training site
THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST:
A Two-for-One Dive Destination
By Linda Lee Walden
Photos by Lynn Laymon
The central Oregon coast offers one of the most ruggedly
beautiful landscapes on the continent. Evergreen-wrapped
mountains cascade to wind-swept bluffs that overlook the
steel-blue Pacific. Wide, shallow beaches appear and
disappear beneath endless lines of frothy breakers.
Monolithic remnants of ancient volcanic stresses reach
skyward from beneath the ocean's surface.
Awesome scenery, but not images that immediately suggest
good sites for training scuba divers. And yet dive centers
from all over western Oregon choose the central coast both
for open-water training and recreational dive outings. On
any given weekend scuba instructors from the length of the
Interstate 5 corridor linking California and Washington can
be found heading with their classes to the coastal village
of Florence.
What makes this particular bit of coastal Oregon special is
that, in addition to its beauty, it offers two convenient
and distinct options for diving: North Jetty and Woahink
Lake - a two-for-one package that practically guarantees an
enjoyable weekend of diving.
North Jetty
The city of Florence, once home to a sizable fishing fleet,
occupies the banks of the Siuslaw River not far from where
it empties into the Pacific. More than a century ago the
Army Corps of Engineers constructed jetties along both the
north and south river banks leading to its mouth.
Access to the north jetty is about four miles from town
along a rhododendron-lined road that winds along the river,
past upscale housing developments, to an Oregon state park.
Although divers have explored the north jetty for years, it
wasn't until 2003, after much lobbying by regional dive
centers, that the North Jetty Access was designated as
Oregon's first official scuba park.
This site along the jetty was a fish hatchery, and a "fish
ladder," once used to release salmon into the river, has
been converted into a convenient entryway for divers. From
the gravel parking lot/gearing-up area, divers enter the
semi-trailer-sized structure, which cuts through the jetty
boulders to the water's edge. They can make last-minute
adjustments to gear on the bench installed by the local dive
center, Central Coast Watersports.
The water end of the structure opens into a protected area
shallow enough for divers to stand. From there the sandy
river bottom gradually drops in tiers to about 65 feet (20
m) in the boat channel at high tide.
Tidal range can be as much as 7 feet (2 m); the diving
window centers on high tide with a slack time of 45 minutes
to an hour. Divers can swim upstream or downstream along the
jetty, but most instructors prefer to lead their classes
upstream. A dive float and flag are required; divers must
stay within 50 feet (15 m) of the float.
Several hundred feet along the wall a boulder finger juts
out into the river, creating a downstream eddy. Before
reaching the finger, divers encounter the "crab hole," a
natural depression at 40-45 feet (12-14 m) deep.
Incoming tidal flows wash clams and other small mollusks
into the hole, which is about 100 feet (30 m) around. These
are quickly followed by crabs looking for an easy meal,
leaving the bottom of the crab hole covered with shells.
Instructors commonly bring their classes here for the
underwater tour portion of the open-water checkout dives.
On either side of the parking area small, sandy beaches
border shallow lagoons behind the jetty. At 6 feet (2 m),
the westerly lagoon is deep enough for swimming and for
conducting confined-water skill practice.
Less than half a mile (1 km) from open ocean, this portion
of the Siuslaw River is salt water. Among the craggy
boulders of the jetty, divers spy cockles, horseneck clams,
mussels, sculpin and Dungeness crabs. Occasionally they are
lucky enough to spot a wolf eel hiding in the crevices.
Striped perch, greenling and lingcod cruise the wall.
Dusk on North Jetty brings out octopus and night divers
enjoy swimming among the bioluminescence.
Recreational divers who collect marine animals for eating
are locally known as "grocery divers." Before diving for
dinner you must obtain a fishing and/or crabbing license,
sold at the local sporting goods store.
Underwater visibility is typical of coastal Oregon,
generally ranging from 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 m); in winter
the visibility increases somewhat. Water temperature varies
from 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) in the winter
months to the mid-60s F (high teens C) in late summer.
The Oregon coast weather can produce rain any time of the
year and is notoriously changeable. May and September are
considered the months with the best weather - sunny with
little wind.
Facilities at the North Jetty site include picnic tables and
a porta-potty adjacent to the parking area. The state plans
to add a picnic gazebo and restrooms as funding allows.
Woahink Lake
What makes the Florence area especially good for diving is
the existence of an inland Oregon state-designated dive park
only a few miles from North Jetty. Scuba centers commonly
bring classes to Florence for a weekend of diving - Woahink
Lake one day and North Jetty the other. And when the
changeable coastal weather makes North Jetty unsafe for
diving, Woahink is a viable alternative.
