Sund Rock

Octopus Hole Conservation Area is defined as those waters, tidelands, and bedlands of Hood Canal within a line projected due east from the western shore of Hood Canal on latitude 47°27'01"N for 200 yards, thence southerly 628 yards parallel to the high watermark to latitude 47°26'40", thence due west to shore. Similar to the close-by Sund Rock conservation area, Octopus Hole is very popular with scuba divers who enjoy diving the walls associated with the site to view various underwater creatures, including lingcod, giant Pacific octopus, wolf eel, sea cucumber, and nudibranch. The area is well known to regional scuba divers, especially for its two major walls, known colloquially as the north and south walls. These walls have depths of 70 to 80 feet (21 to 24 m), depending upon the tide. Several other walls exist, some going down beyond 100 feet (30 m) in depth. One of these is called "fish pen wall." Additional features include the "fishbowl"—a reef-like area full of life—a large sunken boat just to the north of the north wall and a small wrecked boat between the north and south walls. An alternative method is to access a private beach nearby. Recreational and technical divers alike find Sund Rock attractive for various reasons. Recreational divers appreciate Sund Rock because it is not a current-sensitive area, the main walls are easily within recreational dive limits, and for abundant sea life. Technical divers enjoy the deeper walls and other areas that allow them to dive well beyond recreational limits. Because Octopus Hole is a conservation area, no hunting or gathering of any kind is permitted. Like most sites on the mid to southern Hood canal, this area is not currently sensitive. However, some noticeable current can occur. Such current is not strong enough to significantly affect dive plans or cause problems, but it is strong enough to slow or speed progress, depending upon the diver's direction.

Lilliwaup is a small unincorporated community in Mason County, Washington, United States. It is located on the west shore of Hood Canal at the mouth of Lilliwaup Creek. U.S. Route 101 passes through the town.

The Dewatto River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It originates in western Kitsap Peninsula and flows south, emptying into Hood Canal. The name "Dewatto" comes from the Twana placename [duʔwátaxʷ], which implies the presence of spirits causing mental derangement near the stream's mouth.

During the Vashon Glaciation a series of lakes formed along the southern margin of the Cordilleran Ice Cap. In the Hood Canal depression, two significant lake stages existed, Lake Skokomish and Lake Hood. Early Lake Skokomish’s surface was at 350 ft (110 m) above sea level, draining across the divide at Shelton, Washington into early Glacial Lake Russell. As the glacier receded northward, this freshwater lake grew in size, until the ice was north of the Clifton channel. With the opening of the Clifton channel, the water dropped to 160 m (520 ft) above sea level. This longer and lower level lake is referred to as Lake Hood. The glacier continued to recede northward until it reached the Poulsbo channel. Here, the water level equalized to Glacial Lake Russell no longer having a separate identify.

Union or Union City is a small census-designated place in Mason County, Washington, United States. The community lies along the southern shore of the Great Bend of the Hood Canal, near the mouth of the Skokomish River, which flows from the nearby Olympic Mountains. The U.S. Census reported a population of 631 inhabitants in the 2010 census. The ZIP Code for Union is 98592. State Route 106 is the main route through Union, leading to Belfair farther north, and Potlatch and US Highway 101 to the south.

Potlatch State Park is a 57-acre (23 ha) Washington state park located on Hood Canal near the town of Potlatch in Mason County. The park offers camping, hiking, boating, fishing, shellfish harvesting, beachcombing, and sailboarding.

Cushman Dam No. 2 is a hydroelectric dam on the North Fork of the Skokomish River in Mason County, Washington, United States, forming Lake Kokanee. Built in 1930, its three 27,000 kilowatt generators provide 233 million kilowatt-hours annually to the Tacoma Power system. Along with Cushman Dam No. 1, it is part of Tacoma Power's Cushman Project. Construction began in 1929 and power production began in December 1930. The dam is 575 feet (175 m) long, 8 feet (2.4 m) wide at the top and 40 feet (12 m) at the base. It is 235 feet tall. Its reservoir, Lake Kokanee, is 2 miles (3.2 km) long.

Lake Kokanee, also known as Lower Lake Cushman, is a 150-acre (607,000 m²) reservoir on the North Fork of the Skokomish River in Mason County, Washington. The lake is maintained by Cushman Dam No. 2, providing electrical power to the Tacoma Power system.

The Tahuya River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It originates at Tahuya Lake in western Kitsap Peninsula and flows south, emptying into Hood Canal near the Great Bend.

The Skokomish River (Twana: squʔquʔ) is a river in Mason County, Washington, United States. It is the largest river flowing into Hood Canal, a western arm of Puget Sound. From its source at the confluence of the North and South Forks the main stem Skokomish River is approximately 9 miles (14 km) long. The longer South Fork Skokomish River is 40 miles (64 km), making the length of the whole river via its longest tributary about 49 miles (79 km). The North Fork Skokomish River is approximately 34 miles (55 km) long. A significant part of the Skokomish River's watershed is within Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park.

Alderbrook Resort & Spa, aka Alderbrook Inn or Alderbrook, is a hotel located in Union, WA on the southern shores of Hood Canal. Approximately two hours west of Seattle, Alderbrook has views of nearby Olympic National Park and Mount Washington. Alderbrook opened in 1920 as a group of tent cabins with wood stoves and has been expanded and remodeled numerous times. Today the hotel has 77 guest rooms and little more like 16 cottages, as well as a restaurant, meeting rooms, saltwater pool, spa, two marinas, and two retail spaces.

Cushman Dam No. 1 is a hydroelectric dam on the North Fork of the Skokomish River in Mason County, Washington, which in derogation of the natural and treaty rights of the Native inhabitants impounded and enlarged the formerly natural Lake Cushman, leading to damage claims in excess of $5 billion and an eventual settlement agreement with the Skokomish tribe that terminates the right to operate the dam(s) after 2048. It was built by Tacoma City Light (now Tacoma Power) in 1924–1926. Tacoma's demand for electricity grew rapidly after World War I. Tacoma City Light's Nisqually River Hydroelectric Project, built in 1912, could not meet the demand and the utility decided to build a new hydroelectric project on the North Fork Skokomish River. The dam and powerhouse first began to deliver electricity on February 12, 1926.It has a concrete arch design and includes 90,000 cubic yards (69,000 m³) of concrete, covering a whole 6,244 feet (1,903 m) of water. Two 21,600 kilowatt generators provide 127 million kilowatt-hours annually to the Tacoma Power system. Construction began on July 7, 1924, under the commissioner Ira S. Davidsson (1918–1940). It has a top width of eight feet (2.4 m) and a base width of 50 feet (15 m), at 275 feet (84 m) high and 1,111 feet (339 m) long. The transmission of electricity to Tacoma, over lines crossing Tacoma Narrows, was activated, or "formally energized", on March 23, 1926, with the push of a button by President Calvin Coolidge in a ceremony at the White House.A second, smaller dam, Cushman Dam No. 2, 3.2 kilometers (2.0 miles) downstream of Dam No. 1, was completed by December 1930.