Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
I forgot to mention that several weeks ago I was out at Spud Point Marina doing some diving work and at the end of the day decided to go out to the jetty and do a fun dive. I dove on the outer side of the west wall (the one furthest away from Doran Park). It was quite a hike to get to it from Campbell Cove. I had to wade through the lagoon about knee deep for quite a ways and it was harder to do than I envisioned.
Once on the break wall I climbed out a ways on the rocks to where the water was probably 6-8 feet deep and just kind of flopped in forwards off a rock. It was very surgy but the vis, once I got out there a ways, got up to about 10-12 feet.
The wall actually was a very interesting dive. There were numerous perch and several abandoned crab traps. I saw several lingcod, in fact I took one just over 24". There were all kinds of growy things everywhere and it seemed like a very well developed little micro ecosystem in and around the rocks. I cought a glimps of a little octopuss and saw several crab scurrying around. Some of those rocks they used are big with caves and holes created when they dumped them to form the jetty, and I mean as big as a pickup truck forming holes big enough to swim through. I even began seeing some abs the further out I went, although not many and they where of no great size. I could look out over the sand and see the dunes. The sand had been shaped to some cool mounds and troughs by the winter storms. I kept an eye peeled for any flatties that may have come in but didn't see any. I didn't go all the way to the end because the tide was going out and I was having a hell of a time trying to fight it when I turned around. I wound up climbing out onto the jetty down a ways from where I got in. I talked to a couple guys for a minute, then climbed over to the other side (the channel) and got back in. The water was really starting to whip going out so I stayed right at the rocks and pulled myself back into the lagoon area where there was no current and I got out.
I would definitetly do this dive again but I would time it so I could catch it on an incoming tide. I would also want to get out around the corner and do a full loop.
I have dove the Monterey breakwall many times and as far as breakwalls go this was way better. There was much more to see.
I recommend this spot as a must dive at least once. It would be a good place to go and get wet that is close to home.
It may be weather sensitive though on the outer side where I was, so that needs to be considered.
Also, I recommend bringing a few different cutting devices, becase as you can imagine, the errant fishing line was everywhere.
The breakwall also is much bigger than you think especially when you dive it and you're not just zipping by in a boat.
ZKY
Once on the break wall I climbed out a ways on the rocks to where the water was probably 6-8 feet deep and just kind of flopped in forwards off a rock. It was very surgy but the vis, once I got out there a ways, got up to about 10-12 feet.
The wall actually was a very interesting dive. There were numerous perch and several abandoned crab traps. I saw several lingcod, in fact I took one just over 24". There were all kinds of growy things everywhere and it seemed like a very well developed little micro ecosystem in and around the rocks. I cought a glimps of a little octopuss and saw several crab scurrying around. Some of those rocks they used are big with caves and holes created when they dumped them to form the jetty, and I mean as big as a pickup truck forming holes big enough to swim through. I even began seeing some abs the further out I went, although not many and they where of no great size. I could look out over the sand and see the dunes. The sand had been shaped to some cool mounds and troughs by the winter storms. I kept an eye peeled for any flatties that may have come in but didn't see any. I didn't go all the way to the end because the tide was going out and I was having a hell of a time trying to fight it when I turned around. I wound up climbing out onto the jetty down a ways from where I got in. I talked to a couple guys for a minute, then climbed over to the other side (the channel) and got back in. The water was really starting to whip going out so I stayed right at the rocks and pulled myself back into the lagoon area where there was no current and I got out.
I would definitetly do this dive again but I would time it so I could catch it on an incoming tide. I would also want to get out around the corner and do a full loop.
I have dove the Monterey breakwall many times and as far as breakwalls go this was way better. There was much more to see.
I recommend this spot as a must dive at least once. It would be a good place to go and get wet that is close to home.
It may be weather sensitive though on the outer side where I was, so that needs to be considered.
Also, I recommend bringing a few different cutting devices, becase as you can imagine, the errant fishing line was everywhere.
The breakwall also is much bigger than you think especially when you dive it and you're not just zipping by in a boat.
ZKY
