Conditions at Edmonds/Keystone lately?

[kenns]

Hi there. My buddy and I are hoping to head down (from Vancouver) to Edmonds in a couple of weeks. What is the visibility like, now? Also thinking about Keystone if we can land a good midweek, midday slack tide. Any comments about conditions at either of those places would be great. The last time I dove Edmonds was February 2011 and the vis was awesome.

[TSandM]

Visibility in general down here for the last week or so has been very good.

Edmonds is diveable on most moderate exchanges, and the first few weeks of November have relatively high tides throughout the daytime hours, with moderate exchanges.

Keystone is more current-sensitive, although it can be dived on moderate floods (but not on ebbs). November 7th would be a reasonable day, with a morning slack and then a long, mild flood during midday. At this time of year, watch the wind predictions, too, because strong winds, especially south winds, can make the site uncomfortable for diving, with waves and big driftwood.

[VooDooGasMan]

Well things change to the weather, if it rains might be a little less vis then now.

Keystone is a good vis dive at a slack and I am not sure of edmonds.
post on this thread when your traveling down and we can look at tides that day and where to go.

[VooDooGasMan]

.Tides at Seattle, Puget Sound, Washington (http://www.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/sea) here is a tide chart to plan your dives.

[VooDooGasMan]

kenns looking at your chilliwack link dale c can give ypou his trip info, although he has missed it at keystone and had ?'s here on SB awhile back so let it be known what day you will come dive it to get you in keystone at a perfect time. hope your chilliwack club works out for you.

[kenns]

OK. So if I understand what you are saying correctly, Nov 9-11th (we are limited to Wed-Fridays) should be good diving from 10am-2pm or so at Keystone. I'm using the following site since it's very visual for me. 2011 Tide Table for Keystone Harbor (Admiralty Head), Washington and Solunar Tables for fishing in Keystone Harbor (Admiralty Head) <º(((>< (http://www.tides4fishing.com/us/washington/keystone-harbor-admiralty-head)

[TSandM]

Yes, 11-10 you have a slack at 11:50, and then a small flood from then until slack again at 3:30. Should be a very decent day for Keystone. Be careful about getting behind schedule, though, as the afternoon ebb is good-sized. Ebb currents there will tend to sweep you around the end of the jetty.

[kenns]

Thanks TSand M, but I'm confused (just learning how to read tide charts). I'm using the Admiralty Head chart and it shows low tide is at 9:27am and high tide at 2:30pm with roughly a 1.5-2.0' exchange. So I'm not sure where you are getting that slack is at 11:50. Are you using a different station than I? If so, this is a huge difference in times. We're looking at Nov 10th, right?

Tide table for Port Townsend (Point Hudson), Admiralty Inlet, Washington (http://www.dairiki.org/tides/monthly.php/tow/2011-11)

[VooDooGasMan]

kenns put the 10th on then go bottom hit current stations tab, then admiralty inlet and then you will see the 11:50 slack and the least amount of current is 11:15 to 12:15 for a dive. but be ready at 11:00 as tides have been known to run a bit early or late. On the 9th slack current is about 10:50

[TSandM]

Slack current doesn't always coincide with high or low tide. I'm using the Admiralty Inlet current charts.

[VooDooGasMan]

Yes to learn the website will help, and I know that things are running a 1/2 hour early at the north end of Island this past week. That's why being early is always nice plus your relaxed waiting and then dive.

[kenns]

Gotcha! So if we plan a dive for 11ish then we'll be able to get out to the end of the jetty, possibly. If we want to do a second dive we can head out again around 1pm but we just go as far as the current becomes a bit too pushy, turn around and head back. I remember doing a dive where we poked around the old pier and the drifted back staying at about 25'. We could do that for our second dive, yes?

Thanks so much for your help TSandM and VooDooGasMan! I live close to the border and want to take advantage of some different dive sites occasionally. Both Edmonds and Keystone have been wonderfully unique and a nice change when I've been there. But now I'm ready to do more leading and need to understand these sites.

Kerry

(Check out my dive blog at sobomar.weebly.com)

[VooDooGasMan]

Yes kenns and there is a rope going from pier at southeast pole to jetty at 30' or so to jetty. also there is another dive down the road at the pump house, a tire reef.