Owen Beach is in the popular Point Defiance Park in Tacoma WA. The parking spots might be hard to get so plan accordingly!
It’s a bit of a walk to the water, even in street clothes. I clocked about 30 seconds when walking super fast (4x speed on video!) just to the picnic table, so plan for a good stroll in your gear or use a cart! Take a rest at the picnic shelter area if needed.
Lots of sculpins and giant nudis. Potential Sixgills shark and seals!
Address / Google Map
Address: 5605 Owen Beach Rd, Tacoma, WA 98407
GPS Location of the Barge: 47°18’53.6″N 122°31’42.6″W (47.314875, -122.528500)1
Entry
If the videos from Instagram didn’t work, head to youtube https://youtube.com/shorts/WoAfuFBTIKo
If swim out directly in front of picnic shelter (to the northeast), down slope to 29m/95ft and swim about 15m/50 ft west to the barge.
Or swim out around the campfire structure to the northeast (30 degree) down slope, the barge should be around there at 29m/95ft.
If, for some reason, the campfire structure is no longer there, walk past the picnic shelter to the end of the pavement. Continue walking for approximately 40 steps, and then enter the water from there.
On the second dive, we liked to swim toward the parking lot underwater so we don’t have to walk as much!
This site is home to numerous small recreational boats, with people fishing on board, which can be driven at very high speeds. They typically already disappear at high slack, but be aware, use SMB or tow a flag if necessary.
Remember to account for the current direction (typically flows in/out to the northwest) when swimming.
Dive Site Information
Dive Profile: Depth shallow ~15ft to deep, with the wreck at ~27-30m (90-100ft). Nitrox recommended. You will encouters a few concrete blocks and tires with lives!
Barge: The barge itself is a large steel frame about 30m/100ft deep into the north end and 26m/85ft deep at the shallow end. The decks have rotted away, but lots of huge sculpins there when we visited.
Current: Can be a high current area.
Bottom composition: sandy gravel
Things to see: LOTS of sculpins (Buffalo, Red Iresh Lord, Grunt and Sailfin) and giant nudibranchs, as well as octopus, gunnels, and a wide variety of fish.. Potential to see seals and Sixgill Shark in late summer till fall nights.
Check Tide Charts – Plan a safe, comfortable dive at PNWDiving.com or planyourdive.com
Food for thoughts for planning
Levels: AOW, due to depth and potential high current
Facilities: Newly renovated. Bathrooms on site. No shower.
Fees: Free for entry and parking.
Parking: Free and plentiful in the Owen Beach Park. But quite far from entry and lots of people in summer.
Hours: Dawn to dusk.
Other Activities: It’s a popular spot for diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, and relaxing on the beach. Very popular in summer time.
Reference Materials
Visibility report: https://pnwdiving.com/owen-beach/visibility
Tide & current: https://www.planyourdive.com/sites/owen-beach
Dive site info: “Northwest Wreck Dives” by Scott Boyd and Jeff Carr.
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- Some info on the page is summarized from the “Northwest Wreck Dives” by Scott Boyd and Jeff Carr. ↩︎
Editorial disclaimer
Please be aware that scuba diving is an inherently risky activity, even with certification and experience. The content on this blog reflects my personal opinions and experiences and should not be considered instructional. Always prioritize safety, seek guidance and certification from qualified diving professionals, and carefully consider the risks involved in any dives.
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