Octopus Hole facts for kids
Octopus Hole is a special underwater area in Washington state, located on the Hood Canal. It's a protected place where amazing sea creatures live! You can find it right off Highway 101, a few miles north of Hoodsport.
This spot is easy to find because it has signs about conservation. There are also small parking areas on both sides of the highway. Octopus Hole is super popular with scuba divers who love exploring its underwater "walls." These walls are like cliffs under the water.
Divers come here to see all sorts of marine life. You might spot a Lingcod, a huge Giant Pacific Octopus, or even a Wolf Eel! There are also smaller creatures like sea cucumbers and colorful nudibranchs.
To get to the water, divers carefully climb over the highway guard rail. Then, they walk down some simple steps about 20 to 30 feet to the shore. It's free to visit Octopus Hole, and everyone can enjoy it!
Exploring the Underwater Walls
The most popular diving spot at Octopus Hole is a long underwater wall. It's about 200 yards (or 180 meters) long. This wall starts at about 40 feet (12 meters) deep and goes down to 50 or 60 feet (15-18 meters), depending on how high or low the tide is.
Divers often use a large, fallen tree that sticks out into the water as a landmark. This tree helps them find the start of the main wall. It's about 100 yards (90 meters) south of the steps that lead down from the highway.
Once divers swim out to this tree, they go another 30 yards (27 meters) into the water. Then, they dive down and turn south to explore the wall. There's another fallen tree further south, and if divers stay between these two trees and swim out about 25 yards (23 meters), they will reach the wall. At low tide, you can even walk to the first tree!
Deeper Dive Spots
The main underwater wall and its surrounding reef are about 150 yards (137 meters) long. There's also another, smaller wall that divers can explore. This second wall is much deeper, at about 90 feet (27 meters) down.
This deeper wall is about 50 to 60 yards (45-55 meters) from the shore. It's about halfway out to the first fallen tree. To find it, divers go to where most people climb down from the highway. From there, they swim out at a 45-degree angle for about 50 to 60 yards.
Protecting Octopus Hole
Octopus Hole is a special conservation area. This means it's protected to keep its marine life safe and healthy. Because it's a conservation area, you are not allowed to hunt, fish, or collect anything from the water. This rule helps make sure that all the amazing creatures, like the giant octopuses and wolf eels, can live peacefully in their home.
Water Conditions
The water at Octopus Hole usually doesn't have strong currents. This makes it a great place for divers to explore without worrying too much about being pushed around by the water.
Sometimes, there might be a slight current. It's not strong enough to cause problems or change dive plans, but it might make you swim a little faster or slower depending on which way you are going.
