Diving North of Mendocino? Humboldt?

[Trekker326]

Anyone know of worthy dives north of Mendocino? Seems like people only talk about Monterey Here.

Ive done some diving in Mendocino but its such a long drive from my home in Eureka, so i don't get in the water as often as i would like to. What about Patrick's Point or College Cove? Please share your Experiences diving on the Northern Parts of the North Coast for all to enjoy.

Cheers!!

 

[Peter_C]

We dive in the Mendocino area fairly often, but I personally have not dove very far North of there. We will be at Russian Gulch the second week of September which we are looking forward too. The posts are in a sticky from the link in my sig.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Anyone know of worthy dives north of Mendocino? Seems like people only talk about Monterey Here.

Ive done some diving in Mendocino but its such a long drive from my home in Eureka, so i don't get in the water as often as i would like to. What about Patrick's Point or College Cove? Please share your Experiences diving on the Northern Parts of the North Coast for all to enjoy.

Cheers!!

The reason people only talk about Monterey on this board is because that's all they know. Only a few other fellow divers and I who live up here contribute to scubaboard. Most hard core north coast divers are too crusty, independent and isolated and probably have never heard of scubaboard, and even if they did they could care less to post anything that they feel nobody would care about anyway. The old timers would like to keep the north coast a secret, and for good reason, because it's the last untouched pristine part of Califonia that's left. I know this sound pesimistic but it's the truth, most California divers don't realize there is a whole nother half of the state up here and think Monterey is where it ends.

I can tell you that I spent some time working on boats up in Humboldt Bay and stayed at a place up in Trinidad. As far as I saw, any diving started around Trinidad and went north. If you have access to a boat there is a spot called Reading Rock which is a huge towering rock that juts up out of the water several miles offshore. This rock is about 7-8 miles north of Trinidad and about 3-5 miles offshore. I've never been up that far to see it but I've heard about it. The walls are vertical and plumet 200 feet straight down to the sand, a very dramatic and imposing environment it sounds like to me.
People regularly get 60 to 70 lb lingcod from that rock.

There may even be some abs up around Trinidad, but like I say, I've never put my face underwater that far up the coast but I would in a second if I had a chance.

I did mount an expedition into the Delgada Abyss out of Shelter Cove several years back. It was one of the spookiest and at the same time exilerating dives of my career so far.

 

[bigfrog23]

i am not as far north as u guys but i have do a little up there. i do most of my diving around fort ross and that area up to about point arena area there is a very cool spot off the light house about to miles off shore. the spot consists of a huge pinnacle that come up to about 5-15 feet of the surface. there is so much competition for space there that there is not much rock exposed. on one dive we saw 5 lingcod that were over 30 lbs. in my opinion is one of the grates dive spots on the nor coast and one of the most dangerous spots on the north coast. there is some nice diving on the lost coast but the spots have no real name or ways to locate cate the other that thing like it is the spot that is the third rock on the left. the north coast is also one of those places that the people that know the spots don't always want to share with others. if you are ever down south i would recommend diving fort ross cove there is a great ship reck out there and there are nice abs there as well. this is my favorit spot on the north cost. the reck here is not the main attraction here though. if you head south from the reck you hit a wash rock wich then drops down to about 50ft from here you head ssw for a bit and you hit water that is about 60 -70 feet and huge pinicals that come with in 10 feet of the surface and are covered with Metridium strawberry aninomies and....... it is a magical spot to dive if you know were to dive in the cove. One other spot is mail box 20,000 there used to be a mail box back in the day but now there is nothing. but it is the first turnout after fort ross. great place to get fish and abs.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

That rock you speak of is Arena Rock. I've been there. You forgot to mention the shear quantity and size of the scallops growing on it. I think it is one of the best dives in California, better than anything I've seen so far at the Channel Islands and even San Miguel Island. I haven't been to the Farallons but every body I talk to that's been there says that's the best dive in California. The Farallons are a bit far for my boat, but some day I will find a way to get there.

Nice shots BTW.

 

[drewdude]

I just finished my aow. We did the deep stuff off of Crescent City (Star Rock) and then came in shallower for the 2nd dive (steamboat rock). That being said, it was a very mellow day as far as conditions were concerned. The rest we did on the Smith River (Early Hole). I live in Eureka too, so I'm still trying to figure out where everyone goes up here. I've heard the best time to dive locally is around Sept/Oct (run off from local rivers at minimum) and just prior to the rains coming in. I've heard the jetties, Trinindad, some areas off Patrick's point, and even Shelter Cove.

 

[drewdude]

If you have access to a boat there is a spot called Reading Rock which is a huge towering rock that juts up out of the water several miles offshore. This rock is about 7-8 miles north of Trinidad and about 3-5 miles offshore. I've never been up that far to see it but I've heard about it. The walls are vertical and plumet 200 feet straight down to the sand, a very dramatic and imposing environment it sounds like to me.
People regularly get 60 to 70 lb lingcod from that rock.


I'd like to find someone whose dove on Reading Rock. That rock is totally exposed. I'd assume it would have to be drift dive. Anchoring would seem to be out of the question since it is out on the 20 fathom curve (180 ft). I bet surge would be an issue as well.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If you have access to a boat there is a spot called Reading Rock which is a huge towering rock that juts up out of the water several miles offshore. This rock is about 7-8 miles north of Trinidad and about 3-5 miles offshore. I've never been up that far to see it but I've heard about it. The walls are vertical and plumet 200 feet straight down to the sand, a very dramatic and imposing environment it sounds like to me.
People regularly get 60 to 70 lb lingcod from that rock.


I'd like to find someone whose dove on Reading Rock. That rock is totally exposed. I'd assume it would have to be drift dive. Anchoring would seem to be out of the question since it is out on the 20 fathom curve (180 ft). I bet surge would be an issue as well.

I thought a fathom was 6 feet (20 fathoms = 120ft.)? It doesn't matter.
There may be other pinnacles and a possible cascading bottom on one side of that rock. If so then anchoring may be possible, but live boating it would be the safest bet and the use of SMB's should be mandatory for the divers in the water.

 

[icantdive55]

AH yes Redding Rock. Been there done that. It's an ok Dive. If the conditions are similar to what they were when I dove it, it's an easy enough dive. We found a spike driven into the south side of the rock and tied off to that. We then did a dive around the rock. It is steep and deep but decent. I would rather dive the South Jettie on a good day than any where else I've ever dove. Note I said on a good day. It is awesome. You'll need a guide for the first dive because you definitely have to dive this area by the tides. No Exceptions! Got a boat: head south to the false cape. There is plenty of diving in Eureka it's just generally poor visibility so people head south.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

AH yes Redding Rock. Been there done that. It's an ok Dive. If the conditions are similar to what they were when I dove it, it's an easy enough dive. We found a spike driven into the south side of the rock and tied off to that. We then did a dive around the rock. It is steep and deep but decent. I would rather dive the South Jettie on a good day than any where else I've ever dove. Note I said on a good day. It is awesome. You'll need a guide for the first dive because you definitely have to dive this area by the tides. No Exceptions! Got a boat: head south to the false cape. There is plenty of diving in Eureka it's just generally poor visibility so people head south.

Did you see any scallops?
What kind of fish and invert life did you see on it?