Backyard Scuba
DIVES My son recently became a snowboarder. Along with dabbling in scuba, flying, surfing, skiing – he decided to take up a new sport that provides the adrenelin rush. The joke now is that he needs to have his board in the car in case he comes upon an opportunity to practice. If you are a scuba diver, you know the feeling. However, while our slopes in WA will soon be covered with alpine flowers, the waterways of Puget Sound are always open to your underwater attention. Even if the water visibility is down, you still get an opportunity to hone your skills. With its glacial formation of sharp deep cliffs and a till strewn botton, Hood Canal offers plenty of unique opportunities to check out dive spots accessed easily from the shore. Pull over on Hwy 101, don your gear, and within minutes, you are in the water. So convenient, you can dive and be seated for lunch in Hoodsport by noon. Schools of ancient cod and nudibranchs, the famous giant Pacific octopus and the snaggle toothed, but clever ,wolf eels are just a few of the highlights of the descent.
In Hoodsport we love how they love their divers. Stop by YSS Dive, the local dive shop located next to the public dock in town for air, gear and advice. They also offer plenty of classes and recently started offering dive charters on Saltwater Therapy. Local lodging also caters to the scuba crowd. A couple of our favorites are Glen Ayr Resort, Hoodsport, and The Waterfront Inn at Potlatch. Glen Ayr has heated dive locker aand a gear cleaning station. Glen Ayr's dock offers moorage and impromptu dives. The waterview spa house is the perfect remedy for the chill fjord waters. Many of the vacation rental cabins in this area (as well as cottages at Glen Ayr) have kitchens but if you want breakfast out we suggest hitting the Tides Restaurant –
FJORD
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Glen Ayr overlooking the Fjord | garesort.com.
