Hood Canal Diving

[Gdog]

Great weekend diving the canal, passed the 200 dive mark and saw a ton of octos and wolfies. Saturday, dove Flagpole point, kicked out from Mikes beach access road to the point, hit the south end of the knuckle and explored it. Found several Octos, no wolfies, all in all a great dive. Took the next day off from the canal, sunday, dove Cove 2 in Alki. HUGE lingcod, octo, ratfish, ect. Tons of alabaster nudis.
Next day, monday, back to the canal for a couple dives at Sund Rock. First dive, south wall, 9 octos and 8 wolf eels. Unbelievable. Heck of a thermocline in the canal, approx 60 degrees from surface to about 20 fsw, then thru the crap vis to about 35 fsw, the water temp drops to about 48 degrees; a bit of a temp shock to the face!
Second dive to north wall, and again, octo city. 5 Wolf eels, and 6 or 7 octos. Got a bit cold on the dive, cut it short but still what a weekend. 4 dives, over 20 Octos, plenty of wolfies, and some fantastic diving. Found a Spiny Lithoid Crab on the wall tucked in a crack on the south wall at Sund Rock. Didnt know what it was until I got home and looked it up on the net.
What a way to break the 200 mark!

[coulterboy]

Looked like you had a dive marathon this weekend. The hood canal dives is pretty much known for it's thermocline.

[Gdog]

Yup, it was a marathon. I can tell by how sore I am this morning! But it was very much worth it. As far as the thermocline, as much as you know it is there, the cold shock is always a bit suprising...as in "oh wow....gasp.". Especially in the summer when the surface temps are relatively bathtub warm. It is nice to come up from depth feeling chilled, and do your safety in 60 degree water that feels like a nice warm bath. By the time you get out you are no longer cold at all.
Still cant get over how many octos and wolfies....was amazing. Too bad I chose not to take my camera the entire weekend!