Sund Rock
Encyclopedia
Sund Rock is a designated conservation area on Washington's Hood Canal
. The area is known for abundant and diverse life, including but not limited to Lingcod
, Giant Pacific Octopus, Wolf Eel
, as well as nudibranch
, anemone
, and sea cucumber.
Well-known to regional scuba
divers, the area sports two major walls, known colloquially as the north and south walls. These walls have total depths of between 70 to 80 feet, depending upon the tide. Several other walls exist, some going down beyond 100 feet (30.5 m) in depth. Additional features at the Sund Rock area include the "fish bowl" (a reef-like area full of life), a large sunken boat just to the north of the north wall, and a small wrecked boat between the north and south walls.
Recreational and technical divers alike find Sund Rock attractive for various reasons. Recreational divers appreciate Sund Rock because it is not a current-sensitive area, the main walls are easily within recreational dive limits, and because of the abundant sea life. Technical divers enjoy the deeper walls and other areas that allow them to dive well beyond recreational limits.
Because Sund Rock is a conservation area, no hunting or gathering of any kind is permitted. Two ways exist of entering the waters in the area. The "free" way involves a somewhat steep but short hike and a relatively long surface swim. Hoodsport'n'Dive, a dive shop that operates out of the town of Hoodsport about two miles away, sells more convenient access. The fee as of March 2009 is $16.00.
The boundaries of the area are
Hood Canal
Hood Canal is a fjord forming the western lobe, and one of the four main basins, of Puget Sound in the state of Washington. Hood Canal is not a canal in the sense of being a man-made waterway—it is a natural waterway.-Geography:...
. The area is known for abundant and diverse life, including but not limited to Lingcod
Lingcod
The lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus, is a fish of the greenling family Hexagrammidae. It is the only extant member of the genus Ophiodon...
, Giant Pacific Octopus, Wolf Eel
Wolf eel
The wolf eel is a member of the family Anarhichadidae together with the wolffishes of the genus Anarhichas. The wolf eel is monotypic within the genus Anarrhichthys. This superficially eel-like fish feeds on crustaceans, sea urchins, mussels, clams and some fishes, crushing them with its strong jaws...
, as well as nudibranch
Nudibranch
A nudibranch is a member of what is now a taxonomic clade, and what was previously a suborder, of soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusks which shed their shell after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms...
, anemone
Anemone
Anemone , is a genus of about 120 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae in the north and south temperate zones...
, and sea cucumber.
Well-known to regional scuba
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
divers, the area sports two major walls, known colloquially as the north and south walls. These walls have total depths of between 70 to 80 feet, depending upon the tide. Several other walls exist, some going down beyond 100 feet (30.5 m) in depth. Additional features at the Sund Rock area include the "fish bowl" (a reef-like area full of life), a large sunken boat just to the north of the north wall, and a small wrecked boat between the north and south walls.
Recreational and technical divers alike find Sund Rock attractive for various reasons. Recreational divers appreciate Sund Rock because it is not a current-sensitive area, the main walls are easily within recreational dive limits, and because of the abundant sea life. Technical divers enjoy the deeper walls and other areas that allow them to dive well beyond recreational limits.
Because Sund Rock is a conservation area, no hunting or gathering of any kind is permitted. Two ways exist of entering the waters in the area. The "free" way involves a somewhat steep but short hike and a relatively long surface swim. Hoodsport'n'Dive, a dive shop that operates out of the town of Hoodsport about two miles away, sells more convenient access. The fee as of March 2009 is $16.00.
The boundaries of the area are
| description | coordinate |
|---|---|
| ne corner | 47.44°N 123.11834°W |
| se corner | 47.44°N 123.115°W |
| sw corner | 47.43333°N 123.11501°W |
| nw corner | 47.43333°N 123.12245°W |
| rough center | 47.436°N 123.12°W |