Go, No Go Conditions in Monterey, CA for novice divers

[spoolin01]

To restate and summarize much of what has been said, as a novice diver stick to places from Del Monte Beach on the inside to Lover's Cove on the outside (westward). Those with better knowledge can comment if there are good spots outside that zone. After that, most of what you can know in advance without asking divers on the spot (or calling the local shops), you can tell by just looking, and watching other divers enter and exit. I don't know of any good external source for information about temperature and visibility, unless the linked websites are keeping that info up to date - and it can change daily. I'm not aware of significant current issues there, especially in areas around shore entries, but the more groundswell there is, the more local eddy currents there will be, and those can be unnerving if you're unfamiliar with them, and even an impediment to your dive plan if they're strong enough. The suggestion above about gauging breaker height is a good thing to heed for that reason.

You can check the various surface sea state sources like the NOAA buoys, but it will take you some experience to calibrate that information against what you see along the shore, as that particular area is quite significantly protected from seas and winds, and the sea state readings vary enormously from one location to another as the source location progresses outwards from the middle of the bay, and they also vary in relation to shore conditions depending on the direction of the swells and wind, and the degree of dampening by the offshore kelp fields. I don't believe there are any surface station reports available from closer than several miles away, but would love to know if there are.

In short, calling the shops, checking the NorCal forum, or going there are the best options.

Stillwater Cove on Carmel Bay is another easy entry spot that's fairly immune to outlying ocean conditions. Whaler's Cove in Pt Lobos park as well.

Lastly, consider charter boat diving. It's fairly inexpensive in Monterey, compared to many other locales. I'm not sure what Ken above had in mind about boat diving hazards, unless he meant from a private boat, but with a charter you get the benefit of the vast local knowledge of the captain, and their inherent conservatism. You'll also meet other mostly local divers.

 

[Cowtown44]

I second this advice. This site is where I learned the most about the signifigance of swell direction and how it impacts different shore entries. Another good one for a beginner due to it's simplicity : Dive Conditions & More | Aquarius Dive Shop Another bit of advice would be that when you arrive to do your dive, stop and look at the entry for several minutes before suiting up. Forecasts and buoy measurements are great for planning but when you are entering the actual conditions are what matter. Note that swells come in sets with calmer periods between. It may look deceivingly calm and easy at a glance between sets. Er on the side of caution and enter exit with you fins+ mask on and reg in your mouth if it looks like the waves could possibly knock you over. Wave action sometimes gets bigger later in the day so be willing to crawl out even if your entry was relatively easy.

My general rule:
Breaking surf at or below knee height= no worries.
Surf from knee to waist= likely enter exit with fins etc. on.
Surf higher than waist= cancel dive or check a different site

One more bit of advice. If you are worried about shore entries don't think that doing a boat dive is a safer/easier option. The boat does eliminate some of these issues but it brings a whole new set of risks and challenges that in my opinion are of greater concern/risk for a new diver in this area

Great information! Can you expand on the safety concerns for boat diving in the area?

 

[DivingOnMyMind]

I've been to Monterey several times and the conditions were very good. The Breakwater (San Carlos Beach) is a great starting place where there are always many other divers. It's a good place to do some dives and get oriented with diving there, and with so many other divers around you can watch entries and exits and talk to them about the conditions before you get in.

If you're new to Monterey, avoid Monastery Beach. Even on relatively calm days it can be tricky. Go with someone else who has experience when diving here, at least for the first few dives.

I also found a lot of helpful information and articles on CaliforniaDiver.com. At the top of the page there's a link that says "Conditions" and you can see how big the swells are, the swell forecast, and a live cam of the beach.

Hope this helps!

 

[eelnoraa]

I kind of think that San Carlos beach is a very low risk place to begin with. In general, go early, beside easier to find parking, sea is general calmer in the morning. it is usually where OW classes are conduct. The general truth for Monterey water is low viz especially in summer, so you want to stay close to your buddy as much as possible. There are actually plenty to see there within 50ft of depth.

