How to reserve at Lobos?

[mrabdiver111]

Hey all,
I would like to try and make reservations at Pt. Lobos, I have never been there or even tried to make reservations. I visited the site and went blank when it came time to filling it out. I have two friends in mind for the trip but I read that every diver has to have a partner. Can I make a reservation for three people as we will all be each others buddy, or do I need to find a fourth person? It asks to name two teams, is my reservation good for four people? Im under the impression that you can only have two people in a group. Can someone pls. help me out in interpreting this as I feel like a dumb ***.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Gombessa]

Hey all,
I would like to try and make reservations at Pt. Lobos, I have never been there or even tried to make reservations. I visited the site and went blank when it came time to filling it out. I have two friends in mind for the trip but I read that every diver has to have a partner. Can I make a reservation for three people as we will all be each others buddy, or do I need to find a fourth person? It asks to name two teams, is my reservation good for four people? Im under the impression that you can only have two people in a group. Can someone pls. help me out in interpreting this as I feel like a dumb ***.

Thanks,
Rob

You can do three people on one reservation, just don't drive three cars there.

You only need to enter the name and cert number of the lead diver. They process the forms by hand so you can have blanks.

So for three people, put in your name, address, phone number, email, date of reservation, team leader name, team leader cert number, and skip down to the credit card section.

Just make sure everyone has their cert cards when you show up at the gate - they won't let you into the park without them.

 

[JTDivers]

Rob,

Gombessa said it best, just to reiterate parking is a premium, so if everyone can cram into one vehicle that would be best. I know that is way easier said than done when gear in involved. There is a Safeway near( a mile or two)the park so parking a vehicle there is an option if you want to offload into one or two vehicles. We have done the same thing with regards to three divers in a group and have not had a problem. Once you have gotten past the reservation hurdle, keep in mind the opening for Lobos go quickly and in advance. our experience is that it is much easier to make a mid week reservation than a weekend one. It just seems they are always booked out when our schedules permit a weekend jaunt. Good luck with your venture.

Hope this helps,

Trevor and Jamie

 

[Gombessa]

Just to add to what JTDivers said, the reservation for a particular day opens two months in advance - you can currently make reservations up to October 21. I put in my reservation for Oct 18 on August 18, and I'm already Team 10. So I highly recommend getting weekend reservations as soon as they become available. In this sense, Lobos is pretty much the French Laundry of dive sites.

For weekdays, you can typically just drive up to the gate without a reservation. From the calendar, there are a handful of dates filled up between now and October, and if you really need to ensure a spot, go ahead and reserve, but most of us just show up early in the morning when we're lucky enough to have a free weekday for diving.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Rob,

Once you have gotten past the reservation hurdle, keep in mind the opening for Lobos go quickly and in advance. our experience is that it is much easier to make a mid week reservation than a weekend one. It just seems they are always booked out when our schedules permit a weekend jaunt.

You just need to plan ahead. I normally make my personal reservations about 7 a.m.
the first day the system allows, and I don't get it maybe one time in 40. For a club dive,
I do it at midnight.

 

[Gombessa]

You just need to plan ahead. I normally make my personal reservations about 7 a.m.
the first day the system allows, and I don't get it maybe one time in 40. For a club dive,
I do it at midnight.

Bah, even when I shoot for midnight, I still get Team 2 behind "C-Trib"

 

[Noboundaries]

If a particular weekend is booked, you can also try calling Donna (I believe) at the ranger shack during the week prior to the desired date(s) to see if there are any cancellations. The only time my wife and I went diving at Pt Lobos we got in on a cancellation.

Also, if people just dive in the morning and then depart, their spot opens up for the afternoon for anyone waiting at the gate to dive.

 

[bbianchi]

Also, if people just dive in the morning and then depart, their spot opens up for the afternoon for anyone waiting at the gate to dive.

Im glad you said this! IMHO it is a huge courtesy to the diving community for you to make an effort to wait for the ranger when you go to leave. This way you can check out your dive team(s) and if someone does end up coming later in the day, they can now make it in.

I know that the rangers are usually more concerned with getting people into the park, but if your willing to wait they will come to the window.

Just my $.02

 

[Ben_ca]

...as far as I know it is a requirement to check with the rangers on your way out.

Also with regard to the 3 man team I wouldn't bank on it being a sure thing... so if you do get rejected for not having enough spots please do not get upset with the rangers... They work really hard and have to deal with a very demanding public with limited resources.

 

[Gombessa]

Also with regard to the 3 man team I wouldn't bank on it being a sure thing... so if you do get rejected for not having enough spots please do not get upset with the rangers... They work really hard and have to deal with a very demanding public with limited resources.

That's a very good point. They changed the web form this year to remove all mention of three-man teams under one reservation. However, we've gone dozens of times this year with three people, and have yet to be refused entry. We always arrive early and cram into one car; I've never tried (and wouldn't want to try) showing up in a three-car caravan looking to get in on a single reservation!