Urgent Diving help needed this weekend!

[nwscubamom]

Saltwater State Park is due to have construction of the new underwater reef start on Monday, and we desperately need divers to conduct a baseline REEF survey of the site prior to construction commencing.

This will then allow us to get some good data on the site to see how marine life settles on the new artificial reef over time. (and will potentially help us get more artificial reefs in place in the future)

A handful of surveys have been done there over the past 9 years or so, but they were completed back when the tire reefs were in place. What we need are surveys between the time that the tire piles were removed (a few months ago), and the artificial reefing gets installed.

So, bottom line is I need divers to go out ASAP and get some data on this site!

I know it's not the most gorgeous site in the world (YET) - but we really need baseline data! It doesn't matter whether you've ever done a REEF survey or not. Just dive around, keep track of what you see and roughly how many, and be positive on your sightings if you're not sure what you're looking at. Holler if you need help and I can walk you through it. Then submit your data online at http://www.reef.org.

I'd go, but I'm high and dry until my drysuit gets back from getting repaired :(

Can anyone help? Pretty please?

- Janna


Steps to the beach at Saltwater State Park

[Pinkpadigal]

If anyone is doing surveys this weekend, we will donate free air and rentals. Our shop is about 20 minutes from Salt Water State Park. Let me know if you are a part of the team and we can help.

Thanks,

[nwscubamom]

Amy, that's awesome! Thank you!!

I just found out we can have through Monday to complete surveys. Mike Racine will be out there on Monday putting in buoys that will mark the edge of the eelgrass beds so the construction guys can avoid those areas. Construction starts on Tuesday with the installation of 'turbidity nets'. What the heck is a turbidity net?

- Janna

[cardiver]

Amy, that's awesome! Thank you!!

I just found out we can have through Monday to complete surveys. Mike Racine will be out there on Monday putting in buoys that will mark the edge of the eelgrass beds so the construction guys can avoid those areas. Construction starts on Tuesday with the installation of 'turbidity nets'. What the heck is a turbidity net?

- Janna

They look like this.

[nwscubamom]

Ah, gotcha. They're just like the little 2ft high black plastic things they stake around topside construction sites.

So here's the Saltwater State Park google earth view showing where the new reef is going to be constructed, and where we need surveys from.

[Sounder]

Monday? What time is Mike headed out Monday? We just had a bit development on a case that I have to keep working on Monday, but I might be able to sneak away for a few hours. It'll really depend on what I learn Monday morning.

Tom - could you and Bill make it out there for a REEF survey or 3?

[Tom Nic]

Monday? What time is Mike headed out Monday? We just had a bit development on a case that I have to keep working on Monday, but I might be able to sneak away for a few hours. It'll really depend on what I learn Monday morning.

Tom - could you and Bill make it out there for a REEF survey or 3?

Very possibly. I've never dove the site and understand that it is current sensitive, so we apparently can't just go whenever.

I'll shoot bill a note.

[Pinkpadigal]

I could possibly go Monday too. Let me know if I can join you guys.

[nwscubamom]

Amy that would be great if you could do a survey. I've had some folks cancel and I'd really ideally like 6-8 surveys done on the site before construction begins.

And it looks like a number of folks will probably be going out there on Monday.

Slack, as far as I can tell, is as follows:

Saturday: 12:16pm
Sunday: 1:06pm
Monday: 1:58pm

So, you can see this will be an afternoon thing, and I would only attempt one dive on the site, not two.

- Janna

[bnboly]

Just shot Tom a reply to his email - I don't see why we can't do a dive there on Monday.

[Tom Nic]

Any adjustment for timing slack? Or do you just go in a half hour or so before?

Bill, we could do a couple of dives at 3Tree then a 3rd at Saltwater?

Or one at 3Tree then a second at Saltwater?

And Amy, you're welcome to join us!

[nwscubamom]

No adjustment for slack at this location (at least not according to NW Shore dives). YMMV with wind, etc.

- Janna

[Pinkpadigal]

And Amy, you're welcome to join us!

Thanks guys! I would love to dive with you...it has been a while!

Need to run the shop in the AM, then I can dive in the afternoon. I am short a vehicle at the moment so need to make sure my hubby has a ride home from school. (They are now replacing the entire transmission in my 2 year old SUV...covered by warranty, thank God!)

Janna...one of my divemasters (who also works at the Seattle Aquarium) would also like to help. Is it OK to bring him along? He is very aware of how this works and would like to dive with us.

