Cold Water · United States
Juneau & Auke Bay
Sheer walls and a steamship wreck close to Juneau
Photo: Gillfoto · CC BY-SA 3.0
Juneau and Auke Bay are cold-water shore diving on the edge of Alaska's capital. The sites lie outside town: Ann Coleman Wall drops as sheer walls with crevasses to about 24 m, Sunshine Cove reaches 27 m with reefs loaded with nudibranchs and crabs, and the wreck of the Princess Kathleen lies in 15-30 m off Lena Point, where tides and currents run strong. Water stays in the 4-10 °C band through summer.
About diving in Juneau & Auke Bay
Diving here is mostly a matter of driving out of Juneau, parking and walking in. Ann Coleman Wall sits at the end of Ann Coleman Road, off Fritz Cove Road, and Sunshine Cove lies some distance north of downtown and the Auke Bay ferry terminal, reached by a steep trail that makes for a short hike with kit. Most shore sites have no facilities, so divers change at the roadside. Southeast Scuba in Juneau runs PADI courses and guided dives, and Seahook Charters lists scuba diving among its trips out of the same waters.
Ann Coleman Wall is a run of deep, sheer walls broken by crevasses, going down to about 24 m (80 ft), with good fish and invertebrate encounters along the face. Sunshine Cove reaches 27 m (90 ft), and its reefs are loaded with nudibranchs; crab hunting there is good. Curious, playful sea lions sometimes join a dive. Off Lena Point, the wreck of the Princess Kathleen lies in 15-30 m (50-100 ft) of water, in a spot where tides and currents are strong.
The area suits divers already comfortable in cold water, who are happy to plan their own shore dives and change beside the car, with water in the 4-10 °C range even in summer. Auke Rec, Ann Coleman and Sunshine Cove are straightforward places to get a feel for local conditions before trying the wreck, which asks for careful tide planning. Divers who would rather not plan around tides and roadside changes should look elsewhere.
Best time to dive Juneau & Auke Bay
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
The spring bloom clouds the water until early June; from June most of the summer is usually good, with water in the 40s °F to around 50 °F (4-10 °C).
Dive types & marine life
Nudibranchs are plentiful on the reefs at Sunshine Cove, where crabs are also common. Ann Coleman Wall gives good fish and invertebrate encounters. Sea lions turn up occasionally during dives and tend to be curious and playful; they are not a reliable sighting.
- Wall
- Wreck
- Seals & sea lions
- Nudibranchs
Best dive sites in Juneau & Auke Bay
- 1
Ann Coleman Wall
Deep, sheer walls with crevasses to 24 m (80 ft), with good fish and invertebrate encounters.
- 2
Princess Kathleen Wreck
Steamship wreck in 15-30 m (50-100 ft) off Lena Point, where tides and currents are strong.
- 3
Sunshine Cove
Shore site north of downtown to 27 m (90 ft); the reefs are loaded with nudibranchs and crabs.
- 4
Auke Rec
A basic shore site with easy entry, exit and navigation, a place to get a feel for local diving.
Site guides
Wall
Sheer walls and crevasses to 24 m from a shore entry
Reef
Nudibranch-covered reefs with sea lions from the next island
How to get to Juneau & Auke Bay
Juneau International Airport lies on Glacier Highway, which runs on past the Auke Bay ferry terminal. Car rentals are available at the airport and are needed to reach the shore sites outside town.
Photos from Juneau & Auke Bay
Gillfoto · CC BY-SA 2.0
Questions divers ask
What experience do the Juneau and Auke Bay dives need?+
Cold-water experience. Auke Rec, Ann Coleman and Sunshine Cove are straightforward places to get a feel for local conditions before trying the Princess Kathleen, which asks for careful tide planning.
How do divers reach the Juneau dive sites?+
Diving is mostly a matter of driving out of Juneau, parking and walking in. Car rentals are available at the airport and are needed to reach the shore sites, and most shore sites have no facilities, so divers change at the roadside.
When is the best time to dive Juneau?+
The spring bloom clouds the water until early June. From June most of the summer is usually good, with water in the 4-10 °C band.
Are there sea lions on Juneau dives?+
Sea lions turn up occasionally during dives and tend to be curious and playful, but they are not a reliable sighting. Nudibranchs are plentiful on the reefs at Sunshine Cove.
Sources
- Southeast Scuba — Southeast Scuba
- Seahook Charters — Seahook Charters
- Sunshine Cove Underwater Trail — SEAtrails
- Ann Coleman Wall — SEAtrails
- Moving to Juneau — ScubaBoard
- SS Princess Kathleen — Wikipedia
- Juneau — Wikivoyage
Photo credits
- Aerial view over forested hills to Auke Bay, its small-boat harbour and the Mendenhall valley beyond by Gillfoto, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rows of fishing and pleasure boats moored at Statter Harbor under heavy grey cloud, mirrored in calm water by Gillfoto, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Openverse
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