Big Rock, Malibu ?

[scubainspired]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering where the best place to park was? Both times I have been to Big Rock I ended up crossing the PCH in full dive gear.

Also, I wanted to make sure that the gate opened at sunrise?

Finally, I wanted to make sure I am correct in thinking the pinnacle is at 22'.

Thanks,
Thomas

 

[scottfiji]

hey Tom

regarding big rock:

1) make sure you check tide tables... its very hard to enter/exit at low tide
2) check the malibu surf report (457-9701), dive big rock if they say "surf at malibu is 1-2 or 1-3" (or less), don't dive if its "2-3" or "2-4", or more.

3) there is only 1 legal parking spot (unless you cross the street), right in front of the gate

4) I don't know when the gate opens

5) the reef is to the left; it starts at 18-20ft (assuming the tide is mid-point between low and high tide). the bottom of the pinnacle is from 27-34ft deep. The reef is easy to find, the pinnacle is quite hard to find.

hope this helps!
Scott

 

[miket]

yea, everything scottfiji said.

I have dove there once from shore and once from a boat. I've tried to dive there two other times but the surf was too intense. There are lots of rocks in the surf zone, and it seemed almost impossible at low tide.

I just remember nice kelp and reefs to the left, we just headed for the largest area of kelp.

There is a huge reef further out that I dove at night from a friends boat. Lots and lots of easy to pull off scallops and the deeper larger sections of reef were covered with golden gargonians. My log says the sand under the boat was 32 feet. I didn't know there was a pinnacle there, I may have seen it as some of the reef was real big. I was further than I would have wanted to swim.

Here's the site from air.
http://www.californiacoastline.org/...ode=big&lastmode=sequential&flags=0&year=2002

- MikeT