Years ago, when I did my previous dive in this area, I didn't dive at the actual "point" of Otter Point since climbing down to the water seemed like too much of an ordeal. I came out here again on Aug. 2, 2010 and the trail to the water seemed not too bad. The point is a steep, rocky park sticking out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A pile of bear poop on the rocks near the shore added to the wild feeling. It was a calm day, but this place is exposed and on a windy day, getting in the water could be dangerous. You're not allowed to park on the road near the park so I dropped off my gear and drove up the road and parked about 200 meters away. I walked down the trail, climbed down the rocks and entered the water at a tiny, pebble beach. Visibility was 20-30 feet. The steep rocks on the shore continued down to about 10 feet deep and then there was a barely-noticeable slope of pebbles. I was expecting the rocks in the intertidal zone to be covered with colourful coraline algae, surfgrass and bits of sponges and anemones, but they actually seemed pretty bare. There was kelp of course, but the smooth, sculpted rocks also seemed to be covered with a slimy-looking algae. I almost felt like I was diving in a river. I started swimming down the slope. At 50 feet, I started seeing small sea pens spread around. There were also a few crimson and sand anemones. I went down to just over 90 feet deep, but I didn't run into any rocky reefs. Back in the shallows I saw a strange-patterned greenling and some colourful patches of sponge and barnacles under some overhangs. I don't plan on coming back soon, but I've been wondering for years what it was like here so it was worth the dive.
