any good diving spots in california?
- Thread starter swimcraze
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In my unbiased 
opinion, California has some of the best diving in the world. Check here for some shore dives. There are also some great offshore spots available on the Monterey boats.
http://shorediving.com/Earth/USA_West/CalN/index.htm
opinion, California has some of the best diving in the world. Check here for some shore dives. There are also some great offshore spots available on the Monterey boats.http://shorediving.com/Earth/USA_West/CalN/index.htm
Humuhumunukunukuapua'a
Contributor
type 'Monterey' into the search and I think you'll find a lot about it. There's a regular "every weekend" crowd there that seems to think California has great diving 
Not to mention SoCal, Channel Islands, Tahoe, up here on the wild north coast...so yep...lots of diving in California
Not to mention SoCal, Channel Islands, Tahoe, up here on the wild north coast...so yep...lots of diving in California
mweitz
Contributor
Hey swimcraze,
There are a bunch of dive shops around. Most seem to carry the "Monterey Shore Diving" DVD. Pick it up, it goes over most of the sites fairly well (it is a bit dated, but most of the info is good).
You should hook up with an experienced local for at least your first dive (I'm not very experienced, sorry) or hire a guide from one of the dive shops in Monterey.
With that said, San Carlos Beach (Breakwater) in Monterey is ususally the place to start. It is fairly protected and, though sometimes crowded and low vis, is usually a fairly easy entry / exit and a great place to get wet for your first time up here.
Just scroll through the posts here in the N.Ca forum and you will get lots of info.
Mark
There are a bunch of dive shops around. Most seem to carry the "Monterey Shore Diving" DVD. Pick it up, it goes over most of the sites fairly well (it is a bit dated, but most of the info is good).
You should hook up with an experienced local for at least your first dive (I'm not very experienced, sorry) or hire a guide from one of the dive shops in Monterey.
With that said, San Carlos Beach (Breakwater) in Monterey is ususally the place to start. It is fairly protected and, though sometimes crowded and low vis, is usually a fairly easy entry / exit and a great place to get wet for your first time up here.
Just scroll through the posts here in the N.Ca forum and you will get lots of info.
Mark
MontereyCADiver
Guest
Hey Swim,
For some advice on this area, check this board, visit with experienced California divers, and pick-up this $11 book: Diving & Snorkeling Monterey Peninsula & Northern California, by Steve Rosenberg.
You'll have a blast!
Cheers, Jeff
For some advice on this area, check this board, visit with experienced California divers, and pick-up this $11 book: Diving & Snorkeling Monterey Peninsula & Northern California, by Steve Rosenberg.
You'll have a blast!
Cheers, Jeff
For a video of the best diving California has to offer, check out the BAUE trip to Big Sur.
http://www.baue.org/videos/BigSur2004.html
http://www.baue.org/videos/BigSur2004.html
ShakaZulu
Contributor
Monastery Beach (Monterey)...........have fun.
Ishie
Guest
Heh heh heh.
I'd say try Lover's Cove, but I'm holding a grudge against it at present for kicking the living crap out of me Friday. When am I going to learn not to dive there at low tide?
I have the Monterey Shore Diving video. It's great. Look for nudibranch man.
I'm thinking of trying Carmel sometime. We tried Stillwater one weekend when our normal haunts were blown out, but it really sucked. Zero vis, brown water, snooty people, hard to find, lots of scrappy shore kelp. As long as we're giving tips, any good places in Carmel for people who have about 50 dives, are still breaking themselves in and want to get some good diving without pieces of gear and body parts scattered up and down Monastery?
I'd say try Lover's Cove, but I'm holding a grudge against it at present for kicking the living crap out of me Friday. When am I going to learn not to dive there at low tide?
I have the Monterey Shore Diving video. It's great. Look for nudibranch man.
I'm thinking of trying Carmel sometime. We tried Stillwater one weekend when our normal haunts were blown out, but it really sucked. Zero vis, brown water, snooty people, hard to find, lots of scrappy shore kelp. As long as we're giving tips, any good places in Carmel for people who have about 50 dives, are still breaking themselves in and want to get some good diving without pieces of gear and body parts scattered up and down Monastery?
Another good source is A Diver's Guide to Monterey County, California, Bruce Watkins,
1997, ISBN 0-9628600-1-8. Where Rosenberg has one small book covering both
Monterey and the North Coast, Watkins has a larger book on each.
You say you are new to California. There's more to Monterey diving that just knowing
where to dive. The waves can be big, the vis can be poor, and the kelp can be thick.
Seek local knowledge.
Monasterey requires additional local knowledge. It's a steep beach, it faces right into
the swells, and it gets REAL deep REAL quick.
1997, ISBN 0-9628600-1-8. Where Rosenberg has one small book covering both
Monterey and the North Coast, Watkins has a larger book on each.
You say you are new to California. There's more to Monterey diving that just knowing
where to dive. The waves can be big, the vis can be poor, and the kelp can be thick.
Seek local knowledge.
Monasterey requires additional local knowledge. It's a steep beach, it faces right into
the swells, and it gets REAL deep REAL quick.
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