Finally a fun dive in Monterey

[Scuba Susie]

Hey Gang,
After a few years of DMing for zillions of open water/advanced/rescue classes at the Breakwater, I am finally going to try just some plain old "fun" diving somewhere else in Monterey. I was thinking of trying Lover's Cove for starters. Any tips on diving this site? I have heard there is only 2 hour parking there. Do you have to arrive early to get a spot...like you do at Breakwater? Any area I should try and see? Any other suggestions for dives in this area? I have done Point Lobos and it is fun but I don't feel like messing with the on line reservation hassle.
Thanks for any info you can share.
Happy Bubbles
Susie

 

[melfox26]

Hey Gang,
After a few years of DMing for zillions of open water/advanced/rescue classes at the Breakwater, I am finally going to try just some plain old "fun" diving somewhere else in Monterey. I was thinking of trying Lover's Cove for starters. Any tips on diving this site? I have heard there is only 2 hour parking there. Do you have to arrive early to get a spot...like you do at Breakwater? Any area I should try and see? Any other suggestions for dives in this area? I have done Point Lobos and it is fun but I don't feel like messing with the on line reservation hassle.
Thanks for any info you can share.
Happy Bubbles
Susie

As a DM myself, I can understand the need to get out there and do some fun dives every now and then. The other DMs and I used to do the class dives in the morning, then go off on our own and do a couple more dives that day to get our mind straight. It takes a bit away from the beauty of underwater Monterey if you're watching students all the time.

Anyways, if you plan to do Lover's Point, you don't have to get there super early as you do with Breakwater, but in the warmer months, there will be weddings/picnics/sunbathers/etc. so parking will be more of a hassle. On it's busiest day, however, will be less of a zoo than Breakwater. Plus, there's hardly anyone diving it, so you're not staring at a bunch of silt that an OW student kicked up.

Why not do Monastery? Never a problem parking there, better diving.

Mel

 

[bedmund]

Hey Gang,
After a few years of DMing for zillions of open water/advanced/rescue classes at the Breakwater, I am finally going to try just some plain old "fun" diving somewhere else in Monterey. I was thinking of trying Lover's Cove for starters. Any tips on diving this site? I have heard there is only 2 hour parking there. Do you have to arrive early to get a spot...like you do at Breakwater? Any area I should try and see? Any other suggestions for dives in this area? I have done Point Lobos and it is fun but I don't feel like messing with the on line reservation hassle.
Thanks for any info you can share.
Happy Bubbles
Susie

This time of year, parking at Lover's shouldn't be a problem. There are restrictions because it's in Pacific Grove but it's a little more relaxed off season.

You should also think about getting on one of the boats and doing some off-shore dives.

Have fun either way.

 

[Scuba Susie]

Hey guys,
Thanks for the tips on Lover's. Nice to know others can appreciate where you are coming from. We might try Monestary but I would rather go with someone who has done it for my first time. I hear the entry/exit can be really fun! Hey, it can' be worse than getting some of the OW students thru the surf at Breakwater....or maybe it can.?!?
Thanks guys,
Susie

 

[mossym]

oh yes it can..


but it can be done and is definitely worth it, imho it's the best diving outside of Lobos...

 

[ERP]

If you can dive midweek, I'd drive the extra distance to Lobos.
It's almost never booked up outside of weekends.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Doing Monastery the first few times with someone who's
experienced there is more mandatory than just "I'd rather".

The dive restrictions at Lovers are documented on
http://www.garlic.com/~triblet/singles/lovers.html
(and no, it's not an X-rated page -- it's part of the Diving Singles
website ;-) (and yes, I know the map's busted -- I've never found
a replacement for MapBlast's free map service).

 

[Scuba Susie]

Thanks for the info Chuck. Don't worry, I realize the dangers of Monastary and will not go unless I have someone experienced with the area with me. Safety first....and then a nice cold Margarita!
Susie

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

You do have your priorities right. ;-)

 

[Ishie]

Lover's Cove is one of our favorite places to dive. We always seem to pick up a pet harbor seal while we're there, and we get better vis and prettier scenery than Breakwater, plus a pleasant surface swim. We go out Beach 2 through the sand channel, which gets you through the nasty part of the kelp.

Surprised us how rough it could get in the winter though. We started diving last April and from April to September, the place was a lake. Next thing you know, surfers, surge, and so forth.

We've never had a real problem with parking, except when PG decides to throw one of its unannounced events. We haven't really seen the regulations enforced (don't quote us on that!). We've stayed in spaces over two hours, have trickled past 11:30 on a few dives, and we've only gone off Beach 1 once (at low tide, and it was a disasterous kelp crawl over about 16 inches of water).

And the seals; the seals!!!!!!! Though I'm not sure if Jim accidentally kicking one in the head (it was shy and just got up the courage to investigate his fin just as he started to fin in another direction) constitutes molesting the marine life. Heh heh.