Redondo
Redondo
From the North: Local
driving map
Go south on I-5 to the 272nd exit at Federal Way (several miles
past the Sea-Tac exit). Go due west and cross Hwy. 99 (Pacific Hwy.
South), then 16th Ave. S. and at 12th Ave. S. the road will turn
left and start down hill.
It will wind around considerably and continue down going more south
than east toward the water. Stay on the main road.
In about a mile it will bring you right into downtown Redondo (very
small) and right on the water.
From the South:
Take the 320 exit from I-5, turn right on Hwy. 99 (Pacific Hwy.
South), and turn left onto Redondo Way south and follow it right
to the water.
You will see a Salty's Restaurant built out over the water with
a small lot for restaurant patrons right across the street. Just
beyond that is a larger public lot. There is now a $5 parking fee.
Restrooms are on the water side (portables in the winter) right
next to stairs into the water. There are a couple of benches near
the stairs to help get gear on if you like.
This is a fairly protected location that can be dived in most weather and does not seem to be current intensive at all.
Dive Site Map
A fishing pier is directly to the south of the entrance. There is a small set of concrete stairs going down to the water. A freshwater creek empties here and may make for a halocline in the shallows. Water is fairly shallow out to the end of the N. pier. Here there is an old steel ladder that is a good place to take new divers down.
Beyond that depth it drops off more rapidly. Bottom is gravel type without too much growth usually. It flattens out at about 85 feet to a more gradual slope and muddy bottom.
There are 2 small sunken boats almost directly west of the steel
ladder at the 50' and 70' depth. Deeper is a small statue and Hobby
Horse near a small boat down on the mud flats at 85'. A shell of
a boat is just beyond. Shallower and north of Salty's at about 40
there is a bouyancy course with swim throughs. Nearby there is also
a PVC "boat", a sunken VW Bug', and 3 piles of what look
like street lamp reflectors.
On one trip we saw 3 River Otters swimming across the cove and playing
on the floating boat lauch dock.
Don't venture too near the fishing pier.
Salty's is good for post-dive discussions. Sunday brunch is a fancy affair (dive clothes kind of tacky) and costing $23. The Red Robin in Des Moines is not too far:
22705 Marine View Drive S.
Reviewed By: Fritz Merkel