Whatcom Skagit Island Dive?

[Novice]

I am probably the wrong guy to start this thread but I am a new diver so, of course, filled with enthusiasm. I see folks from Whatcom, Skagit and Island County pop up here on the boards. I would like to see some kind of regular north end dive get set up. Has anyone tried to set up a weekly dive at Rosario Beach or some other spot a little farther north than Muk or EUP?

If anyone thinks its do-able I would even volunteer my boat for a weekly dive... Any interest?

[in_minsk_we_trust]

Yeah, I'm in. I haven't done any boat dives up in this area and would love to explore. How's this Thursday sound?

[renoun]

From what I have seen it takes a cheer leader to get a regular standing dive date happening but at some point it may become self sustaining. A regular food bribe or convenient location for post dive libations defiantly helps build in a friendly social component. It is also very helpful to have a local mud hole that can be dived regardless of the tides/currents, is sheltered from the weather, and open after dusk for the spring/winter/fall evening dives.

Are there shops or traditional dive clubs up there with regular dives that you are missing out on? Even if these events are a little cliquish it might be easier to make the effort to join in consistently rather than re-invent the wheel.

If your boat is involved I would even drive up from Seattle occasionally. I can't really recommend Mukelteo as a dive worth driving more than an hour for but you are always welcome to join in MMM.

[Novice]

In Minsk- I would love to do a boat dive but this Thursday is out unless the weather changes. NOAA is saying 15-25 mph winds with waves building to 2-4 feet. I don't know what the dive would be like but the boat ride would SUCK and probably take 90 mins to go the 12 NMs to most of the sites I know of.

Let's stay in touch though because I am defiantly down to hit some of the San Juan sites.

Renoun, I trained and shop at ADU here in the 'ham. Ron said he stopped doing shop dives b/c he got sick of no one showing up (bad sign?)... I haven't heard anything about the other shops in town. Anyone else know of shop dives at Washington Divers or Gone Diving?

[Blaiz]

i'll chime in as a diver who would LOVE to see more regular diving buddies up north!

Rosario beach is a fantastic dive but is fairly open to the sea, can have heavy tides, and im pretty sure the park closes at dusk. Keystone also closes at dusk. Driftwood is open all night, but has no amenities. Skyline is current sensitive.

I'm not familiar with any (shore) sites north of Skyline, can anyone tell me of some?

Or I'm always up for boat diving! (work schedule permitting)

[in_minsk_we_trust]

There's no good shore dives north of Skyline that are worth it. I've tried. On the rare occasion that the wind comes out of the southeast/east you can get some good viz around Larrabee, but they say the poop blooms are going off there right now so...

If you live in Bellingham it's about the same drive up to the Canadian dive sites as it is to Muk/Edmonds. I've been doin that more lately. If you're free of felony charges I'd be down to buddy up on some of those too...

I'll send you a PM and we can get something going. Otherwise, all 3 shops in town have regular group dives off the charters.

[Novice]

I have a passport and no felonies!!!! So I would make the trip to Canada. I also would love to supply the boat for boat dives in the SJs.

I still think it would be great to get some kind of regular dive going and it seems like that requires a reliable shore dive. Is there anything worth looking at in the lakes around here. It seems sacrilegious to suggest but it might be a way to get wet every week?

[philmatt]

I'll be at Keystone Sunday if your intrested?

[Novice]

I really want to check out Keystone but I am doing my AOW class Sunday.