Sink Or Swim Scuba Inc. - Pacific Northwest
The team at Sink Or Swim Scuba Inc. are the real deal, perfect for anyone looking to dive the often chilly, always spectacular waters of the Pacific Northwest. We love how they specialise in getting you comfortable in drysuits right from the start, which is essential for enjoying the region’s incredible walls and kelp forests. They’re PADI 5 Star, so the training is solid, but it’s their local knowledge that truly shines. Our favourite dives with them usually involve exploring the local shore sites, like those near Edmonds Underwater Park, where we often spot giant Pacific octopuses tucked into crevices or wolf eels peering out from their dens. The water here, even on a sunny day, has that crisp, cold bite, and the light filtering through the kelp creates an almost ethereal green glow. We’d suggest going for an early morning dive if you can, as the boat traffic is minimal and the resident seals are often more curious. Visibility can vary wildly, sometimes a glorious 15 metres, other times a more intimate 5, but either way, the macro life here is always a treat – nudibranchs in every colour imaginable cling to the rocks. If you’re serious about diving the PNW, or just want to see what diving in a drysuit is all about, these are your people.
- Location
- Pacific Northwest, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 49.208680, -124.035510
- Phone
- +1 250-758-7946
- [email protected]
- Website
- http://www.sosscuba.ca
- Certification Agencies
- ["PADI"]
- Courses
- PADI 5 Star Dive Center [padi:30158]
- Address
- #2 4131 Mostar Road, Nanaimo British Columbia V9T 6A6, Canada
Diving Capabilities - Sink Or Swim Scuba Inc.
- Snorkelling
Dive Sites Near Sink Or Swim Scuba Inc.
Sink Or Swim Scuba Inc. provides access to 15 dive sites in Pacific Northwest.
- 100 Foot Rock
- Alki Beach Park
- Alki beach Seattle ferry north
- Am/Pm Beach - 13m (shore)
- Ansell Point Dive Site - 5-20m (shore)
- Arachne Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Arachne Reef (reef)
- Arbutus Island - 10-30m (shore)
- Arbutus Point - 23m
- Atkins Reef (reef)
- Atrevida Reef (reef)
- Barnard Castle - 15-35m (pinnacle)
- Bell Island
- Blake Island Reef (reef)
- Blind Reef (reef)
Other Dive Centres in Pacific Northwest
- Adventure Scuba
- Aqua Dive And Water Sports
- Aquatic Sports - SSI
- Blueback Tyee Cove Dive site
- Central Oregon Diving - PADI
- Cottam Point Dive site
- Discount Divers
- Dive and Sea Sports - PADI, Emergency First Response
- Diving Sports Canada - PADI, TDI, PFI, SDI
- Edmonds Underwater Sports
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.
Notable Marine Life
- Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) - Reef Fish
- coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) - Reef Fish
- Spiny Dogfish (Squalus suckleyi) - Sharks & Rays
- Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) - Reef Fish
- Dungeness Crab (Metacarcinus magister) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Common shore crab (Carcinus maenas) - Crabs & Lobsters
- red salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) - Reef Fish
- California Spot Prawn (Pandalus platyceros) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Slender Crab (Metacarcinus gracilis) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) - Reef Fish
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