Keystone Jetty

Description
Located on the west side of Whidbey Island, Keystone State Park is a great location for shore diving. If you plan on trying this dive, do yourself a favor and bring two tanks! (I'm not going to say I told you so, but trust me). You will find two easily accessible shore dives within walking distance.

Don't be discouraged by the size of the Jetty, it indeed contains a remarkable amount of life. Enter the water on the East side of the Jetty and work your way out. Be sure to take the time to scout out all the small crevices along the way and hopefully you'll find an octopus, wolf eel, lingcod of two! Also worth noting are the overwhelming masses of white medtriduim anemones that consume the rock walls. Other marine life you might run across include: grunt sculpins, rockfish, and flatfish.

Your second dive could be a set of old pilings located East of the Jetty. You may not find the *giant* creatures that you would find near the Jetty, but it still makes for a great second dive!

Specific Hazards
When making this dive, be aware of potential current and always check the current tables before your dive. If you don't plan your dive you may find yourself in a undesirable situation. I suggest you make this dive during slack (for specific current information, take a glance at the book Northwest Shore Dives). If needed, you can pull yourself along the bottom by grabbing onto the rocks. In short, know your limits and and keep an eye open.

I would highly suggest staying on the East side of the Jetty and not venture around the tip unless you are an advanced diver. Beware of the Port Townsend Ferry and the public boat lauch. Other hazards include fishing line (people think the Jetty is a good place to fish too) and kelp beds. For this reason please remember to strap on your dive knife and dive with a buddy.

Location
From the Seattle area, head North on I-5 towards Mukilteo and follow the signs to the Mukilteo ferry docks (Clinton/Whidbey Island ferry). Take the ferry to Clinton located on Whidbey island. Follow the main Highway (525) for approximate 20-25 miles then take a left towards the Port Townsend Ferry/Fort Casey State Park. Follow this road for 3-5 miles and you will see Keystone State Park on your left. For other directions, please locate a map or submit your directions to be posted here.

You will see both divesites just within the State Park.

Other Interesting Information
** Confirmed cell phone coverage: AT&T Wireless
** Heated/Cold showers for showing and rising your gear off
** Restaurant right across the street (any reviews?) for food.
** Fort Casey is within a couple miles for non-divers