Mark Schneider's Dive Log

I've tried 3 times to dive this site. Only on this last dive was it enjoyable. The surge can be maddening. Access is easy if you go further down the RR tracks, past the entry it looks like most people use. We entered near the east most rock which is very close to shore. We circled the rock to the south and headed for deeper water due south. MUCH calmer at 30 ft or deeper. Vis was excellent for Oregon at 12 ft. Plenty of rocks and sea life, very interesting dive. We dove around the high slack with only a 4 foot outgoing exchange but the surge above 20 fsw was too strong to overcome. Just rode it in on a NNE heading and came up on the beach. No facilities but it is right next to the road and there are plenty of local businesses for your needs. This spot is also popular with tidepoolers so you often have a chance to express your enthusiasm for diving to tourists, especially the youngsters. A lovely spot and a great dive on a low exchange.

This is not really much of a dive. Entry down rocks on west is okay but then you have a long surface swim. Entry from jetty on east allows less swimming but bottom is really mucky. Surprisingly little life around pilings. Crabbers on dock can be highly suspicious. I actually wanted to review the OSU research vessel dock which is a much better dive but was not listed. You just follow the road about another 1/2 mile to a large dead end turn around. You can see the dock from there. Not a great dive but much better than crab dock. There is a sunken tree, a large tire, a number of other items and a rock jetty. Lots more life and if you dive on the high after a minus tide the crabs can be numerous.

This site is more often called the "North Jetty" at Florence. The current can be strong and this is often approached as a drift dive on the incoming tide. Plan your dive around small to moderate exchanges and you will be able to better explore the long jetty and channel.

This is possibly the best shore dive for all levels I can think of. The folks who have put their efforts into developing and maintaining this park are to be praised. The grid layout allows for easy navigation and the great variety of sunken items makes for an impressive amount of life. Try to avoid weekends as this is a very popular site. The ferry dock is the biggest hazard but awareness and a compass minimize the risk. Highly recommended shore dive, worth visiting repeatedly.