The west coast is on every diver’s bucket list but you may ask “what if you don’t live on the west coast”? Is there a list somewhere of the top dive sites that a diver just has to make time for? I’m here to tell you that there are several lists out there but we, here at Dive News Network, have the list. This is a list comprised of all the top west coast dive sites according to those who actually dive them and the dive shops that support them. Join us as we count down….
10. The Oregon Coast -North
We profiled the Oregon coast in October 2010 in a three part series and it is one of the most diverse areas for diving in the world and offers a chance to dive an area that has not been over dove. The strong currents tend to make diving along the Oregon coast a bit of a challenge and the divers who step up are experienced. The coast offers the Winchester South Jetty where the rocks fade on an average of 35 ft., giving way sand and you find all sorts of critters. There is the Winchester Triangle, a dive sheltered and not tide dependent. Depth can run from 0-30 ft. and is home to a bevy of creatures. Coos Bay has the North Jetty, a large, full of life, accessible experience. At 300 yds. from the tip to 10 ft. above the bottom you begin to see large holes in the rocks. These “caves” are great fun to peer into; large fish lurk in the entrances. For the Oct. 2010 article click here.
9. Hood Canal
Coleman’s Pinnacle and The Pinnacle are two of the best dive sites in the Hood Canal. Divers can consistently see two or more wolf eels on one dive? Sexy sea stars, scallops, and schools of vivacious vermilion rockfish inhabit this area and no two dives are ever the same on these submerged pinnacles. Dive News profiled the Hood Canal in our Nov. 2010 issue and showed divers that descending straight down a slope to 80 ft. to begin exploration of rocks and crevices for sea life such as octopus is an adventure that just has to make the list. The Pinnacle goes down to 150 ft. so watch your depth gage. Divers work their way up the slopes looking for sea life along the way. Wolf eels, octopus and vermilion rockfish join the scores of crab in the area, making up an optical wonderland. For the Nov. 2010 article click here.
8. Everett
Twenty-five miles north of Seattle is a place we profiled in Dec. 2010, Everett, WA, the homeport to a flotilla of naval vessels. Just below that, to the south, is a quaint little water-side town called Mukilteo; the Puget Sound waters in between the two has long been touted by divers in the PNW as one of their best kept secrets. Everett is the gateway to boat dive destinations. Gedney (Hat) Island offers a boat dive on the artificial reef on the south end of the island, where concrete slabs and rocks have formed a home for sea life. The Kehloken, a 240 ft. long passenger ferry sunk as an artificial reef in 1983 is an interesting dive. At 80 ft. you have one fantastic artificial reef quickly filled with tons of fish and plumose anemones. For the Dec. 2010 article see online.
7. Mukilteo
Mukilteo has several dive sites to choose from. The Mukilteo T dock is the most popular. There is a sea wall on the right side of the Silver Cloud Inn and adjacent to the government instillation/Marine Biological Research Facility. Down at 130 ft. a steep slope and 2 ft. wide sandy ripples lead a long air consuming path down past 175 ft. and beyond. We profiled Mukilteo in Dec. 2010 in a full article showcasing all the dive sites in the area. For the Dec. 2010 article see online.
6. Tacoma
The diving possibilities are endless in Tacoma. From four main marinas, to the docks along the Tacoma Narrows and Commencement Bay to dive charter boats that head south under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to KVI Towers, Z’s Reef, and Sunrise Beach, it’s all there. Even all the way over to Budd Inlet to dive a sunken sail boat…a lack of choices is...well…not a choice. In the April 2011 edition of NW Dive News we showcased the fact that Tacoma is located right at the epicenter of some of the best boat and shore scuba diving sites in southern Washington. Less than 31 miles from Seattle, Olympia, Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Port Orchard, and islands such as Vashon and Fox; Tacoma has a wide web of dive sites to catch divers in. For the April 2011 article click here.
5. Deception Pass
The famous Deception Pass located north of Seattle is a diver’s favorite. Boulders covered with giant barnacle shells, some with barnacles, and some with crab as well as lots of tiny sculpins make this a great dive. We profiled Deception Pass in March 2011 and showcased that there are critters like kelp greenling daddy hovering about. Sponges, including the goblet sponge, the finger sponge and antler sponges fill the bottom and if you are patient Red Irish Lords can be found. Deception Pass is a favorite for spotting octopus. Remember that this is an extreme current drift dive as well as a wall, boulder pile/shelves, kelp forest dive. For the March 2011 article click here
4. Whidbey/Camano
The Whidbey/Camano Islands chalk full of places to dive. In May 2011 we profiled the area and gave every diver a reason to take a dive or two at Keystone Park along Keystone Jetty wall. This boulder built jetty wall dive doesn’t get much deeper than 60 ft. depending on tides. On a night dive expect to see an entirely different cast of fish. Bioluminescent organisms are really lit up here.
On Camano Island Onomac Point is where you want to start. It’s a good artificial reef site with lots of sea life including plumose anemones, small invertebrates, and lingcod large and abundant enough to hunt by spear fishermen. On the other side of Camano Island are the waters of Port Susan where Kayak State Park is a great place to catch Dungeness crab. Whidbey and Camino Islands, have a mystic that divers can’t pass up. For the May 2011 article click here.
3. Oregon Coast -South
We returned to the Oregon Coast in a June 2011 article and head south. From shore dives in Port Orford to the reefs near Coos Bay/Charleston the southern coast promises a different type of magic. Port Orford offers more dive area than most. Orford Reef is a giant among reefs. There is over two square miles of diving area on the reef. Nellies Cove is another dive site not to miss. It is a system of small bays to the west. You can scramble over the rocks to the water’s edge and drop down to a dive site that has many open ocean features. For the June 2011 article click here.
2. Neah Bay
Diving Neah Bay will have you feeling like you are somewhere in the tropics. A strawberry anemone, a white plumose anemone, or a lemon nudibranchs, there is a cornucopia of marine life to be found. In a July 2011 article we profiled Duncan Rock as a popular destination for advanced divers. Situated in the middle of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and barely poised a few feet above the surface at high tide, this site contains a rich abundance of sea life. On one side it goes down to 30-50 ft. The northwest side drops down to 120 ft. Not far from Duncan Rock is Tatoosh Island. This is a wildlife sanctuary with interesting cutouts and rock formations. For the July 2011 article click here.
1. Missile Silo
Last month we profiled one of the coolest dives in the state of Washington; the chance to dive a Titan One Missile silo complex long abandon by the cold war. This one, located in eastern Washington just outside of Vantage in Royal City, is chartered by a local dive charter in Kennewick. Behind reinforced concrete doors designed to withstand 100 PSI over-blast pressure is an underwater trip into history. Diving in the pitch blackness is eerie but it is made even more haunting by the still present remnants of the cold war era. This is a dive that should be on every divers list just for the experience. For the August 2011 article click here.
So that’s this year’s top 10. There are, of course, hundreds of other dive sites along the west coast some of which we will showcase throughout the next year when we once again count down the NW Top 10! We challenge you to take our list and add to it. Explore the many NW dive sites and let us know which ones you think should make the top 10! Now take the time to put these on your list and then come on up and dive right in. ■
