My last cold water dive was in November, so I finally braved the weather and packed up my gear.

I joined the Underwater Sports shop dive at Saltwater State Park. I wanted to check this spot out because, in April 2025, I’m putting together something fun for all of my PNW followers. Check out my Instagram post to see what it’s all about.

Before a shore dive, I like to test out my O2 kit and check I have all my safety gear, especially since there are a lot of divers in the water and it has been a few months since my last shore dive. No matter how much experience we have or how confident we are that our equipment is ok, it’s important to review safety protocols and test our gear. Check out DAN safety equipment and membership here.

Saltwater State Park is a sweet little dive site with plenty of parking, an on-site bathroom, and an easy walk to the water. It is a decent surface swim out to the buoys where the dive site technically begins so if you plan to visit and happen to own a DPV, this is a great place to bust it out.

One thing to watch out for here, and with any dive site where you have a long surface swim with current, make sure to account for the strength and direction of the current as you are swimming out. Take note of landmarks on the shoreline to ensure you stay on the right track and glance back at your target destination regularly as you swim. It is easy to get distracted by the effort of the swim and then get swept off the dive site entirely.

The topography is a sloping bottom with patches of sea grass down to at least 3 different structures you can visit which are marked by buoys. Most structures are within Open Water limits (18m or less), but you can explore deeper parts of the site if you have the comfort and skills to go deeper. Plumose anemones cover the structures and make a lovely home for all types of rockfish, lingcod, crabs, and shrimps. I heard there was even a juvenile wolf eel in the rocks, but I didn’t get lucky enough to spot it.

It was a nice change to use the Nex Underwater Products fins on this dive. They are more negatively buoyant than my OMS slipstreams, which makes them a lot more comfortable for dry-suit diving. Plus, I’m always a sucker for a good white fin because especially in places with lower visibility, the white really pops underwater.

After a short surface interval, I grabbed a new tank and went back out. I was the only diver to do two dives that day because the surface swim is no joke. Luckily, I hitched a ride with Atina on a scooter for most of the way, which made the swim out and back a total breeze. Once we arrived at the buoy, I noticed that my boat fit the requirements, so you can bet I’m saving this in the log book as a spot to check out with my boat this year.

After this dive, I found out about the issues Ana was having with her new camera setup. She had an older memory card with a slower write speed than required for the new camera and that paired with a fast shutter speed, made it impossible for the card to keep up. There are always a million interrelated items when it comes to underwater photography and videography, so the best way to start learning is to absorb the basics via social media and test dives with your buddies. Then, once you get some experience, sign up for a course or trip with someone who knows the gear you are using and can help you fine-tune your skills.

See what trips are coming up. I always give my community first dibs on spots, so you can sign up for Patreon (and get trip discounts) or my email list to be the first to know about new expeditions in the future.