Underwater Wonders

Scuba Diving Near Seattle: Where to Dive & What to Know

Last Updated: February 2, 2026

Scuba diving near Seattle might seem a little wild, but those who brave Puget Sound are rewarded with a fascinating world underwater.

We hit the beach in Seattle Southside with two expert divers and underwater photographers, Ariel Mei (@littlebrrmaid) and Samuel Smith (@salish_sam), to learn about the ins and outs of diving, and what lives beneath the waves off the shores of Des Moines, Washington. This seaside town has some of the best scuba diving in the Seattle area, with easy shore access, thriving marine life, and surprisingly clear winter visibility. Read on to find out where to dive, what you can see, and how to get started even if you're a total beginner.

Pictured: Ariel Mei and Samuel Smith regularly dive and shoot underwater photography off the shores of Des Moines, Washington.
Credit: Sean Puno
Where to Go
Dive Shops & Classes
Marine Life
When to Go
Is Cold Water Diving Worth It?
A bird's-eye-view of Puget Sound off of Redondo Beach, including Highline College's MaST Center Aquariumm (open to the public on weekly Discovery Days).
Credit: Sean Puno

Where to Go Scuba Diving Near Seattle

Des Moines is one of the most popular diving areas in the Pacific Northwest. This charming beach town is home to not one but two dive shops, Eight Diving and TL Sea Diving, where you can stock up on gear, fill your tank, and take classes. It's also known as the Sixgill Shark Capital of the World, because it's one of the only places on Earth to see these (non-dangerous) prehistoric creatures!

There are several great spots for diving in town. We met Mei and Smith at Redondo Beach, a quiet, off-the-beaten-path beach with easy shore entry and a gradual slope. Underwater, you’ll find eelgrass beds and rocky structures that attract everything from colorful nudibranchs to curious octopus. There are also a number of curious, man-made artifacts that are fun to explore, such as a boat manned by a toy skeleton, an old VW Bug, and a field of glass bottles where many critters make their homes.

"What's cool about this site is that it doesn't need a whole lot of planning," says Smith. "So if you ever just want to bring your tanks and go and get a dive in, this is where you would go. It's a nice place, it's beginner-friendly friendly and there's always something to see."

More Diving Locations Near Seattle

  • Saltwater State Park is the only state park with an underwater artificial reef, which is home to a diverse range of creatures. (Note that you need a Discover Pass to park there.)
  • Des Moines Beach Park, which is part of the bustling Marina District, combines small-town charm with rugged natural beauty. Immediately after your dive, you can walk up to Quarterdeck and buy a hot coffee or a pint of craft beer.

Group Dives

Wei and Smith are both part of GUE Seattle, a dive group affiliated with Eight Diving that meets every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. The group often meets at Redondo, though that varies from week to week. Learn more.

Eight Diving in Des Moines, Washington is a one-stop shop for gear, classes, tank fills, and other diving needs.
Credit: Sean Puno

Where to Get Scuba Gear and Take Beginner Classes Near Seattle

Before their dive, our resident experts stopped at Eight Diving in Des Moines to fill up their tanks. Then, they suited up in exposure suits, dry suits, gloves, booties, and other gear to keep them warm.

Eight Diving is a one-stop shop for both amateur and advanced divers, with a range of Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) courses. If you're a total beginner, you can take the entry-level course and get your Open Water Scuba Diver certification. You can also rent and buy gear, fill your tank, and get expert advice.

Another local dive shop, TL Sea Diving, offers a range of courses for a variety of experience levels and is rated a PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Course (IDC) Training Center. The shop also sells gear, repairs, air fills, and group boat dives.

Marine Life You Can See While Scuba Diving in Des Moines

Puget Sound is home to an astonishing variety of marine creatures. What makes the experience magical is not only looking for the big animals, but honing in on the subtle, small creatures that you have to look very carefully to see. Lump suckers, for instance, are tiny golf ball-sized creatures that come swimming fast towards you and might even bounce off the side of your head. "It's just the cutest thing ever," says Smith.

What You Might See Diving in Puget Sound

  • Giant Pacific octopus tucked into rocky crevices
  • Decorated war bonnet, a fascinating-looking fish with an intricate mass of tentacles on its head
  • Long, slithering gunnels weaving through eelgrass and rocks
  • Stubby Squid, small, bottom-dwelling creatures famous for their big, googly eyes
  • Several kinds of small sharks, including spiny dogfish and sixgill shark
  • Nudibranchs such as the white-lined dirona
  • Sea stars, crabs, anemones, moon snails, and more small creatures
  • Harbor seals, sea lions, and other large mammals
Pictured: A white-lined dirona, also known as a frosted nudibranch, is a transculent sea slug characterized by the bright white lines outilning its body.
Credit: Sam Smith

To get a taste of what's in the waters before diving in, check out the MaST Center Aquarium at Redondo Beach. This education lab holds more than 250 native species, and it's free and open to the public on weekly Discovery Days (Saturdays, year-round).

The Best Time to Scuba Dive in Puget Sound

You can dive year-round in Puget Sound, though winter is actually one of the best seasons for scuba diving near Seattle. Cooler water means fewer plankton, often resulting in clearer underwater views and better visibility. Since it's not peak season for general beachgoing and boating, dive sites are often quieter, making for a more peaceful dive experience.

"In the wintertime, we get critters that are very seasonal," says Mei. "Such as lump suckers, baby octopuses, snail fish, sea slugs, and stubby squid, which you rarely see any other time of the year."

With the right gear (and a high-quality drysuit), winter diving in Puget Sound is totally doable...even for beginning divers.

Summer brings another treat, as it's the best time to see sixgill sharks!

Pictured: Rossia pacifica, commonly known as the stubby squid, spotted in Puget Sound near Redondo Beach in Des Moines.
Credit: Sam Smith
A gunnel spotted on the sea floor in Puget Sound near the shores of Des Moines.
Credit: Sam Smith

Is Cold Water Diving Worth It?

There's no denying that diving in Puget Sound is cold. Wei's Instagram handle isn't "Little Brrrmaid" for no reason. The question is...why is it worth it?

"This is my favorite diving in the world," says Mei. "If I could only dive one place for the rest of my life, it'd be the Pacific Northwest. People think it's dark and cold, and there's nothing to see, but the variety that we have and the color that we have is great."

The fact that you have to work a little harder, and have specific skills to do it, just makes it more rewarding. "You get down there and there's a whole other world that people don't get to see. There's something so special about that that just like it's got a grip on me, I'm never going to stop dive in cold water. It's all so worth it."

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Annie Atherton

Author

Annie Atherton

Senior Content Writer

Annie Atherton is the Senior Content Writer at Explore Seattle Southside. As a (mostly) lifelong resident of the Seattle area, she is very proud to call the region home and to talk it up to all who will listen.

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