The 2nd place I like is Point Lobos. It has relative easy entry. The cove is usually well protected. There are a bit of surface swim, but in general, it has something for all levels of divers.

 

[Adobo]

Er on the side of caution and enter exit with you fins+ mask on and reg in your mouth if it looks like the waves could possibly knock you over. Wave action sometimes gets bigger later in the day so be willing to crawl out even if your entry was relatively easy.

My general rule:
Breaking surf at or below knee height= no worries.
Surf from knee to waist= likely enter exit with fins etc. on.
Surf higher than waist= cancel dive or check a different site

I agree with entering the water with mask on and reg in the mouth. In fact, I don't bother assessing the conditions to decide; If I am diving, I am entering the water with my mask on and the reg in my mouth. I don't see the benefit of doing otherwise.

However, I don't quite understand why you would ever enter the water on any of our shore dives with fins on. Not having fins on allows you to get from the beach and then past the surf zone much faster (and easier) than waddling with fins on. Once you are past the surf zone, you can easily put on your fins assuming that your fins are properly outfitted.

Trying to enter the water with fins on, particularly on rough days, seems to only make things more difficult. It makes it harder to walk, it makes it take a longer time to get through the surf zone and worst of all, if you get knocked over, you'll have a heck of a time getting back on your feet.

I can't count how many times I've been at the breakwater having to help divers who have gotten knocked over as they tried to enter or exit the water with fins on.

---------- Post added June 16th, 2015 at 01:05 PM ----------

Great information! Can you expand on the safety concerns for boat diving in the area?

Boat diving is not necessarily harder but there are different kinds of skills required and different conditions you will need to acclimate to. Just pulling stuff off the top of my head:

• Assuming you are taking one of the commercial charters, you will be under more time pressure than you normally are during a shore dive. You have to arrive at the boat dock at a certain time and the boat departs shortly thereafter. You have to have your shizzle together. You leave something critical in your car (like your fins), you run the risk of not being able to do the dive. If you have to go to the bathroom, you either have to go on the boat (not that comfortable) or you have a bunch of people waiting for you before the boat can leave.
• Even a short boat ride can cause a little bit of motion sickness. Imagine that you are a little sea sick but you still have to make sure that you get your gear on properly, do all your pre-dive checks and then execute a dive. Not something you normally experience on a shore dive.
• Getting off the boat is tricky. The boat may be pitching and rolling as you make your way from where you are seated to where you are jumping off.
• Unlike vacation diving, there is no DM that goes with you when you jump off the boat. So its basically you and your dive buddy who need to make sure that your dive goes off without a hitch.
• Unlike a shore dive, you are deep right away on a boat dive. So, better make sure all the gear is on properly and your weighting is correct. Being overweighted is bad, having gear that is not on correctly is bad, having valves that are not turned on is potentially fatal.
• You need to navigate well enough to make it back to anchor line. The boat acts as protection for you against other boats that are passing by. If you don't ascend on the anchor line, you don't have the shelter/protection that your dive boat is trying to provide. Also, ascending on the anchor line allows you to surface next to the boat even if there is current. If you ascend away from the anchor line, you might find your self pretty far away down current of the boat. Not fun.
• Some might debate this - if you don't make it back to the anchor line for whatever reason and you need to ascend, for me, it is highly highly advisable to that you shoot a surface marker buoy. This servers 2 purposes, first to tell any passing boats that you are in that vicinity and second, it tells the people on your dive boat that your are ascending somewhere unexpected. Of course, managing an SMB deployment and a blue water ascent is tricky even for seasoned divers.
• Getting back in the boat is not as easy as jumping off of it.

I am sure there are many other points to consider that I am forgetting.

My suggestion to you would be this, get yourself comfortable doing shore dives. The breakwater (San Carlos beach) is a great place to get yourself squared away. The breakwater is diveable a huge majority of the times. If you get bored diving there, do some shore dives at other locations. Macabee is equally easy to dive. You can also do Pt Lobos which is a fantastic shore dive.

Once you have your wits about you with regards to shore diving, then it might be a little easier to digest some of the new things from boat diving.

