We often think of scuba diving as a nice warm water activity, a great sport for vacations, or if you live in an area with warm water. Scuba diving on the US west coast is very seldom in warm waters. Still, scuba diving is very popular here. You may be shocked to learn that a higher percentage of divers in both Washington and California dive year-round compared to divers in Florida. You will even find snorkelers using thick wetsuits.
Scuba diving on the US west coast requires additional thermal protection than diving in tropical locations because of the colder water. Wetsuits and even dry suits are trade-offs to experience the underwater wonders along the coast. Massive marine life, seals and sea lions, whales, sharks, and huge schools of fish await those who embrace the cool waters of the west coast.
The west coast has also played an important part in scuba diving becoming a recreational sport. Hollywood helped create an interest in scuba diving. Many items we now take for granted as scuba divers, were originally developed by divers on the west coast.
Dry Suit Dive Capital of the US, Puget Sound Washington.
I do not think you will find many cold water divers who will disagree with the claim that Puget Sound is the dry suit dive capital of the US. Jacques Cousteau came here to film the Giant Pacific Octopus as a part of a documentary he was doing and returned many times after. He has been quoted as saying it was the most spectacular cold water diving he ever experienced. While some divers will dive in heavy wetsuits in the summer, when the water temperature reaches an average of 67.8°F / 19.9°C in August, a dry suit is a year-round favorite. The best visibility is in February with an average water temperature of 40.3°F / 4.6°C. Many local divers will debate what season is best for diving. The summer group will point out the ability to dive 16 hours a day without being a night dive. Winter divers boast of increased marine life and 100 feet (ca. 30 m) visibility. The thing is most divers of both groups are active year-round. Having 75 shore dive sites also makes it a great contender for the title of shore diving capital as well and makes the logistics of getting in the water easier.
I am upfront with the point that I do not enjoy cold water diving, cold weather also, to be on-point. A few years ago, I attended a presentation by a group of divers from Washington State and British Columbia Canada. After their presentations and a long chat, my viewpoint on cold water changed a bit. The presentation was about diving the Salish Sea. The Salish Sea name was adapted in 2009 and includes the Juan de Fuca Strait, the Strait of Georgia, and Puget Sound. Puget Sound is the largest fjord estuary and the second largest estuary in the United States. A fjord estuary has glacier-carved channels. Freshwater from 19 different river basins enters the sound which mixes with the ocean water resulting in brackish water with half of the salt content of the nearby Pacific Ocean.
The presentations highlighted the marine life within the area, with most of the material from Puget Sound. I was astonished by the 20 foot (ca. 6 m) long octopuses and amused by photographs and videos of sea lions. Equally, impressive were the macro photographs of smaller critters.
Here are two must-do dives if you are in the area:
Edmonds Underwater Park: Edmonds Underwater Park started as a small park for the local residents to enjoy. During the development phase, some dives were done to evaluate the shoreline. The divers were astonished by the marine life and the diving. Plans were expanded to get control of the surrounding waters. In 1970, the park was declared a marine conservation area and a bird sanctuary. The underwater portion of the park includes 27 acres. The Bruce Higgins Underwater Trails has over 2 and a half miles of roped marked trails. Divers enter the water from a sand beach with the trails starting about 100 yards (ca. 91 m) from shore.
Alki Seacrest Park: A Park of the City of Seattle provides access to the Elliot Bay western shore dive site under the control of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Entering the water with the Seattle skyline in front of you, most divers do a surface swim out to a buoy in 55 feet (ca. 17 m) of water. Once there, they can then descend to pick up one of the rope trails out to other features. Open Water Divers have a number of features available while advanced divers can select routes that will take them down to 110 feet (ca. 34 m).
Grab Your Wetsuit and Scuba Dive California
Sea Otters at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary NOAA Photograph
Scuba diving in California and Florida has a number of things in common. One of these is the vast number of diving destinations and many types of diving. The State of California has over 1,100 miles (ca. 1,770 km) of the Pacific Ocean coastline that has 124 marine protected areas. You will find 4 NOAA Marine Sanctuaries, and a number of both state and local parks that also support snorkeling and scuba diving. There are also a number of mountain lakes offering excellent scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities. Just listing the possible dive destinations in California is a daunting task, however, here are a few for you to consider:
Monterey Bay: The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary encompasses a shoreline length of 276 miles (ca. 444 km) and 6,094 square statute miles (4,601 nmi2) of ocean. The sanctuary extends an average distance of 30 miles (ca. 48 km) from shore. The National Marine Sanctuary has been called “The Serengeti of the Sea” because of its diverse and exciting marine life. It is home to 34 species of marine mammals and more than 525 species of fish. Over 50 dive operators service the area that has hundreds of dive sites. Some of the most popular are the dozen shore dives located on the Monterey Peninsula.
Point Lobos State Marine Reserve: This park is just south of Monterey Peninsula and is sometimes included in listings for that area. The underwater park covers 6,000 acres and supports four distinct ecological zones (kelp, seagrass, rocky reef, and canyon), and has dives for all skill levels. There are no crowds underwater as reservations are required through the state's park system and only 20 divers are allowed each day.
San Diego: Home of the famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego sits on the border with Mexico. La Jolla sitting in the north portion of San Diego is known for having the best diving in the state, the best shore dives, and the best place to dive year-round. La Jolla will also give you a variety of different diving experiences including a kelp forest, sea lion infested cliffs, shallow reefs, and wall diving. San Diego also offers wreck alley home to the HMCS Yukon. This Canadian destroyer escort sits in 100 feet (ca. 30 m) of water and is 366 feet (ca. 112 m) long, and 40 feet (ca. 12 m) wide. The alley has 2 additional ships, the Ruby E at 156 feet (ca. 48 m) long and 40 feet (ca. 12 m) wide in 85 feet (ca. 26 m) of water and 100 feet (ca. 30 m) long barge El Rey in 80 feet (ca. 24 m) of water.
Farallon Islands: Did you know that San Francisco has some of the best caged shark dives in the world? While about 30 miles (ca. 48 km) off the coast, the Farallon Islands are officially a part of the City of San Francisco. Each year from September through November, as many as 200 great white sharks will converge in the area to feed on seals found in the waters around the islands. During the season, divers can view the great white sharks from cages.
Outside the shark diving season, approximately April through August, divers can visit what has been called one of the most spectacular & biodiverse marine ecosystems on the planet. The islands are a part of Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary encompassing 3,295 square miles off the northern and central California coast. California also has the North Farallon Islands and Southeast Farallon Island State Marine Reserves.
Support NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries
Much of the west coast is protected by National Marine Sanctuaries. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our marine sanctuaries. The network includes a system of 15 National Marine Sanctuaries (5 on the west coast) and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments. There are four more proposed sanctuaries (1 on the west coast) that will be added soon.
As a group, I see that scuba divers and snorkelers are more environmentally aware than the average person. The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is aligned with the marine sanctuaries, providing public awareness, volunteer programs, and fundraising support. See how you can help support the cause from the get involved link on your favorite sanctuary's website. There is another thing you can do if you still send mail. The USPS has issued a set of stamps in honor of the Marine Sanctuaries' 50th anniversary, buy some and use them on your mail.
