CHECK OUT UNDERWATER LIFE AT PARK NEAR SEATTLE

EDMONDS - For most folks, going to the park means taking a walk,watching kids on the swings or sunbathing on the beach.

But visitors have to get beneath the surface to enjoy EdmondsUnderwater Park, 14 miles north of Seattle in Puget Sound.

The park, 27 acres just north of the Edmonds-Kingston ferry dock,is the most popular of the 10 that make up Washington's underwaterpark system, which includes Saltwater State Park south of Seattle inDes Moines, Tolime State Park in Olympia and Kopachuck State Park inTacoma.About 20,000 scuba divers visit the Edmonds park each year. Mostare among the state's 250,000 trained divers, though 15 percent comefrom out of state, mostly from Portland and Vancouver, B.C.Established at Brackett's Park in 1970 by city ordinance as amarine preserve and sanctuary, Edmonds Underwater Park has a systemof trails marked by 3,000 feet of mooring line that crisscrosses thebottom."We wanted to enhance the state's underwater environment," saidRandy Person, chairman of the state's new Underwater Task Force,which will review the state's underwater park system and decidewhereimprovements are needed.Over half of the Edmonds park has been developed for divers withboundary floats, a sundial, archways and sunken boats."It's a great marine preserve," said Todd Brunner, 48, who diveshere at least twice a month. "It's also very easy to get around,which makes it a fantastic learning facility."The park's original feature was a 300-foot boat, the "De Lion DryDock," which sank in 1935. Since then, about two wooden boats peryear have been sunk there - including the 94-foot tug Alitak in1974,the Fossil in 1982 and The Molly Brown in 1996 - because woodenboatslast only about two years underwater.These manmade structures become home to all types of sea life,including Dungeness crabs, rockfish, anemones and wolf eels.The water temperature ranges between 48 to 52 degrees Fahrenheityear-round. Visibility ranges between two and 40 feet with the bestviewing in August and September.Enthusiasts may either scuba dive or snorkle at the park, thoughdivers must be certified. The only other park requirements arediving with a partner at all times and registering to dive at night.Bruce Higgins organizes the volunteers who maintain the park,working in groups of five for four hours on Saturday mornings.Last year, the Seattle resident made 87 dives to work on the park,in addition to his regular job as a database manager at Anteon inBremerton."We need more volunteers like him," Person said. "Without peoplelike him, good things wouldn't get done."Divers are required to prepare a diving plan, taking intoconsideration currents, depth, visibility and ability.

CHECK OUT UNDERWATER LIFE AT PARK NEAR SEATTLE

EDMONDS - For most folks, going to the park means taking a walk,watching kids on the swings or sunbathing on the beach.

But visitors have to get beneath the surface to enjoy EdmondsUnderwater Park, 14 miles north of Seattle in Puget Sound.

The park, 27 acres just north of the Edmonds-Kingston ferry dock,is the most popular of the 10 that make up Washington's underwaterpark system, which includes Saltwater State Park south of Seattle inDes Moines, Tolime State Park in Olympia and Kopachuck State Park inTacoma.About 20,000 scuba divers visit the Edmonds park each year. Mostare among the state's 250,000 trained divers, though 15 percent comefrom out of state, mostly from Portland and Vancouver, B.C.Established at Brackett's Park in 1970 by city ordinance as amarine preserve and sanctuary, Edmonds Underwater Park has a systemof trails marked by 3,000 feet of mooring line that crisscrosses thebottom."We wanted to enhance the state's underwater environment," saidRandy Person, chairman of the state's new Underwater Task Force,which will review the state's underwater park system and decidewhereimprovements are needed.Over half of the Edmonds park has been developed for divers withboundary floats, a sundial, archways and sunken boats."It's a great marine preserve," said Todd Brunner, 48, who diveshere at least twice a month. "It's also very easy to get around,which makes it a fantastic learning facility."The park's original feature was a 300-foot boat, the "De Lion DryDock," which sank in 1935. Since then, about two wooden boats peryear have been sunk there - including the 94-foot tug Alitak in1974,the Fossil in 1982 and The Molly Brown in 1996 - because woodenboatslast only about two years underwater.These manmade structures become home to all types of sea life,including Dungeness crabs, rockfish, anemones and wolf eels.The water temperature ranges between 48 to 52 degrees Fahrenheityear-round. Visibility ranges between two and 40 feet with the bestviewing in August and September.Enthusiasts may either scuba dive or snorkle at the park, thoughdivers must be certified. The only other park requirements arediving with a partner at all times and registering to dive at night.Bruce Higgins organizes the volunteers who maintain the park,working in groups of five for four hours on Saturday mornings.Last year, the Seattle resident made 87 dives to work on the park,in addition to his regular job as a database manager at Anteon inBremerton."We need more volunteers like him," Person said. "Without peoplelike him, good things wouldn't get done."Divers are required to prepare a diving plan, taking intoconsideration currents, depth, visibility and ability.