 

[KRL1973]

However, I don't quite understand why you would ever enter the water on any of our shore dives with fins on. Not having fins on allows you to get from the beach and then past the surf zone much faster (and easier) than waddling with fins on. Once you are past the surf zone, you can easily put on your fins assuming that your fins are properly outfitted.

Trying to enter the water with fins on, particularly on rough days, seems to only make things more difficult. It makes it harder to walk, it makes it take a longer time to get through the surf zone and worst of all, if you get knocked over, you'll have a heck of a time getting back on your feet.

---------- Post added June 16th, 2015 at 01:05 PM ----------



Boat diving is not necessarily harder but there are different kinds of skills required and different conditions you will need to acclimate to. Just pulling stuff off the top of my head:

• Assuming you are taking one of the commercial charters, you will be under more time pressure than you normally are during a shore dive. You have to arrive at the boat dock at a certain time and the boat departs shortly thereafter. You have to have your shizzle together. You leave something critical in your car (like your fins), you run the risk of not being able to do the dive. If you have to go to the bathroom, you either have to go on the boat (not that comfortable) or you have a bunch of people waiting for you before the boat can leave.
• Even a short boat ride can cause a little bit of motion sickness. Imagine that you are a little sea sick but you still have to make sure that you get your gear on properly, do all your pre-dive checks and then execute a dive. Not something you normally experience on a shore dive.
• Getting off the boat is tricky. The boat may be pitching and rolling as you make your way from where you are seated to where you are jumping off.
• Unlike vacation diving, there is no DM that goes with you when you jump off the boat. So its basically you and your dive buddy who need to make sure that your dive goes off without a hitch.
• Unlike a shore dive, you are deep right away on a boat dive. So, better make sure all the gear is on properly and your weighting is correct. Being overweighted is bad, having gear that is not on correctly is bad, having valves that are not turned on is potentially fatal.
• You need to navigate well enough to make it back to anchor line. The boat acts as protection for you against other boats that are passing by. If you don't ascend on the anchor line, you don't have the shelter/protection that your dive boat is trying to provide. Also, ascending on the anchor line allows you to surface next to the boat even if there is current. If you ascend away from the anchor line, you might find your self pretty far away down current of the boat. Not fun.
• Some might debate this - if you don't make it back to the anchor line for whatever reason and you need to ascend, for me, it is highly highly advisable to that you shoot a surface marker buoy. This servers 2 purposes, first to tell any passing boats that you are in that vicinity and second, it tells the people on your dive boat that your are ascending somewhere unexpected. Of course, managing an SMB deployment and a blue water ascent is tricky even for seasoned divers.
• Getting back in the boat is not as easy as jumping off of it.

I am sure there are many other points to consider that I am forgetting.

My suggestion to you would be this, get yourself comfortable doing shore dives. The breakwater (San Carlos beach) is a great place to get yourself squared away. The breakwater is diveable a huge majority of the times. If you get bored diving there, do some shore dives at other locations. Macabee is equally easy to dive. You can also do Pt Lobos which is a fantastic shore dive.

Once you have your wits about you with regards to shore diving, then it might be a little easier to digest some of the new things from boat diving.

Adobo sums up my concerns about boat diving here well.

As for fins on or off... With fins off, as soon as you get past waist deep and your feet lift off the bottom as you begin to float without fins you become completely immobilized and at the mercy of the waves, If surf is higher than your waist it means you are immobilized in the surf zone trying to put on fins while being rolled in surf -not good. If your fins are already on, can immediately kick out past the surf (if you get knocked down you begin your kick out, not try to stand back up). Same applies on return, you don't want to be trying to put on or remove fins in the surf zone, that's how you get knocked over. When in doubt crawl out and remove fins when completely out of the water

 

[KevinG58]

Maybe its a hijack but...

On the subject of fins off / on during entries; I don't often beach dive but when I do, I go in with fins on. I find that side stepping allows relatively fast progress and as stated with fins on as soon as you float you are swimming out, not donning fins. And yes indeed knocked down in the surf I am not standing up I am crawling on until I float, and then swim (or on exit, crawling like a beast onto the beach).

