Pt. Lobos - Reservations needed?

[Nor Cal Gal]

My buddy and I would like to dive Pt. Lobos during the week of October 12th. It would be during the middle of the week. Do we need to make reservations or can we just show up with our c-cards and register that day? If so, what time do we need to be there to get parking down near the entry point? Thank you!

 

[eric gundrum]

My buddy and I would like to dive Pt. Lobos during the week of October 12th. It would be during the middle of the week. Do we need to make reservations or can we just show up with our c-cards and register that day? If so, what time do we need to be there to get parking down near the entry point? Thank you!

Nor Cal Gal,

My buddy and I dive Lobos on Fridays about once a month. We typically arrive at about 8:30. We never reserve in advance. By that time the prime parking near the ramp and bathrooms is taken, but good spots remain at the back of the lot near the picnic tables. By 9:00 the lot is full most days we've been there, but there is some turnover.

I would expect you would be fine arriving anytime before 9:00 midweek, but the later you leave it, the greater the risk of getting bumped or the longer the walk you will have. You could choose a rainy day and maybe you'll have the whole lot to yourselves.

 

[nilsdiver]

There is no reason not to get a reservation now. The cost is the same either way. The reservation is just pre-paying the divers fee now.

 

[Nor Cal Gal]

We wish we could get a reservation now, however, we don't know exactly which day(s) we are going. I have to plan my diving around work which is a necessary evil!

 

[Gombessa]

We wish we could get a reservation now, however, we don't know exactly which day(s) we are going. I have to plan my diving around work which is a necessary evil!

In that case, don't worry about it. It's not very common for the park to reach the fifteen dive team limit on weekdays, and very little reason to rush to try to get there early. Reservations are typically required for the weekends, when available slots fill up weeks or months in advance.

As Bruce said, if you know the day you're going, you should just make the reservation, since it counts towards the dive fee. The only caveat I'd add is that sometimes it takes the park weeks to process a reservation. If you make one two weeks in advance, and it doesn't get processed in time, I don't know if you might get charged at the gate, and then charged on your credit card again when the reservation is actually processed.

 

[bbianchi]

Just be aware of holidays and events in monterey that bring more people than usual to town during the week. Otherwise ive never been turned away at the gate during the week, except one friday when a large group beat us there. We did S. Monastery instead, almost as nice IMHO.