Projects List

Salt Water State Park

Dive Type: Shore Dive

Project Type: Habitat Development & Marine Education

Description:

Habitat Development: A quarry rock rubble reef was designed and almost permitted at this site. Funding was provided by the legislature for construction. However, the project was never completed. Salt Water State Park is a very popular urban shore dive. Given the investment of time and money in the original project, we believe completion of the project should move forward as originally conceived. An alternative construction method might be to utilize reef balls.

Marine Education: This project provides another opportunity to utilize dive activity to capture the attention of non-diving citizens and create a firsthand connection between Puget Sound and the non-diver. Interpretive signage at this popular urban beach should explain the view west to the East Passage, which is the primary northbound Puget Sound traffic lane for commercial vessels transiting from Commencement Bay in Tacoma to Admiralty Inlet and the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Signage should highlight the marine life, the habitat, uses of the resource, current issues, and possible solutions to the careful management and stewardship of Puget Sound.

Status: Significant work complete. Temporarily shelved.

Contact: Chris Regan. (360) 902-8632. chris.regan@parks.wa.gov

Budget: Approximately $300,000 ?

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Permanent Mooring Buoys

Dive Type: Boat dive

Project Type: Habitat Protection & Dive Safety

Description:

Several dive charter operators, mostly in central and south Puget Sound, have indicated a need for permanent mooring buoys on dive sites they visit regularly.

The objectives of permanent mooring buoys are:
  1. Elimination of damage associated with anchoring on dive sites.
  2. Safe and accurate placement of divers onto the sites.
There are likely several dozen sites in Puget Sound that might benefit from permanent mooring buoys. The list is being developed and includes:

South Sound Sites:

- Sunrise. 3 buoys. One of the top 2 dive sites in south Puget Sound. Renowned for octopus.
- Z's Reef. 3 buoys.
- Day Island. 2 buoys. Site loaded with wolf eels.
- West Wall. 1 buoy.
- KVI Towers. 1 buoy.

Hood Canal Sites:

- Pulali East Wall.3 buoys.
- Pulali South Wall. 3 buoys.
- Pulali West Wall. 3 buoys.
- The Pinnacle (aka Seamount). 2 buoys. This is the most popular dive site in central Hood Canal.
- Black Point. 1 buoy.
- Arrowhead (aka Wolf Eel Wall). 1 buoy.
- Flagpole. (aka The Knuckle). 1 buoy. This is in a marine protected area and special because of the cloud sponges found here.
- Elephant Wall. 1 buoy. This site is in a marine protected area.

Status: Conceptual.

Contact: Mike Racine. (425) 830-9545. mikera@centurytel.net
Rick Meyers. (253) 973-0370. banditocharters@yahoo.com
Don Coleman. (206) 714-1482. info@pacadventure.com
Michael Block. (253) 377-9194. tealwatercharters@hotmail.com

Budget: $1,500 per buoy. Estimate 36 buoys for a total of $54,000.

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Titlow Beach

Dive Type: Shore Dive

Project Type: Habitat Mitigation & Marine Education

Description:

Habitat Mitigation: This is the second most popular shore dive in Tacoma. An old ferry dock and natural reef wall are great features accessible from the recently improved shore dive entry. While the creosote pilings associated with the ferry dock are slated for removal, there is abundant marine life on them. Using reef balls, we would like to replace the structure lost by removal of the pilings. We hope to transfer some of the sea life from the pilings to the reef balls.

Marine Education: Utilize the presence of divers and dive activity at the water's edge to capture the attention of passing citizens. Add interpretive signage at this popular park that explains the Tacoma Narrows: its marine life, the habitat, uses of the resource, current issues, and possible solutions to the careful management and stewardship of Puget Sound.

Status: Conceptual. We have a source for reef balls.

Contact: Karlista Rickerson. (206) 463-2497. karlista@mindspring.com

Budget: $35,000

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Washington Scuba Alliance


6758 Cascade Ave. SE
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
info@wascuba.org