About Revisions Alki Pipeline Seattle, WA More Info Max Depth: 41-50ft/12-15m Average Viz: 5-10ft/2-3m Entry Type: Shore Bottom Composition: Sand Aquatic Life: Might See Something Spring: Under 50°F/10°C Summer: Under 50°F/10°C Fall: Under 50°F/10°C Winter: Under 50°F/10°C 2/08/2023 3:43 PM connorD35 11/06/2019 5:05 PM cmjstealth 8/23/2009 2:31 PM

For a change of pace from the other Alki dive sites, try the Pipeline. You may find an octopus in the rubble, as well as most other marine life found in the area!

Location: Intersection of Beach Dr SW & 63rd Ave SW, Seattle, King, Washington 98116 enter off of Richey Viewpoint

This site can be current sensitive [light to moderate]. Lots of life to see and much swimming involved. Winds are bad for this site since it is shallow [the end of the pipeline is 35’-40’ deep]. Street parking. No restroom/facilities on site.

One website indicates there can be "a lot" of boat traffic at this site. I presume in the summer, so diver beware.

Plan to dive it when conditions are calm at slack before ebb [use Alki Pt tides and current NOAA site]. Plan to splash 45 minutes before slack.

The Junkyard is a man-made trail down the sandy slope off the very end of Alki beach. It is somewhat current sensitive, and Alki Point has a reverse eddy, with the current running out towards the point on many tides. Swim out from the seawall to a small round white buoy. Descend there in about 60’ of water.

You’ll find a rope trail and piles of “junk”; bricks, crates, old toilets and other structures that shelter an amazing variety of life. It is an excellent macro life site, and it’s not unusual to see 4 to 5 kinds of small nudibranchs crawling along. Look carefully and you might spot a Striped Nudibranch, which burrows in the sand. This is a dive area that rewards poking along slowly and looking closely and carefully at what you find. There are small sculpins and juvenile rockfish amongst the junk, turning urban excess into an underwater community.

Swim along as far as you like, either doubling back or just going along in one direction and coming up further down the beach. It can be very fun to poke along in the shallows that are full of eelgrass and it’s possible to find pipefish, large Dungeness Crabs and other smaller kelp crabs. There are benches and restrooms at the park and the seawall makes for a great spot to gear up.

Driving to the other end of 63rd Street, you’ll find Constellation Marine Park Preserve, known locally as The Alki Pipeline for it’s old street run off pipe that is buried in rock and runs far out from shore.

This is a delightful small pocket park along the west side of Alki Point that has nice sculptures and artwork and a ramp down to the water. It is somewhat wheel chair accessible, however driftwood is usually piled up making final water access difficult. There are no facilities there other than some benches.

The long pile of rock leading south along the old pipeline is visible from shore. It is marked at the far south west end with a small buoy. Enter the water carefully so as not to trip on numerous rocks and old slabs of concrete littering the water. Swim out a little way before descending. Most of the pipeline is in 15-25’ of water, so surface swimming is not necessary to preserve your air. It is an excellent dive for beginners to try out their buoyancy skills and for photographers to find numerous subjects.

The dive is along the rocky area, now turned marine preserve, covering the pipe. It is loaded with all sorts of beautiful anemones, crab and rockfish. Hiding among the broad leaf kelp are many varieties of nudibranchs and other invertebrates. It is a long, extensive area, and it may be better to enjoy it on the long swim back.

You’ll finally reach what seems like the end, with not much in front of you but sand and perhaps some resident lawn gnomes. Take a compass bearing due south and swim out straight; the pipe is buried in that area and will come out into another rocky area about 50 yards further out. This is a good place to look for bright orange sea pens. On a sunny day the white sand is quite bright, making the dive seem almost tropical.

You’ll come to the next area of reef, which is usually the best for fish. The end of the pipe is there in about 35-40’ of water, covered in white Plumose Anemones and hundreds of kelp crabs.

Swim back before too long and take your time discovering bright anemones, sea cucumbers and starfish.

Both of these sites are quite exposed to wind and waves. The Pipeline in particular should be dove during slack flood at Alki Point, in calm conditions with no chance for southerly winds to kick up chop, as it is very shallow and waves can build uncomfortably. There can be a lot of boat traffic, divers should bring a dive flag with them.

There are lots of great restaurants, cafes and places to eat both across from Alki Beach and on California Avenue near The Junction.