To any PNW divers out there

[Trippysmurf]

So. I finally made it to oregon (In Salem). Getting some minor repairs done to the Jeep then me and GF are heading up the Washington coast on the 101. I am trying to find anyone that I could possibly dive with. However I have not been in any ocean dives before. Really wanna get the experience so i can handle my advanced OW classes and such soon . Anyone that can help I would love to dive with. We will be leaving tomorrow for the road trip.

 

[LowDrag]

I would dive the Puget Sound, most of the accessible water on the Oregon can be tough to to dive. It can be very dependent on the tidal exchanges for the time of day you are there. Good luck and dive safe!!!

 

[TSandM]

There isn't much diving out on the Pacific Coast, either of Oregon or of Washington, and what there is isn't really very ideal for newer divers. Rocky entries and rough surf make it challenging, and at least in Oregon, the viz is typically fairly low as well.

The recommendation for Puget Sound is a good one. I don't know where you are headed, but Hood Canal is a place where folks from Oregon often come up to dive. Check out theperfectdive.com for listings of dive sites, with ratings as to difficulty.

 

[Doubler]

The water here is really not conducive to wetsuit diving, IMO, so getting checked out in a drysuit would be a good idea. Heck do your AOW here and get Drysuit qualied at the same time. Me I went in once up here and decided a plane flight to warmer waters is for me. Not a fan of wetsuit diving the Sound. To old to learn drysuit diving so Belize diving is great.

 

[tracydr]

So. I finally made it to oregon (In Salem). Getting some minor repairs done to the Jeep then me and GF are heading up the Washington coast on the 101. I am trying to find anyone that I could possibly dive with. However I have not been in any ocean dives before. Really wanna get the experience so i can handle my advanced OW classes and such soon . Anyone that can help I would love to dive with. We will be leaving tomorrow for the road trip.

There is a book on shore diving the Pacific NW. I highly recommend it.
Try diving Octopus Hole. The hardest part is the hike Up and down the hill. It's and easy dive with plenty to see. Lots of huge anemones and wolf eels/octopi.
I would strongly recommend going diving in the Sound. Some of the world's best cold water diving. I don't think there is much diving in Oregon because the coast is wicked and the water rough. There are only a few spots that are divable and you'd probably want a local to guide you through the entry/exit.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

There isn't much diving out on the Pacific Coast, either of Oregon or of Washington, and what there is isn't really very ideal for newer divers. Rocky entries and rough surf make it challenging, and at least in Oregon, the viz is typically fairly low as well.

I agree with this for the most part.... the exception, in my opinion, might be a few select sites in the Neah Bay / Sekiu area. My diving out of Neah Bay has always been on a private boat so not sure if there are any dive ops running out of there currently. You might try calling Curleys Resort in Sekiu or Big Salmon Landing in Neah Bay.

Just at the outside of the breakwater at Neah Bay is Waddah Island which offers some great shallow (inside 60ft) and easy diving at the "fingers". Also some good spearfishing if you're not a vegetarian. The easiest dives in this general area are off the jetty near Sekiu, but lots of boat traffic this time of year due to the salmon runs.


Once you get some more confidence and experience, don't count out the WA coast as there is fantastic diving there....plus the limits and seasons on spearfishing are better than the more protected inland Puget Sound waters. I would definitely put Duncan Rock on your someday advanced bucket list. Of ALL Washington State dive spots, this is probably my all time favorite site ever. BUT....... I personally would consider this an advanced dive that requires some expert timing due to some extreme current potentials....... and a boat!

Also, here is a link that will provide some pretty good details on site descriptions, dive profiles and recommendations for some sites in the Straights, Puget Sound and Hood Canal. On the left side of the page, just click on Local Site Maps and then click on each individual site for some more detailed info. Good luck, get good information and a good guide / local knowledge for anywhere new.... and have fun.

Emerald Diving: Puget Sound Intro

 

[albiondavid]

Technically, diving within 1000 feet of your resting elevation doesn't call for any adjustment. However, if you rapidly ascend from 1100 to 1700 after the dive, like in less than 10 or 20 minutes, add a safetyThe need for this is mitigated if you spend an hour or two near the dive site afterwards, like for cleaning and packing up equipment, picnic lunch, etc.

 

[SSpiffy]

IMO, Puget Sound is just fine for wetsuit diving. Heck, yesterday the bottom temp at 50' in Mukilteo it was a balmy 53 degrees! My fingers didn't even get cold on an hour-long crab chase.

I haven't dived the washington or Oregon coast, so no advice from me on those.

 

[Mustang29]

2 words: "SUND ROCK"

Hood canal is the easiest access from Oregon for some terrific diving. Bypassing the less that stellar Seattle traffic.
Sunrise Motel, Sund Rock, and Octopus hole are all within about 4 miles of each other, all are great dive sites.
We were there last weekend, vis at the tail end of the ebb tide was over 30' at Sund. Saw 2 GPO's and a bunch of Wolfies on the north wall at Sund.
At the Sunrise Motel the resident GPO under the boat was home along with his juvenile wolf eel neighbors.
Also saw my first Pacific NW shark on a night dive at Sunrise Motel. I'm not 100% sure but I think it was a blue shark. I'm still stoked!!