Keystone advice...?

[kixy1]

I'm planning a family camping trip to Fort Casey in August wth the intended coincidence of it's proximity to Keystone park Hard to believe (since I live an hour away...) that I've never dived this site before, but there ya go.

The currents and the timing of slacks look good that weekend and I have NW Shore Dives as a reference. The book calls this an 'intermediate' dive, and we'll have 2 newer divers with us. Any advice from those that have dived here?

8 days till Cozumel and counting....tick, tock, tick, tock....

 

[Camerone]

Any advice from those that have dived here?

Stay inside the jetty; you'll _know_ when you reach the end, as the current picks up dramatically when you get to the end. If you do get past there, and swept away, do NOT surface in the ferry lane.

Time well and you should be fine. The kelp fields in the shallows are a lot of fun in the summer for little things. The pilings from the old pier/dock out there are best done on a small exchange, as they're a lot more exposed.

As long as it's not incredibly windy on the surface, and you're close to slack, it's not a hard site at all, but it's one of my absolute favorite sites (...and since it's only 60', maybe, at the end of the jetty, that says a heck of a lot...)

 

[Travisc]

Langely is a good backup site to that one if things don't work out.

 

[blueeyz78]

I did my open water cert dives at keystone in 2001. Make sure you dive the slack and like the others said, don't go past the jetty. Sometimes the current can be strong. Just remember, if the current becomes too much, drop to the bottom and crawl your way in. I know its not good for the sealife, but returning to shore is more important. This does not happen often if you dive the slack.

The dive plan is usually keep the jetty on your right on the way out. Make sure to look in all the nooks for sealife and the giant pacifics. As you approached the end of the jetty, turn around and start back with the jetty on your left.

There is also a drift dive at the pier just down from the jetty.

If there is an open water class that weekend, prepare for limited vis. Try to dive early before students show up. It is an excellent dive. I have not been out there for some time due to moving to Texas. The entry point from the picnic tables has eroded over the years. It might be helpful to carry your tanks, bc's and weights to the water rather then wear it down the embankment. I always had trouble keeping my balance walking to and from the water.

You can always call the Whidbey Island Dive Center in Oak Harbor and ask them about the conditions, and there are always divers from the shop out there. If you want someone with intimate knowledge of Keystone, you should ask them if one of their divers will be present during your stay. They are a friendly shop with really experienced divers.

Oh...and the night dives there are awesome!!! The giant pacifics come out at night. If you have any questions, just ask. I have done many dives there and will try to help as much as I can.

 

[TSandM]

Pretty much what everybody else said, except that at least last year, there was a trail from the far right-hand edge of the parking lot down to the water, that was easy walking (much easier than trying to get down the embankment!)

You can actually get two dives in there on a small exchange, if you dive during the flood. Because of the nature of the eddies, a flood tide won't produce nearly as much current as an ebb. The first time I dove there, this is what we did.

Keystone's a fabulous dive for small stuff -- Go slow and look carefully; a lot of things are well-camouflaged. I've seen big heart crabs and moss-headed warbonnets there, as well as HUGE lings and schools of black rockfish. It's a great dive.