a Road Trip to AK, Summer 2015

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g2

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Location
Port Townsend, WA
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Hola Amigos!

I'm in the planning phase for a driving-and-diving trip to Alaska and BC this coming summer. I know I want to hit Vancouver Island (no problem there), but wondering where the best diving is in Alaska.

Do you have favorites? Haines? Ketchikan? Seward? Sitka? Yukon?? Day boat charters seem like the best option unless I meet some diving friends along the way.

I'll be driving, so road-based destinations are easiest. Places like Sitka and Juneau, that require a ferry ride, are attractive, but must be worth the extra effort and expense. It's budget versus diving quality! Ketchikan might be easiest because it's a short hop from Prince Rupert. Dunno if I'll make it as far as Anchorage or Seward.

If you have ideas please let me know!

g2
 
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If you're wanting to stick to easily road-accessible destinations from the lower 48, I'd focus on Vancouver and Ketchikan. Alaska really only has one dive charter operator and they're out of Seward. So that means the ferry to Haines; then driving through Canada to Tok junction, dropping down to Glenallen, across to Anchorage, then down to Seward. That's an extra 900 miles one way, and the diving in Ketchikan is much better. The diving on Vancouver island is also very good, and they have far better logistical support (shops, fill locations, dive boats) than we have here in Alaska.

Get in touch with Allen at Wind & Water in Ketchikan - if you show up on his doorstep as an experienced cold-water drysuit diver and you've come prepared to dive in Alaska, he'll be happy to point out the shore diving sites to you and give you local diving advice.

Sitka and Juneau also have very nice diving if you make it there.

Feel free to PM if you have any questions!

-B
 
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Alaska has some great diving. But, as mentioned you have to work at it a little harder unless you have your own wheels and a boat. My experiences are Seward, Homer, Valdez etc. Some ice stuff in the Canadian Arctic. You can hit up some of the local dive stores in the major cities and they have some type of mechanism to get people diving locally since a part of their business are certifications.

Honestly, if you have not been to Alaska during the summer - there's a lot to do. It's never ending. And with the long days you get hours and hours of recreational fun.
 
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