Hood Canal, Washington

In the Pacific Northwest is Hood Canal, a 45-mile north-to-south body of water that's not actually a canal but a natural fjord. There is no current there but wind and weather are important factors to consider when diving. Many of the dive sites on Hood Canal are accessible only by boat but some of the most popular are right off U.S. Highway 101, which parallels Hood's west side. Octopus Hole is popular thanks in large part to Mike Schultz of Mike's Beach Resort. A few years ago, fearing a loss of shoreline access to dive sites in Hood Canal, he bought the land separating Octopus Hole and U.S. 101 but charges no one for the access. Schultz's dive shop operates at its resort location between Hoodsport and Brinnon on U.S. 101. Diving opportunities are available there as well. Octopus Hole is a wall about 20 feet (6 m) deep and a few hundreds yard long. There is no designated parking for Octopus Hole, forcing divers to park on the shoulders of U.S. 101. Caution is urged. Another popular site is Sund Rock Marine Preserve, which features a rock wall and boulders that extend down 90 feet (27 m). Shore access to Sund Rock is controlled by Hood Sport 'n Dive, which charges a fee. It offers an on-site porta-potty and hot showers at Rest-A-While Boathouse, which is three miles north of the city of Hoodsport. Other Hood Canal dive sites include Sea Mount and Triton Cove. Divers should be careful not to kick up silt. With little to no current, disturbed silt requires a long time to settle. In some areas, visibility is murky on the top 10-20 feet but clears substantially below that.

Depths to: 600 feet (182 m)

Visibility: 40-60 feet (12-18 m) in the winter.

Water temperature: A dry suit is recommended.

Aquatic life: Wolf eels, octopus, and lingcod are the biggest draws but there are many other creatures.

Fees: Octopus Hole is free but there is a fee for access to Sund Rock Marine Reserve.

On-site amenities: At the south end of Hood Canal is Potlatch State Park, a 57-acre camping park.

More info: Along Hood Canal are two dive shops, Mike's Beach Resort at (800) 231-5324 and Hood Sport 'n Dive at (360) 877-6818, and a dive charter service, Pacific Adventure at (206) 714-1482 in Brinnon, Washington. The Web site www.masoncountytourism.com also is helpful.

Open: Year-round.