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Sunrise Beach Park
 Gig Harbor, WA
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Max Depth: 51-60ft/16-18m
Average Viz: 26-30ft/8-9m
Entry Type: Shore
Bottom Composition: Sand
Aquatic Life: Might See Something
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Rating: 3.43 by 7 divers
Spring: 50-55°F/10-13°C
Summer: 50-55°F/10-13°C
Fall: 50-55°F/10-13°C
Winter: Under 50°F/10°C
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Sunrise Beach Park is a shore accessible salt water dive site, located in Gig Harbor, WA. This dive site has an average rating of 3.43 out of 5 from 7 scuba divers. The maximum depth is 51-60ft/16-18m. The average visibility is 26-30ft/8-9m.
Good dive but be prepared to walk about 200 yards down to the water.
This site has it all! Well, almost no wrecks, no Whale Sharks but if you are looking for interesting marine life, this is the place. With a creviced wall at about 30 to 60 feet deep and 100 feet long, you’ll spend most of your time exploring the nooks and crannies. Wolf Eels and Octopus are the highlights. Bring two tanks, and plan to spend the day in the area but not the night, as the gates are locked at dusk. If you aren’t familiar with using the tide tables, don’t dive this site the current can surprise you!
Directions: Found in Gig Harbor, about 6 miles NW of Tacoma. Take either exit of Highway 16 to get to Gig Harbor, and wind your way around to the North part of the harbor. You’ll find yourself on Peacock Hill Ave NW. Make a right on 96th Street NW, then a left on Crescent Valley Drive. In less than a mile, turn right onto Hallstrom Dr. NW and follow the signs down to the park. Remember the landmarks going down, as you won’t find "Gig Harbor: This Way" signs coming back up!
Sunrise is a unique wall dive in a high current area that supports large animals used to human presence. Although a relatively small area, the system of small outcroppings continues from a kelp-forested wall at 35 feet down to a second wall at 80 feet. The site is full of fish and invertebrates. Living along the walls and under the outcroppings are several friendly wolf eels and octopuses.
This is the best dive in the South Puget Sound area. Lots of marine life. Watch out for currents, as they have killed divers. Wolf Eels & Octopus abound!
This is such a great dive that charter diving boats come up from Tacoma. I see them from my cabin every weekend. The walk down is tough, but it keeps the weak hearted away so the site is uncrowded. Wolf eels are guaranteed if you cover the whole wall. See you on the beach!
This is a fantastic dive! Lots of people refuse to dive it from shore because of the long walk down the hill, but it is WAY worth it! There are tons of eels on this dive, and they are nearly all friendly - and love the tasty urchins that are everywhere. There is even a baby eel that has been taking food lately. Make sure to time this one right - currents are dangerous if you get them wrong. I’ve found it is ideal 1 1/2 hrs before slack on a minimal exchange. Beautiful dive.