Maybe I'm prejudiced because I was boat diving almost immediately after I was certified, but I think the boat diving concerns are a bit overblown. Not that they aren't to be addressed, but its not that difficult except on the worst of days conditions-wise.

Time pressure - I think that's a highly individualized concern. Many of us allow extra time, leave the house early. If you get there early, extra time to set up and look over your gear? Hit the head a couple of times?

Motion sickness - Sure that's a thing, but a very individual thing.

Getting off the boat is tricky - As opposed to surf entries? Yes boats move a bit. Typically the boat crew will help steady you as you walk to the gate.

No DM - Does the beach provide a DM, typically the boat crew looks over your gear before you go in. Don't depend on them, but they are there and watching.

Deep right away - Yes better get weighting and the like right.

Navigation - If navigation is not your strong suite, stay within sight of the anchor line. Do a expanding circle around the anchor, and all that.

SMB - Good point, rarely used but probably should be more often.

Getting back on the boat - Usually rather benign. Crew removes your fins and steadies your walk across deck. Yes on a bad day it can get rather sporty. Just like a beach can.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If given a choice I'd rather boat dive. I love everything about the experience, the people/socializing, the sites, the crew, the boat, the camaraderie, etc.
I like to shore dive too. It gives me freedom to go where I want when I want and at whatever pace I want. Although generally the sites are not as advanced per say and beach sites generally are more shallow way out if any depth is a consideration. And then the schlepping of gear which has to be included in the total daily body strain and end of day spent factor.
Another one I like is kayak diving, kind of a best of both worlds solution. There is a schlepping factor but I have a kayak dolly which allows me to use my kayak as a gear cart also. The only problem is the shore site needs to be easy enough and accessible that wheeling a kayak is possible. But once out on the ocean a kayak gives you some pretty decent range to get to deeper water and better sites. For instance, when the weather picks up I've seen the boats park in front of the aquarium and drop divers on aquarium reef. That would be an easy kayak dive from San Carlos beach and it would be free. Plus other sites further west all the way up to the point.

I'm a fins off guy if the waves aren't breaking above waist level, and if they are I'm a fins on guy. Getting in with fins takes practice but you can jump, spin, and flop in, then kick like hell and let the surf break over you as you are kicking out. I've gotten my bell rung with fins off more times than with fins on in borderline "call the dive" surf. Coming in I just crawl out.

One thing I learned about getting out before it happened to me:
Once when I was down in Laguna beach back in the late 90's, we were just hanging out beach combing enjoying the sunshine and being spectators. We were watching divers coming in. This was about noon and the surf had picked up to the 8' range. I watched the lifeguard working his tail off trying to get out several times to rescue divers getting thrashed in the surf. Thinking back about what I know now, every one of those guys that took a beating had their bc's inflated all the way and as a result were getting picked up by the wave and slammed down off the curl (ouch!). I remember seeing the fully inflated ballooned sides and back of their jackets.
But there was one guy I saw way out that had very little freeboard showing, his head and mask was right at water level. I could see his head occasionally outside of the surf zone whenever he rose up on a swell. At first I thought it was a seal or seal lion until I saw the reflection of his mask flicker in the sun. Suddenly I didn't see him anymore and was a little concerned. The lifeguard I could see was also a little concerned and scanning for him. One of the guys on the beach was yelling at the lifeguard that they had one more out there somewhere. A few minutes later here he comes crawling out of the ocean on the sand, all the way up to dry beach, he flipped over took off his fins and proclaimed "that was fun!". He was smart and deflated his BC to empty and came in on the ground, smart move, the waves just broke right over him. I remembered that and use that technique to get out of bigger surf to this day.

 

[Adobo]

I'm a fins off guy if the waves aren't breaking above waist level, and if they are I'm a fins on guy. Getting in with fins takes practice but you can jump, spin, and flop in, then kick like hell and let the surf break over you as you are kicking out. I've gotten my bell rung with fins off more times than with fins on in borderline "call the dive" surf. Coming in I just crawl out.

