Diving in Pacific Northwest

Best Time to Dive in Pacific Northwest

The warmest water temperatures in Pacific Northwest occur in August, averaging 16.5°C (up to 15.6°C). The coolest conditions are in February at 6.9°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

• January: 7.1°C (air: 6.3°C)
• February: 6.9°C (air: 4.5°C)
• March: 7.7°C (air: 6.6°C)
• April: 9.5°C (air: 8.7°C)
• May: 12.0°C (air: 11.7°C)
• June: 14.0°C (air: 13.7°C)
• July: 15.7°C (air: 14.9°C)
• August: 16.5°C (air: 15.7°C)
• September: 14.3°C (air: 14.0°C)
• October: 11.4°C (air: 10.5°C)
• November: 8.8°C (air: 7.4°C)
• December: 7.7°C (air: 5.5°C)

Marine Life in Pacific Northwest

Home to 38 recorded species including 18 reef fish, 7 crabs & lobsters, 3 whales & dolphins, 2 sharks & rays, 2 clams & mussels, 2 sea urchins.

Dive Site Difficulty in Pacific Northwest

Pacific Northwest has 5 beginner, 1 intermediate, 1 advanced dive sites - suitable for divers of all levels.

Recommended Packing List for Pacific Northwest

Based on average water temperature of 11.0°C, currents 7 cm/s.

• Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 11°C water
• Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
• Mask - essential for every dive
• Fins
• BCD - buoyancy compensator
• Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
• Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
• Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
• Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
• Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories

Marine Protected Areas in Pacific Northwest

• Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Maury Island Aquatic Reserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Sund Rock Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Orchard Rocks Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Admiralty Head Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• San Juan County/Cypress Island Marine Biological Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Bare Island Voluntary No - Take - Bottom Fish Recovery Area (IUCN Category VI)
• Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Brackett's Landing Shoreline Sanctuary Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Yellow and Low Islands San Juan Islands Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• False Bay San Juan Islands Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Friday Harbor San Juan Islands Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Shaw Island San Juan Islands Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Cypress Island Aquatic Reserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Fidalgo Bay Aquatic Reserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Copalis - National Wildlife Refuge (IUCN Category IV)
• Flattery Rocks - National Wildlife Refuge (IUCN Category IV)
• Quillayute Needles - National Wildlife Refuge (IUCN Category IV)
• San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Marrowstone - Wildlife Management Area (IUCN Category V)
• Blake Island Underwater Park - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Deception Pass Underwater Park - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Bell Island Voluntary No-take - Bottom Fish Recovery Area (IUCN Category VI)
• Charles Island Voluntary No-take - Bottom Fish Recovery Area (IUCN Category VI)
• Gull Rock Voluntary No-take - Bottom Fish Recovery Area (IUCN Category VI)
• Kellett Bluff Voluntary No-take - Bottom Fish Recovery Area (IUCN Category VI)
• Lawrence Point Voluntary No-take - Bottom Fish Recovery Area (IUCN Category VI)
• Lime Kiln Lighthouse Voluntary No-take - Bottom Fish Recovery Area (IUCN Category VI)
• Pile Point Voluntary No - Take - Bottom Fish Recovery Area (IUCN Category VI)
• Grays Harbor Audubon Society - Local Land Trust (IUCN Category V)
• Beaconsfield on the Sound - Private Conservation (IUCN Category V)
• Eames Tidelands - Tidelands (IUCN Category VI)
• Hood Canal Land Trust - Local Land Trust (IUCN Category V)
• North Bay Natural Area Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• North Shore Grays Harbor - Private Conservation (IUCN Category V)
• Three Creeks - Private Conservation (IUCN Category V)
• Chuckanut Island - Private Conservation Land (IUCN Category V)
• Deadman Island - Private Conservation Land (IUCN Category V)
• Humptulips River Delta - Preserve (IUCN Category V)
• Port Susan Bay - Private Conservation Land (IUCN Category V)
• Skookum Inlet Natural Area Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Washington Islands - Wilderness Area (IUCN Category Ib)
• Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category V)
• Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Smith and Minor Island Aquatic Reserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Protection Island Aquatic Reserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Nisqually Reach Aquatic Reserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category V)
• Battle Point - Conservation Easement (IUCN Category V)
• Brown - Conservation Easement (IUCN Category V)
• Ekholm - Conservation Easement (IUCN Category V)
• Harding - Conservation Easement (IUCN Category V)
• Mattson - Conservation Easement (IUCN Category V)
• Nisqually National Wildlife Refu - National Wildlife Refuge (IUCN Category Ia)
• Riviera - Environmental System (IUCN Category V)
• Powel - Conservation Easement (IUCN Category V)
• San Juan Islands - Wilderness Area (IUCN Category Ib)
• Skagit-Snoqualmie - Wildlife Area Complex (IUCN Category V)
• Mallard Cove - Conservation Easement (IUCN Category V)
• Lower Dungeness - Environmental System (IUCN Category V)
• Carkeek Park Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• City of Des Moines Park Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Colvos Passage Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Discovery Park Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Edmonds Underwater Park - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Emma Schmitz Memorial Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Fort Casey Underwater Park - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Fort Ward Underwater Park - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Golden Gardens Park Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Keystone Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Kopachuck Underwater Park - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Lincoln Park Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Octopus Hole Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Richey Viewpoint Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Saltar's Point Beach Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Saltwater Underwater Park - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• South 239th Street Park Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Titlow Beach Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Tolmie Underwater Park - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Waketickeh Creek Conservation Area - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category Ia)
• Z's Reef Marine Preserve - Marine Protected Area (IUCN Category IV)
• Dungeness - National Wildlife Refuge (IUCN Category IV)
• Grays Harbor - National Wildlife Refuge (IUCN Category IV)
• San Juan Islands - National Wildlife Refuge (IUCN Category IV)
• Skookum Inlet - Natural Area Preserve (IUCN Category V)
• Wollochet Bay Estuary - Estuary (IUCN Category V)
• San Juan Islands - National Monument (IUCN Category V)
• Pysht Estuary - Estuary (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• Fidalgo Bay - Conservation Easement (IUCN Category Not Assigned)

Getting to Pacific Northwest - Nearest Airports

• Victoria International Airport (YYJ), Victoria - 35 km away, approx 54 min travel time
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Vancouver - 72 km away, approx 94 min travel time
• Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Seattle - 185 km away, approx 217 min travel time