A View to the North
Burien
Proceed like you are going to Sea-Tac Airport. From N. or S. take the Hwy. 518 (Burien exit) off I-5 which takes you west to Burien. At a stoplight on the at the end of 518 and on the edge of town turn left on 1st Ave. South, going south.
(Carpool note: There is a shopping mall right across the intersection of 518 and 1st Ave. South. This would be a good place to meet for carpooling).
Proceed south about 1 mile to SW 160 and turn right/west. There are signs for Highline Community Hospital; you'll go right by it.
(Facilities note: MacDonald's on the way down 1st Ave. South, left hand side)
Go west on SW 160 for about 1/4 mile and turn left onto Sylvester Road SW (goes by the Hospital). This will wind down to Three Tree Point becoming SW 172 right by the water. You are getting close when you see houses that use the street for their front porch, very charming.
SW 172 will make a hard right onto Maplewild Ave SW. In about 100 yards turn left onto SW 170th Pl. There is a small sign for Three Tree Point. Small parking area right ahead with beach access. Don't park in the fire hydrant restricted zone. OK to unload.
This is a residential neighborhood that gets lots of divers (south end classes show up here) and very limited parking (about 6-8 cars). The beach is private property to either side of the beach access. Access the water by suiting up on the public access, walk directly to the water and then go north or south.
Route closure note: Northwest Shore Dives route goes through Burien and brings you in on Maplewild from the north. There was a slide there and has been blocked the last few times we've done this dive. I don't know if it's open yet. (5/29/02)
Parking Alert!: There are two construction trailers parked there. One of them takes up the handful of spots in that small cul-de-sac in front of the entrance. The other one is on the other side, in a spot that was no-parking anyway (but I guess that doesn't apply to construction office/trailers). That leaves parking limited to along that hedge and at the corner of 171st and Maplewild a half-block around the corner.
The site is usually protected from the prevailing SW winds and has less current than it's exposed position would indicate. Current usually runs south on either tide.
Silty/sandy moderately sloping bottom. Eelgrass bed located in the shallows. It can get deep fairly quickly her, watch your depth and time. There is a junkyard/artificial reef located from about 40-70 feet consisting of an assortment of discared items. Octopus and Wolf eels can be found here by the observant diver.
Swim/walk to the first mooring buoy north, descend (about 40 feet) and go to your desired depth. The mooring bouy staight out from the beach entrance is about 100 feet. Explore the junk in a northward direction until it's time to go up. Ride the current back along the eelgrass beds looking for Pacific Spiny Lumpsuckers and Bay Pipefish.
Pick up golf balls and deposit them in the old boat still on it's trailer (45') on the way back. There are several hundred already.
Limited parking (about 6 cars). Don't block the garage. Private property on either side of the beach access. Not suitable for large groups. Please respect the property at this site to make sure it stays open to divers.
No facilities or phone on site or close by. Signs indicate it is closed after dark. This applies to the private beaches on either side. Be particularily quiet if using as a night dive.
Shore fisherman during salmon season.
Junk creates entanglement hazard.
- Fritz Merkel