wdunne311
Contributor
Doing Monastery for the first time tomorrow...3 times...Wish me luck. 
August Get Together and BBQ in Monterey? Anyone?
- Thread starter sarita75
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bolantej
Guest
good luck! just watch those waves and you'll be fine. some people enter with fins donned.
Have fun at Monastery...The exit sucks because the beach has a high grade to it along with really "large" pieces of sand so you can trouble with your footing. Definitely worth it though. I will be there on the 8th and 9th!
wdunne311
Contributor
We did South Monastery once yesterday. I did very well. The exit didn't pose that much of a problem as I listened to my instructor and timed the wave. I found it easier to put on my fins after I got into the water. My instructor didn't fair so well on the exit though. He said it was the first time in a few years that he got slammed. Two of our group of four (not including the instructor) had a lot of trouble with the exit and did the "Monastery Crawl". We ended up going to Breakwater to finish out the dives for them. I at least got to experience Monastery. I can see how that exit can pose a lot of problems if you're not careful. We saw lots of creatures though. I think that is the best dive I've done so far in the Monterey area.
The exit didn't pose that much of a problem as I listened to my instructor and timed the wave. I found it easier to put on my fins after I got into the water. My instructor didn't fair so well on the exit though. He said it was the first time in a few years that he got slammed. Two of our group of four (not including the instructor) had a lot of trouble with the exit and did the "Monastery Crawl". We ended up going to Breakwater to finish out the dives for them. I at least got to experience Monastery. I can see how that exit can pose a lot of problems if you're not careful. We saw lots of creatures though. I think that is the best dive I've done so far in the Monterey area.
Ben_ca
Contributor
Just a reminder please be careful at Monastery...
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=75187
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=124994
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=75187
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=124994
Todd128
Contributor
sarita75:
I agree...here are my thoughts, take or toss:
I suggest an intermediate/beginner site. If we all show up at Monastery and it is too gnarly for some of the group, we'd all have split up, waste a portion of the afternoon regrouping elsewhere, etc.
Lover's Point might be an option to consider. On one side of the peak is an "easy" novice dive and on the other side of the peak is a more exposed "advanced" dive. Something for everyone. Other advantages I can think of: 10- to 15-minute drive to breakwater/cannery row area dive shops for gas fills or gear if needed. Grassy tree-shaded area near beach with BBQ grills, picnic tables, families and kids running around boogie boarding and tidepooling (good for me), and beautiful vistas; also, there are lots of critters and no OW classes silting up the place. One can enter the water via a concrete stairway and set up a staging area with a short walk from the car. Kayak rentals. Free parking...but you may need to move your car every 2 hours depending on parking space choice (never had any problem with this)...
Just my thoughts and suggestions--looking forward to seeing you all there, wherever it may be!
At Lovers, during the summer, you gotta be out of the water and off the beach by
11:30. That applies to the aquarium side only, not Lover's 3.
11:30. That applies to the aquarium side only, not Lover's 3.
Todd128
Contributor
Chuck Tribolet:
Hi Chuck--do you mean that dive gear needs to be removed from the beach? What about kayaking? Thanks for forwarding detailed info.
I never have set up gear on that beach myself. The people that introduced me to the site set up either out of the cars, onto the picnic tables, or staging on the concrete pier. I've continued with that.
I was loafing on that beach last Wednesday. Three divers went in at 2:30 pm. Can't blame them. It was smooth as glass and you could see the bottom clearly. Just the day before it was terrible. Todd
Every weekend that I've been to Lover's this year has had two or three weddings going on. Don't know if that'll be the case on the 19th, but be prepared to deal with it or have a backup plan.
Lover's 3 isn't as easy a dive as Lover's Cove, so keep that in mind for the newbies.
I wouldn't mind Monastery or somewhere on the Carmel side.
Lover's 3 isn't as easy a dive as Lover's Cove, so keep that in mind for the newbies.
I wouldn't mind Monastery or somewhere on the Carmel side.
OP
sarita75
Guest
dannobee:
I hadn't even considered something like weddings being an issue. For some reason, my mind keeps coming back to "just do it the Breakwater." My reasoning is more geared towards the newer divers who have to worry about their gear, conditions, etc. There is something reassuring about doing dives at the Breakwater (easy conditions, sometimes Lovers can be less friendly), ease of parking, locating people, etc.
That's my inclination at this point, but like I have said - I am not the main party controlling this possibility.
Anyone know if there is a way of taking a poll (voting mechanism on SB) to see what the final say is?
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