R1T Scuba Trip: The Drive & The Dive

[CyklopsPDX]

Hi All,

Yesterday marked my first Scuba run with the R1T, and despite a few glitches I think I'm going to like this platform! The trip was a simple drive from the Portland area to Tacoma, WA for an overnight, then morning Scuba at Redondo Beach Park in Seattle (just North of Tacoma) followed by a return to Portland.

The Drive:

Day 1: Left the Forest Grove area on Saturday around 4 (Timbers/Sounders broadcast was priority 1!) with 85% charge. Stopped at the Walmart in Lacey, WA for a quick charge session. A lot of open EA stations - grabbed a 150kWH charger and plugged in while buying snacks. Took 56kWh in 25 min (according to EA) and stopped at 70% . I didn't set the trip odometer, so I don't have efficiency for the trip, sorry!

Day 2: After diving, drove from Redondo to Kelso, WA to the EA stations there. They have 4 chargers, with 2 rated to 150 and 2 to 350. When I arrived, 3 were being used and the 4th was out of order. In a few min on of the stations opened and I pulled in. Bonus - the screen said "Complementary Charging Today!'. Unfortunately the station would not connect with the truck; just a spinning wheel followed by an error. I called EA and sat on hold for 20 min until I spoke with a rep, who rebooted the charger. No dice. In that time another station opened up and I moved to try that one. Again no luck (still with the rep on the line). Eventually the last opened (a 350kWh unit) and I moved yet again. This one connected straight away and 15-20 min later I had plenty of charge to get home. I think it went from about 15% to 70ish? Since it was free I didn't get an email with the stats.

The Dive:

Packing - PLENTY of space for everything. Computers, tools, camera (GoPro) travelled in the Frunk, mesh bags in the gear tunnel, and tanks, weights, and bins with wetsuits in the bed. It was a challenge strapping down the tanks. I use a 3-slot foam tank holder with the 4th stacked on top. I used a tension bar between the front tiedown locations and positioned the first layer of tanks so their bottoms contacted the bar - to keep the tanks from sliding towards the cab. A ratchet strap between those tiedowns near the cab wrapped around the tanks at their base to attach to hold the tanks down. A second strap went from the tension bar to the other end of the tanks to keep them from sliding backwards. It was quite a kludge job, but things seemed tight and didn't shift.

Prep and diving - great to have a huge platform with the tailgate down as a table and a platform to support the tank/bcd while gearing up. Geartunnel doors made excellent seats while getting neoprene on (suit/boots). I shut my phones/etc in the geartunnel (with bluetooth off) and used a key card to lock everything up while diving and brought that with us in a waterproof box. It stayed dry and opened the truck with no problem when we came back.

Underwater - typical summer in the sound - low visibility. Dropped our flag out at about 40' - a good distance out at low tide. The first dive was an exercise in staying together and looking at little things on the bottom. The second dive opened up a bit - and I saw my first Puget Sound shark! I think it is a juvenile 6-gill. The thing came right up under us, checked us out, then swam away with my daughter in hot persuit! Luckily I had just turned on my GoPro and was able to get some shots. Unfortunately was set to camera mode though. Other highlights - plenty of Dungeness and Red Rock crab, sea slugs, stars of all types. Rockfish, Greenlings, Gunnels, Plumose Anenome, many more critters - including this really cute little nudibranch (Leopard?)

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[flush]

bravo for diving around these parts, too cold for me even though I learned how to dive off Alki (in Seattle).

 

[Florida Boy]

Cool write-up and photos. Thanks so much for taking the time to share it. Completely agree about the Gear Tunnel and truck bed. The Gear Tunnel, in particular, is great for secure storage and wonderful for putting on shoes and boots.

 

[JAH]

It's a little bit more of a stretch, but you should check out Edmonds Underwater Park. https://www.edmondsunderwaterpark.com/

 

[CyklopsPDX]

It's a little bit more of a stretch, but you should check out Edmonds Underwater Park. https://www.edmondsunderwaterpark.com/

Thanks, we were there a few months ago (Pre-delivery). Great place to dive, though a bit long of a surface swim to get to any of the wrecks to the North and spend much time. Loved the South wrecks and cool features! Definitely will get the R1T out there this Fall/Winter.

 

[Stetzel09]

Did you by chance take either your key card or wristband with you on the dive?
Getting my truck tomorrow and thinking it would be cool to just wear the wristband when diving but not sure if itll stand up to the pressure.

 

[Freelard]

It's a little bit more of a stretch, but you should check out Edmonds Underwater Park. https://www.edmondsunderwaterpark.com/

Great write-up!

Another good site is 3-tree point. Current actions is generally low, and it gets deep quickly without a long surface swim. I haven't been there in a while but there used to be a Giant Pacific Octo who lived in the debris pile at 80'.

Three Tree Point (emeralddiving.com)

 

[CyklopsPDX]

Did you by chance take either your key card or wristband with you on the dive?
Getting my truck tomorrow and thinking it would be cool to just wear the wristband when diving but not sure if itll stand up to the pressure.

I purchased a small watertight 'crush-proof' box from my LDS and brought a keycard with me in the box, tucked into a BCD pocket. It stayed dry, and had no issues unlocking when I got back to the truck. I was tempted to just dive with the card in a pocket, but chickened out!
Steve

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