Diving in the San Luis Obispo Area?

[ilovetodive]

I've been recently certified in the bay area, but I want to do some dives near my hometown in slo county.

anybody know any cool dives? i heard maybe shell beach?? i know i COULD just go ask at the dive shop.. but that would be too easy, right?

 

[JustAddWater]

I have hunted halibut off of the Port San Luis pier. Visibility was very limited (3-6 feet) and there really wasn't much to see except for the occaisional halibut or ray. I've heard that Montana de Oro has some very nice diving when the surf allows entry. It's a place I would like to try when tide and time are willing.

 

[Sam Miller III]

In the 1960s one of the most active of all California diving clubs was the P-Bugs Aka Pismo Beach Underwater Gardening Society headquartered in Bills Sea Shore Sports Shop, located at 750 Price Steet in PB and was owned and operated by Bill Parkhurst. ( the building also housed his other love Bills Galley Cafe...serving Urchin Burgers, Urchin Omlets and even Urchin dips...Them were that daz!)

Upon Bills unexpected demise the club lost it's glue slowly the club and members disappeared.

Since that time there has been a number of local dive operations, Moro Bay, Baywood, SLO, Pismo Beach, Grover Beach and Santa Maria. Currently there are only four in the county; one in Atascadero, two in SLO and one in Pismo.

The interim owners of the dive shops for at least several diving generations have stressed Santa Barbara dive boats or live aboard/tropical diving as the only diving options and certainly de- emphasized local diving.

Currently two shops, Depth Perceptions in SLO and the Pismo Dive shop are stressing the joys, excitement , variety and economy of local shore diving, while SLO Ocean Currents still apparently are promoting boat trips and tropical diving.

Depth Perceptions has a dive conditions board, prominently displayed at the front of the store which is updated every day. The store's veteran instructors are promoting local diving by doing all their training locally.

The Pismo Dive shop has been conducting a number of exploratory beach dives using underwater scooters to locate and map the many unexplored reefs of SLO county

Might want to check out the piers from Pismo north, Shell beach, Avlia beach, Spooners cove, Hurricane gulch, Moro Bay, and all coves to the north. If so inspired even travel to Jade Cove at Plaskett Creek for a dip.

All the locations are loaded with game for the causal tourist diver, the photographer or the hunter and offer good diving with great visibility and low surf at certain times of the year--but you must be selective and ready to dive when those windows of opportunity present themselves.

sdm

 

[Code4medic]

Like the good Doctor mentioned, there are several great local dive sites just steps away from you. Most of my own diving is done off our local shores. I juggle enough things in life so I can’t pencil in many boats, but I can be found below the surface nearby.

I also think Dr. Miller did a great assessment of the spirit of each of the county’s dive shops. I would encourage you to go into the shops and meet some local divers. With 3 ½ shops diving all the time, be it on a boat or shore, your odds are pretty good for finding dive buddies that you like as well as having free guides to sites which are new to you.

A friend of mine started up a local list-serve for getting in touch with Central Coast divers:
centralcoastdiveclub : Central Coast Dive Club

Another friend has a bulletin board focused on SB County:
Santa Barbara Diving

..and there is always the legendary Rickster and the Beach Crabs:
ScubaBoard - Beach Crabs

There are plenty of local divers, so your odds are pretty good in finding someone to dive with.

You can always PM me for my contact info if you are just dying to get out.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Like the good Doctor mentioned,

FYI - I was a good Doctor, now I am a retired Doctor, the best way to be a Doctor ....Now setting on top of a hill over looking the blue Pacicific in Pismo Beach. Drop by for a visit some time...


A friend of mine started up a local list-serve for getting in touch with Central Coast divers:
centralcoastdiveclub : Central Coast Dive Club

This list has got to be the best keep secret in CenCal diving~Thanks for sharing it with the members of the board.

sdm

 

[Code4medic]

Dr., yes hopefully the locals start figuring more ways to network with each other through these boards. Then those who want to enjoy local diving can do so, rather than having to always shell out money for the boats or mini-vacations just to get wet, when there is plenty of water less than a 15 minute drive from most of our county. Add a little drive and there are even more great shore dives.

As you well know, we get thousands of tourists zooming over here from hours away and it's sad that a lot of the locals don’t take advantage of what we are spoiled with.

I am down the hill from you (AG), I can see the ocean from my house on a clear day; sure I have to look out from an upstairs bedroom window and line up an eye between the mile of houses between me and the water, but the sliver of water that I see is worth it! Since we are practically neighbors we will have to do lunch when I start working days again.

On a side note: Last I heard, no one was just handing out legitimate Doctorates, but I will respect your humbleness.

Ilovetodive, I hope you were able to find someone to get you in the water, if not; you will have to let them know you want them to.

JAW, I have dove Spooner’s Cove (Montano de Oro) when it was good, I also dove it a few times when it was not so good…and had a smile every time.