COVE 3 - WEST SEATTLE

This is very popular site for beginning divers and students. On weekends you can find a crowd here, as instructors from many of the area's dive centers bring their students to this site. Most weekdays you can have the site all to yourself!

The best parking for this site is on the street (Harbor View Ave SW). The small lot provided for Seacrest Park and the Elliot Bay Water Taxi has a 2 hour maximum limit, so it's usually not practical to park there if you plan on doing more than 1 dive. Convenient public restroom facilities are located adjacent to the parking lot, on the street end of the Alki Crab & Fish Co.

Hazards at Cove 3 include boat traffic, logs on the beach, and slippery rocks during low tides. Because of the location, winds, tides, and currents have very little affect on the site itself, but I don't recommend it during an extremely low tide. Also, heavy rain will cause the visibility to be limited due to river run off. I have personally seen this site range from zero to 30 feet in visibility.

For this dive, you can set your equipment at the edge of the sidewalk, but be cautious crossing as there can be a lot of bicycle, skater, and pedestrian traffic. If you're standing in front of the water on the right side, you will see the yellow buoys marking the no swim area. On the left, and out to the center, there is a white cylinder/navigational marker. To the left of that are the pilings from an old dock.

The white cylinder/navigational marker is a good place to start your dive. Depending upon the tide, the base can be at 30-45 feet. Keep that depth and continue traveling to the left (keeping the slope to your left). Move slowly and don't hit the bottom as the bottom here is fine silt and in no time you will have a mess. You will easily locate the pilings if you keep your depth accurate.

Here I have seen small octopi, flounders, ratfish, squid, and (my favorite!) I got to swim with a harbor seal.

On your way back, keep the slope to your right and slowly move shallower. After your safety stop you will come to the entry point. Continue looking around during your stop as the dive is not over. You may still get to see some nudibranch or sea pens.

Important note: Always use a diver down flag at this site and make sure you read the sign posted by the city about the "NO SWIM AREA". This is strictly enforced!

Directions from I-5 North:

  • Take the W SEATTLE BR exit - EXIT 163A - toward SPOKANE ST
  • Stay STRAIGHT to go onto WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE
  • Take the HARBOR AVE/AVALON WAY ramp
  • Turn RIGHT onto HARBOR AVE SW
  • Continue on HARBOR AVE SW for 1.3 miles
  • Arrive at SEACREST PARK/COVE 3 (1660 HARBOR VIEW AVE SW) - (left side - next to Alki Crab & Fish Co.)

Directions from I-5 South:

  • Take the W SEATTLE BR/COLUMBIAN WAY exit - EXIT 163
  • Take the W SEATTLE BRIDGE/SPOKANE ST ramp toward SAFECO FIELD/SEAHAWKS STADIUM
  • Turn SLIGHT LEFT to take the W SEATTLE BR ramp
  • Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE
  • Take the HARBOR AVE/AVALON WAY ramp
  • Continue on HARBOR AVE SW for 1.3 miles
  • Arrive at SEACREST PARK/COVE 3 (1660 HARBOR VIEW AVE SW) - left side - next to Alki Crab & Fish Co.)