Beautiful Underwater Landscapes Beneath Deception Pass Bridge

Deception Pass is Washington's most popular state park, and it's easy to see why. There are so many outdoor opportunities for everyone, the views are breathtaking, and the bridge itself is an iconic testament to the way man and nature can work together.

But I'm going to bet you've never seen the remarkable hidden world right below the Deception Pass Bridge.

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Deception Pass offers great opportunities for skilled divers

The waters beneath Deception Pass are accessible - if you have the right gear, knowledge, and training. Timing is also a major issue. Scuba Diving Magazine explains that you can only dive at Deception Pass with careful calculation, in part because the Salish Sea passes through the area at 8 knots (about 9.2mph, which is brutal if you're swimming, underwater, with scuba gear).

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As you're going to see, the reward for a successful dive is remarkable.

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A cold-water reef exists right below Deception Pass Bridge

If you're like me, you tend to only think of coral reefs as being in warm waters far away, like Australia and Indonesia. However cold water reefs also exist, and one of them thrives right in Puget Sound, under the water of one of Washington State's most popular travel destinations.

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Duster worms, pink anemones, sea urchins, kelp greenlings - there's dozens of amazing, brightly colored species all to be found in this high-current underwater world. And it's not just lively in terms of life - the colors to be seen are just as stunning. Even the water itself is a beautiful sapphire blue.

Snorkelers can explore the kelp forests and shallow-water coves. Skilled divers are able to go further down and see some of the true beautiful mysteries of this place.

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Watch these videos to see more of this paradise

You may never get the chance to scuba dive this unique place - but thankfully, others have, and taken cameras with them to showcase the wonder below. Check out these two videos which started my own stunning discovery of this beautiful ecosystem.

National Parks of Washington State

Washington State is home to 15 National Parks managed by the National Park Service. You might be surprised to know what some of these parks are!

Note: As one park site is sacred to the Nez Perce and discourages visitors, we have excluded it from the list below. Please respect all historic sites you may visit.

Gallery Credit: Jaime Skelton

Scuba Diving To These Brilliant Shipwrecks In The St Lawrence River- Thousand Islands

Have you ever wanted to scuba dive shipwrecks in the St. Lawrence River? Here's a few to check out in the Thousand Islands of the New York and Canadian border.

Scuba divers allegedly call the 1000 Islands the “Caribbean of the North” due to all the amazing places to check out. The Saint Lawrence River has been the main shipping route between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean for centuries. That means you're able to see that history in the ships that line the bottom. According to South Eastern Ontario, divers can generally see 50 to 60 feet in front them most of the year, and 60 to 100 feet in the fall time.

From wooden schooners to War of 1812 battleships to modern-day freighters, over 200 vessels met their fate here."

There are all sorts of local businesses and more that can help train you, or charter you, on these dives if you're interested. You can read more here.

Here's a list of some of the coolest dives to check out:

Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler