Descend Beneath the Fjord

DESCEND BENEATH THE FJORD

Darnell Foskett | Hoodsport ‘N Dive

One of the most remarkable features of the area is Hood Canal. This body of water entices swimmers, crabbers, shrimpers, kayakers, and recreational boaters alike to carry out their activities from its surface. Have you ever gazed upon the Canal and wondered – What lies below?

Many scuba divers as well as free divers and commercial harvesters can answer that question for you. Hood Canal has a wide variety of life thriving in these waters; from seals to salmon, flatfish, to jellyfish, wolf eels to anemones, and more, you are sure to encounter amazing wildlife when scuba diving the fjord.

Dungeness and Red Rock crab are the best for eating, just ask our local octopuses! Clams, a favorite food of starfish, as well as oysters, are prolific in and on the rocky beaches. Both are available for harvesting in season with a license or for purchase at local eateries and stores.

octopus

Darnell Foskett

Periodically an orca will pass through and a six-gill shark will be sighted at deep levels. Rockfish, sea cucumbers, nudibranchs, squid, and dogfish are just a few more creatures that live in these waters.

Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but up close and personal viewing leaves you in awe. Come experience an awesome creature encounter, like this Giant Pacific Octopus, by scuba diving the canal.

Top Hood Canal Dive Sites

Following is a list of the top dive sites of the Hood Canal as rated by Betty Pratt-Johnson’s 141 Dives in the Protected Waters of Washington and British Columbia (1977); Stephen Fischnaller’s Northwest Shore Dives (2000); as well as diver’s blog reviews, including Scott Boyd's Emerald Sea Scuba and Nicolle Prat's Pacific Northwest Scuba.

1. EAST OF HOOD CANAL BRIDGE – This is a more intermediate shore dive requires you time your swim out to the dive area right before the beginning of slack tide, so that the current pulls you out to the bridge, then you can save your energy for the swim back. On your swim out to the bridge you pass through eelgrass beds, which are teeming with perch, soles, shiners and other sea creatures. When you reach the concrete bridge supports you are greeted by a fantastic display of plumose anemones and many different types of nudibranchs.Be careful of boat traffic and pace yourself for the long swim to and from the bridge.

2. FLAG POLE POINT – Outside of Lilliwaup, just to the South of Mike’s Beach Resort (360) 877-5324, is a dive site more comfortably accessed by boat (but you can free swim to it also). Called “the knuckle,” this dive site consists of a series of rock formations, rising like a mini range of mountains from the ocean floor. Since this formation is farther out and more exposed to currents, this site usually has excellent visibility and there are lots to see. Ling cod lay their eggs at this protected site, and there are resident wolf eel and octopus populations. Since the rise of “the knuckle” is so rapid, the site can be difficult to locate — visit Hood Sport ‘N Dive in Hoodsport, (360) 877-6818 for more information as well as air and lodging!

3. POTLATCH PARK - While the diving at Potlatch is less dramatic than those sites already described, if you are just getting your flippers wet, this is a great place to start out. This shore diving spot is easy to get to, has showers to wash off gear, and it is a great place to get comfortable with equipment and techniques.

4. SCENIC BEACH STATE PARK – Like Potlatch, this site is accessible from the beach and rewarding for all experience levels. There is plenty of marine life to observe on this sandy-cobble beach, which shifts after 15 ft into a large eelgrass bed, likewise teaming with all the creatures that are heir to this environment.

5. OCTOPUS HOLE – Although parking is limited, this wall site is easy to access from shore and gratifying for all experience levels, but it is a popular spot! Bring a flashlight, there are plenty of friendly octopuses and wolf eels. This is a protected site, no harvesting or disturbing the inhabitants (and no taking of the glass bottles that octopuses like to hide in).

6. SUND ROCK MARINE PRESERVE The dive site is managed by the Sund Family directly. The site is open for drop in diving every Saturday and Sunday from 8:30-5pm, year around. A family member is present at the beach to sign divers in and take payment. Entry fee is $15 per person. For weekday diving, divers can go to www.sundrock. com and fill out a request for a day and time to dive during the week. From the beach you swim out through eelgrass environs filled with perch, crabs and other types of sea life. At Sund you are greeted by wolf eels, octopuses, sea stars, and giant cod.

7. TWANOH STATE PARK – This full service park has a gentle current, which give divers the freedom to dive whenever— independent of slack tides. You will find a large eelgrass bed filled with fish, such as tube-snouts, black eye gobies and sticklebacks. After about 40' depth you can find tube-dwelling anemones. These anemones are entertaining to watch as they feed with their long graceful tentacles.

Darnell Foskett