Favorite Northern Calif Dive Spot

[northcoast_diver]

Whaler's cove in Pt Lobos, and N monastery beach, 2 great dive spots!!! Only been to Lobos once, so that my take over as my lone favorite

Unless you go during the week, Lobos is (1) too crowded, (2) poor parking, and (3) hard to get into, you need a reservation so far in advance that you are playing roulette with the weather and the sea state.

Far from my criteria for a "great" dive site.

 

[northcoast_diver]

For a nice shallow dive the south side of Monastery is real nice.
I do like the north side a bit better though.

The depth there is in the range of 45 to 65 ft.

A comparable but better dive is the north end of the big Carmel River State Beach, off Stewart Avenue in Carmel. From the small protected cove at the beach, the dive site spirals down to 65 ft along a rocky reef with beautiful anemonies all over it.

 

[northcoast_diver]

north end of Monastery

Butterfly House (at Carmel Point) has a more beautiful kelp forest.

The end of the breakwater at San Carlos State Beach has better undersea life.

I fail to see the draw of north Monastery, other than you can test your narcosis resistance by diving to the edge of your training envelope, whatever it is.

 

[northcoast_diver]

Pt Lobos is so serene above and below plus numbers are limited.

My second favorite spot is sitting on the wall out towards the gate at Breakwater during SI on summer weekends...

You are ready for Gerstle Cove.

 

[northcoast_diver]

Toss up between ...and The Great
Pinnacle in Bluefish Cove at Pt. Lobos.

I agree, of all the pinnacles in Carmel, this is truly the most beautiful. Anemonies packed together in every color of the rainbow, stretching on forever, with 50 ft vis on a good day.

It is a boat dive, of course.

 

[melfox26]

From shore, I really like Lover's Cove 3. Even if you swim out to the really far off kelp bed, you're only in about 40 feet of water. Great place to do an hour+ dive.

From boat, another vote for Ball Buster. Staring the dive at the bottom of the pinnacle then winding slowly up is a great way to spend a dive.

Mel

 

[Wristshot]

Chuck,

I guess I just consider the area out past the point and down the coast a ways the "Pt Lobos area" as opposed to the Monterey Bay area. You are right that it is more like the "Carmel Area" but I kinda lump them together. That probably stems from not diving there often enough and not paying enough attention to exactly where we were. For someone coming from a distance, I would just want to differentiate between in the bay proper and out and around the point and south along the coast.

I think one of the pinnacles areas that I liked a lot was outside of Stillwater Cove, but I could still be off by a bit.

The other pinnacles that I t\really liked were just a short ways south of Whaler's Cove and within sight of the hiking trails at Pt Lobos Park. (I have hiked there more times that I have dove there) Not sure if that is Bluefish or not.

Of course I can't remember a "bad dive" location since the dertification dives! As they say in the "hood", it's all good!

Thanks for keeping me straight.


Wristshot

 

[CALI68]

Lobos Rocks. There is no conection between Lobos Rocks and Pt. Lobos other than Lobos Rocks is four miles south of Pt. Lobos. Not just the best Nor Cal spot but one of the best dives I have ever done in my life. Granted it's a rare day that you can hit this place just right (and get a ride) but my God what a dive spot when it's on! The one and only time I dove there the Vis. was 70' or better. We got very lucky!

 

[coreypenrose]

Boat - The Pinnacles in Bluefish Cove
Shore - Otter Cove.

 

[DartRay]

North Beach Monastery. Yesterday, (labor day 2004)
was a great day for diving there. It was my
first Monastery dive and we had over 45' of vis!
It was AWESOME!

In general tho, I've found that nearly all the dive spots
in the Monterey Bay/Carmel area are just awesome in
comparison to other warm water and cold water
places I've dived.
Granted, I haven't dived everywhere, but I have yet
to find a place that has so much life in 1 square
foot of space. With 5' vis you can found enormous
amounts of life.

JM2C