Lobster Shop Wall didn’t have lobsters! It features deep walls invaded by striped shrimp armies and small red ocopusus. It got its name because it is right outside the Lobster Shop Restaurant.
It is an easily accessible deep wall site, about 7 minutes swim from shore if entering from the location below. Many DPV divers choose to park further and scooter in.
Red brotulas are occasionally seen here at depth, while lumpsuckers sometimes appear in shallow!
Address / Google Map
Address for the non-scooter divers (entry): 4015 Ruston Way, Tacoma, WA 98407 (between the Lobster Shop Restaurant and the Consulting Company)
Address for the divers with DPV (parking): 3427 Ruston Way, Tacoma, WA 98402 (Judge Jack Tanner Park)
Entry
If the videos from Instagram didn’t work, head to youtube https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2AZcqUZVlUs
This site is right next to (by driving standard) another dive site: Les Davis Park.
If diving with a scooter, a common practice is to park at Judge Jack Tanner Park, enter at sandy beaches, and scooter past the pilings to the left until hitting the edge of Lobstershop restaurant. Then head about 60m/200ft from shore and drop down. This route however is too far for divers without DPV, and at low tide the route is a bit too shalow with many big rocks below.
For divers without scotter, the best bet is to park at the public area of Lobster Shop Restaurant (South side, named as Cummings Park on Google map). Walk across the parking lot to enter between Lobster Shop restaurant and the consulting company (see address above). Need to scramble a few steps down though. There is a bench to take a rest before scrambling down.
Once in the water, swim straight out (Northeast), for about 7 min to hit the wall. The shallow is covered by eel grass.
Dive Site Information
Dive Profile: At low tide, the top of the wall is 24m/80ft deep, the bottom was said to be roughly 36m/120ft, but we certainly have hit 41m. Vertical wall structure with clay wall and many crevices (where ocopusus hide!) but no overhangs.
Current: Can have localized current.
Bottom composition: Clay and silt! Use caution not to silt out the place especially at the wall
Things to see: Armies of striped shrimps; red octopuses hidden in crevices or out and about; red brotulas are occasionally seen here at depth; lumpsuckers sometimes appear in shallow!
Check Tide Charts – Plan a safe, comfortable dive at PNWDiving.com or planyourdive.com
Dive Site Map from Washington Scuba Alliance1
Food for thought for planning
Levels: at AOW, due to depth and potential high current. Perfect for tech divers to practice deco and DPV.
Facilities: Bathrooms in JJudge Jack Tanner Park but not in Cummings Park.
Fees: Free for entry and parking.
Parking: Free and plentiful in the Jack Tanners Park, not as many spots at Cummings Park. Don’t park on private lots!
Hours: Dawn to dusk.
Other Activities: A mobile kayak rental operator operates from Cummings Park. Lots of people running and walking the dog in the morning. Relatively quieter compared with Les Davis.
Reference Materials
Visibility report: https://pnwdiving.com/lobster-shop-wall/visibility
Tide & current: https://www.planyourdive.com/sites/lobster-shop-wall
Dive site info: Washington Scuba Alliance
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- The dive site map is from https://www.wascuba.org/dive-maps/lobster-shop-reef-site. Some info on the page is also summarized from there. ↩︎
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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