Favorite Dive Sites in NorCal

[neuneu]

Looking for your favorite dive sites in NorCal. I am a newly certified diver and looking at gaining as much experience as possible.

Fresh or Salt doesn't matter to me, just want to build up a list to start checking off.

I am in the Auburn/Roseville Area. Closer is better but I am always up for a commute.

Thanks

 

[DivinLion01]

There are lots of sites in our NorCal region. Folsom Lake is a good start for new divers (Beal's Point especially good this summer. I've been taking my students there all summer as the vis has been really, really good.).

After Folsom Lake, Black Miner's Bar under the Rainbow Bridge is a very good dive as well. Lots of structure and lots to see. Make sure to head there prior to 5 PM as the dam lets water out to where it simply isn't safe for new divers after that time. Diving under the Folsom Bridge around the pylons is also a really good time.

After that, the Sac State Aquatic Center is a good one. There is a wall that runs parallel to the beach that drops from 6 feet to 30 feet very quickly. is a fun dive as well and no current so it makes for a good beginner dive. Further upstream is Willow Creek and across the river by the jump rock is a good dive also.

There are other good freshwater sites, but that is a good start for you. Salt water-wise, head to Monterey and dive Break Water Cove. It's a site that many beginner and experienced divers love. So much to see and I would recommend diving that several times before venturing to other locations. After you do the Breakwater a few times, Lover's Point is a good dive as is McAbee Beach. Just watch the swell at McAbee because it can be very rough. If the surge is up, DO NOT dive it as a beginner. Point Lobos is also a great dive (but get your permits first. There are a limited number offered each day). Stay away from Monastery (no matter what others say) until you have AT LEAST 50 dives under your belt.

That's a good start. If you want to dive with people who know the area, hit up Fisheye Scuba and look at the local diving events we do, or just reach out to me directly. My buddies and I dive more than 95% of other divers here in NorCal. We know all the spots and know those spots insanely well.

Happy Bubble Blowing!

 

[Thrutch]

I dive Lake Tahoe quite a bit, and that's not too far from you. Favorite dive sites: Stateline Point and Ritter Cove at D.L. Bliss. I made this website because there wasn't much info about diving the lake. I've got a lot of other Tahoe dive sites described there, as well.

Apart from that, I drive south to Monterey/Carmel. There's a bunch of stuff north of SF on my list, but I haven't made it up there yet.

 

[DivinLion01]

I'll be hitting up Tahoe this Sunday teaching an Advanced Class. Hoping the water has warmed up a bit!

 

[Thrutch]

I'll be hitting up Tahoe this Sunday teaching an Advanced Class. Hoping the water has warmed up a bit!

This past Sunday at Steller Cove (D.L. Bliss), it was almost 70° right at the surface, 44° down past 100', and an average of 55°. Pretty nice! The fish are out, too.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If you’re in Roseville you could cross the valley to Williams then take hwy 20 west and then to hwy 128 and you could go to Mendocino County. Google it to see what route they would recommend. Monterey is nice, but it’s nicer up here and more if it. Plus it’s not over run.
As far as I’m concerned there is some if the best ocean diving on the North Coast in California.
Mendocino and the whole coast up there is my favorite place on Earth and I’d move up there in a second if I could figure out a way to make a living…and convince my wife.
Ask away if you’re interested in knowing more about Sonoma and Mendocino county diving and camping/lodgings.

 

[Thrutch]

Ask away if you’re interested in knowing more about Sonoma and Mendocino county diving

With pleasure. Can you recommend some good shore-accessible kelp forests? Entry doesn't have to be easy, just possible.

You've mentioned Arena Rock elsewhere on SB. Is the only way out there with a boat? If so, is anyone taking divers out there? Can any boats nearby be privately chartered as a dive boat for the day?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

With pleasure. Can you recommend some good shore-accessible kelp forests? Entry doesn't have to be easy, just possible.

You've mentioned Arena Rock elsewhere on SB. Is the only way out there with a boat? If so, is anyone taking divers out there? Can any boats nearby be privately chartered as a dive boat for the day?