[nwscubamom]

Absolutely, that's just fine if you bring someone along. I really hope conditions are good so that you'll be able to do this on Monday - I've had a few of the group have to cancel already, so I think no surveys have been done yet, and the only ones will be what gets done tomorrow by the few of you folks.

- Janna (crosses fingers)

[Tom Nic]

the only ones will be what gets done tomorrow by the few of you folks.

- Janna (crosses fingers)

Yikes! OK, we can handle the pressure... Bill, you ready for some snow divin'? It will be good to get into the water to warm up a bit!

[nwscubamom]

If it can't be done, it can't be done - so just remember that it's OK if it doesn't!

I think David and Rhoda may attempt it, and then you and Amy and Doug maybe? and that's about it. Ya do what ya can under the conditions!

Just didn't want you to think there was a big crowd of folks heading down there. This weather is SOOO cold and snowy. No sense getting in an accident. See what tomorrow brings and then just make a judgment call, depending on roads conditions, weather, wind, temps, and how you feel.

I'm grateful that you're all even considering this!

- Janna

[bnboly]

Well why don't we maat at Three Tree for a few dives then move on to Saltwater.

Tom do you have my other tank?

[Tom Nic]

Well why don't we maat at Three Tree for a few dives then move on to Saltwater.

Tom do you have my other tank?

Yep, I've got your other tank.

We meet at TTN at 9:30 AM for dive 1, then move to Saltwater for dive 2. Plan on entering the water at Saltwater around 1:30 or a hair before so as to hit slack halfway through the dive. Any who want are welcome to join us.

[Tom Nic]

Both AM buddies have bailed - for good reason. I'll check with Amy to see if today's dive will still happen.

[nwscubamom]

I just talked to Mike Racine - he and Rick Myers were going out on the Bandito boat this morning to mark the eelgrass beds, but the wind is howling, so they're putting it off until tomorrow.

Not sure if your wind will calm down by this afternoon or not - if it's windy, I wouldn't attempt it.

All of you - THANK YOU for being so willing to help with this!

I hope we're able to get surveys here for the BEFORE stage, but completely understand if we can't.

If it can't be done today, maybe later this week, depending on if they have the site blocked off or not. I will hopefully be hearing back on exactly when the construction crew are going in. They're supposed to be done by Jan 5th. Will keep you posted.

And worst case scenario - we dive the site and do our surveys immediately AFTER installation of the reef, if that's what we have to do.

- Janna

[nwscubamom]

Tom, I think David (biodiversityguy) had the same thing happen to him, and he's buddyless. You guys should see if you can hook up, weather permitting, this afternoon for Saltwater.

- Janna

[Tom Nic]

Tom, I think David (biodiversityguy) had the same thing happen to him, and he's buddyless. You guys should see if you can hook up, weather permitting, this afternoon for Saltwater.

- Janna

Done!

I'll be there noonish and weather permitting get a dive in.

[Tom Nic]

Dave (Biodiversity Guy) and I had a great dive there this afternoon. We both had buddies dropping like flies this weekend, and understandably so! It was cold (before we got in the water) and the wind was howling out of the north. We geared up, answered the typical "what th..." questions from the few hardy souls that were at the park, and entered the water. This was my first "surf" entry in Washington! :rr: Waves were breaking and I found myself counting sets of 3 and moving in between them. It was a LONG walk to where we could put our fins on, then a LONG surface swim in pretty big wave / swells but we finally made it to the middle white buoy, caught our breath and dropped in about 45 fsw. We went down to the 60-70fsw contour and headed north for a couple hundred feet, then came up 15 to 20' and headed back, then headed back up north. We found most of the left over tires and the very small remnants of the old barge and both of us felt pretty good about covering the site pretty thoroughly. Between kicking out against the waves and kicking cross current to get back to shore we never got cold at all.

Not alot of highlights on this dive - without the tires or some structure it's just typical sandy "desert" bottom. I will be very interested in seeing what goes in here, as well as how diveable this site is since it is somewhat current sensitive. On the way out the waves were a bit to kick against, but we hit slack pretty well. By the end of the dive the current was definitely pushing us South again.

I'll try and get my survey online later tonight. Dave and I compared notes and pretty much will log the same things, except that he saw some herring and a Crescent that I missed and I saw some Penpoints that eluded his gaze. Thanks Dave for a nice dive - look forward to diving with you again.

[Tom Nic]

Survey entered!

[Scubak]

Thanks for doing this!!!
Kirsten