Where:
There are two major access points to Prince William Sound:
- Whittier, Alaska. Whittier is a is a short 40-minute drive from Anchorage, and passes through North America’s longest underground tunnel. Whittier is nicknamed “The Gateway to Prince William Sound.”
- Valdez, Alaska. Valdez is a very, not-short, 6-hour drive from Anchorage, but offers some incredible diving.
How:
There’s a number of means to get out diving in Prince William Sound. Most of these will focus on Whittier, but Valdez will get some love at the end:
- Smitty’s Cove (or “Smitty’s”, for locals) is a popular shore diving site and dive park right in Whittier.
- Saint’s Marine Service is far-and-away the most reasonably priced and flexible taxi out of Whittier. The easiest way to go about getting a trip set up is to text or email about availability, and include where you’re thinking of going, and how many people are going.
- Lazy Otter Charters is a local charter/water-taxi service that can get you and your dive buddies where you need to go. They’re incredibly helpful, but also on the expensive side.
- Tidewater Taxi is another water-taxi service operating out of Whittier.
- Valdez Water Taxi and Charters operates out of Valdez, and we have been told they are an awesome avenue to do some boat diving in Prince William Sound.
- Own a boat, or have a friend that owns a boat.
A quick note on water-taxi’s out of Whittier: they’re not cheap. From an economics standpoint, you may need to plan to spend a weekend diving to justify the cost, or, you can call them and ask about “hop-on, hop-off” rates. For a list of some of the unexplored dive sites serviced by these water taxi’s, check out our Expedition Force list!
As with all things related to diving in Alaska, many of the dive options listed here mean that while you’re out diving, you will likely not have access to creature comforts like food, clean water, bathrooms, first aid, dry clothes or cell service. That means in addition to being responsible for your own dive gear, you’re also responsible for your own well-being, and should plan accordingly.
After all, this is Alaska.
Why:
Prince William Sound is awesome, that’s why. From spearfishing, to photography, to wreck hunting, you can find it in Res.