I've seen too many people turtled over helpless at the breakwater to ever recommend that maneuver. In fairness, the breakwater has a ton of new divers so its possible that they would have been turtled even if they tried with fins off. The difference being it is far easier to get yourself back up and situated without your fins on.

To each their own, I guess.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I've seen too many people turtled over helpless at the breakwater to ever recommend that maneuver. In fairness, the breakwater has a ton of new divers so its possible that they would have been turtled even if they tried with fins off. The difference being it is far easier to get yourself back up and situated without your fins on.

To each their own, I guess.

Well, the Breakwater is almost it's own animal. I would always recommend fins off at the breakwater, and if it's too big for fins off then it's too big period for anything. The Breakwater has a real hard pull when the swell is up, almost like a tidal surge. During the winter I've seen a few weekends when the conditions were marginal and a bunch of divers standing on the breakwall trying to size up the conditions deciding to give it a shot or not. A group decided to go for it and we watched them get schooled on what long period swell surge can do and how powerless you are against it. They all managed to get in and get fins on somehow but then got sucked out, and I mean way out in the blink of an eye on the reverse draw. That day the swell was hitting the staircase then receding way down several hundred feet down the beach. The problem is it's deceiving. Just because there are no giant surf swells doesn't mean there isn't a strong pulling rip. At that location it's because it's protected from direct ocean swells but that doesn't mean the swell height doesn't affect protected areas like San Carlos Beach. The surge doesn't match the surge on exposed beaches that are directly hit by Pacific swells. The Bay actually can collect the power of several swells and convert it into a very long period swell that is slow to look at but packs a lot of power. I know this from launching and retrieving my boat. when you think the swell is done going up or down it just continues going and going. I've parked on the ramp with the water right at the rear tires only to find the whole back end of my truck damn near underwater 30 seconds later then when the slow swell recedes I'm high and dry and almost not enough water to float my boat onto the trailer.

Now down in Socal for instance, there are beaches like along Malibu that appear to have big threatening swells until you get out there and realize they are only waist high and have no power. In situations when I've gone down there to do some shore based lobster diving on the cheap, we've gotten in when the swell was breaking about head height but still have little power, it just slaps you and picks you up a little and sets you back down without a lot of lateral movement. In that case we put fins on in the mushy thigh deep stuff that has already broken down, then side step out until we decide to flop in and kick, or get knocked over then just line up and start kicking, same difference.

I should have probably refined my post earlier to say that fins on or fins off directly relates to the specific site And the only way to know a site and it's peculiarities is to dive it a lot in a lot of different conditions.
There are some rocky sites up my way that a person would be nut's to try and go in fins off, that would be a great way to get banged up or get a leg broken. The tide height also has a lot to do with these sites. I like high or almost high tide to get in at those spots because I can get everything on sitting on a rock, then when the swell comes up I flop in. Another place I go I can giant stride right off the edge of a rock almost at water level and be in 40 feet of water. So it all depends on the site.

Sorry for the hijack.

Now to answer the OP's post:
4-6 foot swell on the outside (10 mile buoy reports from NOAA) with short interval swell (8-10 seconds) means it will be pretty benign at the Breakwater.
If the swell goes up to 8-10's with long period swells (14 to 20 sec) that means it could reach into the bay and make things sportier. If swells are coming from the south or the west they will have less effect than if they are coming from the north since the Breakwater actually faces north east.
The best thing to do is is look at the reports and wave models that morning, go to the Breakwater and look at it. If it looks doable go diving. Note what the swell height, direction, swell interval, and tidal exchange and high-low times is that day and keep a record. The next time try it a little sportier and keep increasing it until you decide to call it and then see what the report says. Mark this as your no-go line.
Everybody is different. Some people may have a low threshold and other may become skilled enough to handle more. You just need to find out where you (and your buddy's) limit is.
This is one of the parts of diving that PADI doesn't teach you.