Kirk McGettigan is a PADI-certified divemaster who has been diving since 1996. He is insured by Divers Alert Network (DAN). Kirk teaches PADI ReActivate (scuba refresher) programs and guides local dive tours (PADI Discover Local Diving) in the Puget Sound in partnership with Underwater Sports in Bellevue. With a master's degree in education Kirk is passionate about educating divers to help them become the safest divers they can be.

Whether you're interested in getting back into diving after taking a break, you want to refresh your skills before an upcoming dive vacation, or you're already an active cold-water diver and just want to learn about diving locally you can connect with Kirk and other PADI professionals who will help you reach your dive goals at Underwater Sports in Bellevue. 

Why dive in the PNW? Isn't it too cold? 

The Pacific Northwest is one of the most accessible diving regions in the world due to its sheltered waters and many drive-up, walk-in, shore dive sites just minutes from Seattle, Bellevue, and surrounding communities. Here in the Salish Sea we have an abundance of life in our cold, rich waters. Local site environments range from sandy bottomed eelgrass beds, to clay walls, and bull kelp forests . On a typical dive you might see rockfish, lingcod, ratfish, colorful nudibranchs (sea slugs), crabs, sea anemones, giant pacific octopuses (GPOs), red octopus, wolf eels, sea stars, shrimp, barnacles, jellyfish, or seals. 

Water temperatures in the sound  range from the low 50s Fahrenheit in late summer to the mid to low 40s in the winter. Most divers wear drysuits to stay warm in these temperatures. A few brave warm blooded souls are comfortable in thick (7mm) neoprene wetsuits. Ask Underwater Sports about enrolling in a class if you're not already drysuit certified.

Before you go out diving here in the PNW, get an orientation from an experienced local diver and be sure to check the tide, weather and current predictions. The combination of tidal currents, cold water, deep sites, and variable visibility require experience and good dive planning to stay safe and comfortable.