Arena Rock by my estimation is probably the best dive in California “if” the conditions allow for it. As far as amazing structure and animals, I would have a tough time finding anything else in this state to compare it to. It is considered World Class, not just State Class. I was there one day when there was no current no swell to speak of and about 80’ vis.
The problem (or maybe it’s saving grace) is that it is remote and accessible by boat only. I sold my boat in 2010 so I haven’t been there since. There are no charter boats in this area at all.
So, it would require your own boat or a buddies boat that you would have to tow there then launch. You would also have to be 100% self sufficient in every respect because there is no coastal dive infrastructure here any longer. The last dive shop closed up in Fort Bragg.
The launch is a crane that they hoist your boat into the water from the pier. I had special big U bolts installed and a special strap assembly that I made custom for my boat to be hoisted. I believe it’s up to about $45 to launch now.
I do not know of anybody that would take divers out for hire to Arena Rock. Nobody would want to risk the liability.
As far as shore diving, it is abundant. There are so many beaches to just throw on a tank and go in.
I do a lot of shore dives in Sonoma County, from Fort Ross, Stillwater Cove, Gerstle Cove, Fisk Mill Cove and on up. Some surface swims are longer than others. It helps to have healthy in-shape legs and good fins.
In Mendocino County one of my favorites is Russian Gulch State Park.
The structure is fantastic and lots if big lingcod (see my avatar). I have shore dived it and kayak dived it.
Aside of shore diving, It really does help if you have a sit on top kayak to get to some of the deeper stuff. They are not that much money, there are reg sets that cost a lot more. I use an older Ocean Kayak Scrambler XT with a tank well. It’s suited me great for over 20 years. Kayaks are really the way to go here just because there is limited boat launch facilities due to the ruggedness of the coastline.
Kayaks are simple, they can be wheeled to virtually any beach and give you some range to go a ways and check out what’s around the corner, or hit some of the offshore pinnacles. This area is ground zero for kayak diving in the ocean.
A very good book to get is Bruce Watkins’ “A Diver’s Guide to Northern California”.
It gives a very detailed and thorough list of dive spots in Norcal. He also has another one for Southern California, and I believe for Monterey too.

 

[neuneu]

There are lots of sites in our NorCal region. Folsom Lake is a good start for new divers (Beal's Point especially good this summer. I've been taking my students there all summer as the vis has been really, really good.).

After Folsom Lake, Black Miner's Bar under the Rainbow Bridge is a very good dive as well. Lots of structure and lots to see. Make sure to head there prior to 5 PM as the dam lets water out to where it simply isn't safe for new divers after that time. Diving under the Folsom Bridge around the pylons is also a really good time.

After that, the Sac State Aquatic Center is a good one. There is a wall that runs parallel to the beach that drops from 6 feet to 30 feet very quickly. is a fun dive as well and no current so it makes for a good beginner dive. Further upstream is Willow Creek and across the river by the jump rock is a good dive also.

There are other good freshwater sites, but that is a good start for you. Salt water-wise, head to Monterey and dive Break Water Cove. It's a site that many beginner and experienced divers love. So much to see and I would recommend diving that several times before venturing to other locations. After you do the Breakwater a few times, Lover's Point is a good dive as is McAbee Beach. Just watch the swell at McAbee because it can be very rough. If the surge is up, DO NOT dive it as a beginner. Point Lobos is also a great dive (but get your permits first. There are a limited number offered each day). Stay away from Monastery (no matter what others say) until you have AT LEAST 50 dives under your belt.

That's a good start. If you want to dive with people who know the area, hit up Fisheye Scuba and look at the local diving events we do, or just reach out to me directly. My buddies and I dive more than 95% of other divers here in NorCal. We know all the spots and know those spots insanely well.

Happy Bubble Blowing!

Thank you so much for this. Super excited to go check those out. If my dive buddies are being lazy I’ll hit you guys up. Or bring them along if they are down for it.