Best Monterey Dive Sites???

[Diver_Jan]

It's a beautiful area, both on the surface and underwater, but access to the water is difficult, to say the least - think of hiking 1/2 mile or more in full gear (you suit up at your car, parked on Highway 1 near the respective marker) through poison oak lined, loosely marked/overgrown trails, then carefully crawl down through the washed out sandstone and onto the granite. Oh, and don't forget to watch the wavesets. And don't even go near the water if the swells are over about 5 feet. And when you're finished diving, you still have to get back out of the water, back up the cliff and hike back to your car. This is not, by any stretch of the imagination, like any other shore dive most people have ever done. Oh, I'd be willing to rappel or belay down, but the truth is that there's nothing around to hold or grab onto, much less anchor and tie off to, so you're stuck scrambling down loose cliffs and washed out trails. .

Yep, it sounds very much like Jade Cove conditions or the conditions that I have encountered diving the primitive sites in Baja. With that said, I'm eager to give it a try. Maybe on my way up, I will stop to take a 'looksee' even if it's just for the hike.

Just out of curiosity, what is the max depth at this location??? Any suggestions as to what to look for?

Thanks again for your help.

My friends and I will be there July 28, 29, and 30th. We will be staying at the Lone Oak Lodge. I made my reservations tonight, so I'm confirmed for sure. :05:

 

[dannobee]

Max depth near the cove is about 50-60 ft. Swim aways outside and some spots go deeper, maybe 80 ft? I doubt you'd want to swim to the rocks there (Lobos Rocks), but the backside drops off to 120+ ft.
There is a cool little beach in Moby Ling Cove, you just can't get to it from the land side. If you could somehow manage to get lunch and spare tanks there, it'd be a really nice dive site. Maybe an inflatable from Point Lobos or kayaks from the beach in Garrapata SP?
What to look for? Everything to see in Carmel is there. Bring your camera. Nobody else dives there, so the fish are big and color is everywhere. Just dive where the kelp is. In late July it should be easily marked.
I haven't dived Jade Cove, but this is a very, very difficult dive-even harder now with the stairs washed out.
As you drive up the coast, pay attention to the mile markers. Near MM67 is where you need to be. There's a big clump of trees on the inland side of Highway 1, and a wooden outhouse on the ocean side. Park there, under the trees. Hike across the highway and into the park. Follow the loosely defined trails to the water. There are a couple of trails. Take the one going west-meandering to the water. If you head south you'll be at Soberanes Point. If you take the northern trail, it'll take you to Waterfall Beach. BE CAREFUL, even if you're just hiking. The footing is LOOSE until you get to the granite. And poison oak will be everywhere, so dress accordingly.

I'll make reservations for Point Lobos.

Dan

Yep, it sounds very much like Jade Cove conditions or the conditions that I have encountered diving the primitive sites in Baja. With that said, I'm eager to give it a try. Maybe on my way up, I will stop to take a 'looksee' even if it's just for the hike.

Just out of curiosity, what is the max depth at this location??? Any suggestions as to what to look for?

Thanks again for your help.

My friends and I will be there July 28, 29, and 30th. We will be staying at the Lone Oak Lodge. I made my reservations tonight, so I'm confirmed for sure. :05:

 

[Diver_Jan]

Gee, I'm getting more and more excited about coming up north. I almost want to take and extra day off. Will have to see how much vacation time I have left after getting back from Roatan (I leave in TWO weeks!!!)

Now my friends are talking about going back down to Baja too! Work sure gets in the way sometimes...doesn't it?

Should be a fun summer of diving if we can get everything in.

Is it true that we can only make reservations for Point Lobos 2 months in advance? How many dive teams do they allow? Guess I can call them myself with my questions too.

Thanks again for all of the excellent info.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Pt. Lobos only allows reservations 2 months ahead. If you want a reservation for
July 10, you can make it at midnight early the morning of May 10. If you make it too early,
Debbie just sends you an nice "sorry, but ..." note.

They take reservations for 15 teams. It's constrained by the parking at Whalers
Cove.

Don't worry about it too much. I make my reservations when I get to work at about
6 a.m. and my computer calendar reminds me. I'm reservation #1 about half the time.
http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us/scuba/scuba.shtml

You must have a buddy. You must have a C-card. No buddy, no C-card, nodive.

 

[Diver_Jan]

Thanks Chuck for the info. I have always wondered why they only take 15 dive teams. What if dive teams carpooled? Would that make a difference? Have they ever allowed dive teams of 3 divers? Just curious.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

What if dive teams carpooled? Would that make a difference? Have they ever allowed dive teams of 3 divers? Just curious.

It's assumed that divers will carpool, and thereby leave some spots for tourists.

Officially, they don't allow 3-diver teams, but they occasionally make an exception if
you ask nicely and it's really a three-diver team. They used to allow 3-diver teams on
a reservation automatically, and we'd have a club dive, have all 15 reservations, and
45 divers.

 

[Diver_Jan]

Thanks again for the info Chuck and Dan.

Dan has posted photos of Moby Ling Cove in his gallery for those that haven't been to the site before. What a trooper!!! :05: I hope you stayed out of the poison ivy!eyebrow I am definitely going to check this site out. Can't wait!!!

 

[Diver_Jan]

My friends and I are booked for July 29th to dive Point Lobos. Any one locally going to be there as well? I look forward in diving the other sites too that everyone has commented on. Thanks again for all of your wisdom, photos, and insight.