The lake is three miles south of Florence along U.S. 101 and
about three miles from the coast. It was formed thousands of
years ago when the sea level rose, inundating a stream
system; eventually the outflow became blocked by huge sand
dunes. The deepest lake in central Oregon at 74 feet (23 m),
it is a cryptodepression lake, meaning that portions of the
lakebed are below sea level -in this case as much as 36 feet
(11 m).
Occupying the northwest shore of Woahink Lake is Jessie M.
Honeyman State Park, named after an early advocate for
protection of Oregon's natural resources. Tucked into a
finger of this 820-acre (328-hectare) lake is the dive park.
Divers park along the shoulder of the entry road to the
former west boat ramp, now a paved walking access for
diving.
The entry area at this site is small - large enough for up
to 30 divers, with picnic tables and a porta-potty. The site
is surrounded by a thick forest of fir, cedar and various
flowering trees; it's especially pretty in the spring when
the rhododendrons bloom.
Only about 200 feet (61 m) across from the eastern to
western shoreline, the compact site is bordered on the north
by a road bridge and opens into the main lake to the east.
It's what is underwater, however, that makes this an ideal
site for open-water training; the maximum depth is 24 feet
(7 m) and the bottom is peppered with natural and man-made
attractions for divers.
Five small boats, two pirate chests, a 2-foot- (0.6-m-) high
Buddha statue, a 5-foot- (1.5-m-) tall concrete statue
nicknamed "The Lady of the Lake," a miniature model of the
band KISS and an assortment of plastic figures are marked
with laminated sheets containing the name and date sunk.
A navigation course with signs directing divers to the next
waypoint has been placed by a dive center from Eugene,
Oregon. The Train Wreck is actually the remnants of boxcars
being carried across the lake by a barge when it sank.
If these man-made features aren't enough to keep divers
occupied, the lake is home to largemouth bass, bullhead
catfish, rainbow trout, bluegill and freshwater shrimp.
Jumble piles of fallen logs form protected enclaves for
juveniles.
A second diving area in Honeyman State Park is reached via
the east entrance. Bordering the large, paved parking lot is
a wide grassy area sloping to a narrow sand beach. Divers
have plenty of room to spread out tarps on the lawn for
staging gear. It's only a few steps to an easy walk-in
entry. Adjoining the east parking area are picnic tables, a
large gazebo and restrooms with showers.
Visibility in Woahink Lake is usually a bit better than at
the Jetty, varying between 5 and 30 feet (2 and 9 m).
Although water temperature dips to the low 40s F (5 C) in
winter, it rises to near 70 F (21 C) in July and August.
Florence
Although the Florence area is subject to the vagaries of
Oregon coast weather - fog, drizzle and wind, the
temperature rarely drops below freezing and diving is
possible year round.
Most divers travel to the central Oregon coast from the
population centers west of the Coast Range and east of the
Cascades, including Medford, Grants Pass, Roseburg, Eugene,
and Salem and sometimes as far as Portland and Vancouver,
Washington. From Interstate 5, a number of secondary roads
lead to U.S. 101, which runs along the coast through
Florence.
Emergency medical services units can reach either North
Jetty or Woahink Lake in 10-15 minutes from their base in
Florence for transport to nearby Peace Harbor Hospital. The
Lane County Water Rescue department is always standing by.
The nearest recompression chamber is in Seattle, but because
of the shallow depth of the local dive sites decompression
illness is not usually a factor in shore diving.
In addition to safe and convenient scuba diving, the central
Oregon coast is a major tourist destination. Just to the
south lies the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, the
largest expanse of sand dunes in the United States, a
playground for ATV riding, wildlife viewing and
beachcombing.
North is Heceta Head Lighthouse, reportedly the most
photographed lighthouse in the country, and the Sea Lion
Caves. There an elevator shuttles visitors 208 feet (63 m)
down into one of the largest sea caves in the world, where
they enjoy close-up views of cavorting sea lions.
In May the whole area is bathed in pale pink as the
rhododendrons flower. Florence holds a Rhododendron Festival
the third weekend of the month, complete with blossom-draped
floats.
The town of Florence, population 8,700, is well worth a
visit. Old Town retains the charm of its fishing and logging
days, with quaint antique and gift shops and unique
restaurants. Places to overnight run the gamut, from
campgrounds to upscale condos.
Contact Information
Central Coast Watersports, the only local dive center,
offers local dive site orientations, air fills and
save-a-dive items to visiting divers. They can be reached at
(541) 997-1812 or
www.centralcoastwatersports.com.
For information on Florence, contact the Florence Area
Chamber of Commerce, (997) 3128, (800) 524-4864,
www.florencechamber.com.
Jessie M. Honeyman State Park, three miles south of Florence
on U.S. 101, (800) 452-5687,
www.oregonstateparks.org has 356 campsites plus 10
yurts.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
offers 13 campgrounds along the coast.
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