Looking for Local Advice

[jhavenm]

Work is bringing me to the S.F. and surrounding area the first week of June. From what I can tell, the best diving is south in Monteray or north in Sonoma and diving is primarily beach diving. Can anyone offer any local recommendations - conditions, dive spots, any boat diving worth a look at?

I will be by myself so I am also looking for a dive buddy or any recommendations on an LDS or dive club that might have any trips available. I should be arriving either Monday or Tuesday. Right now, it looks like I will have some weekday mornings, some weekday afternoons, and the weekend available. I'm still working out the kinks to figure out exactly which weekday mornings and afternoons.

 

[eponym]

I live in Oregon. I visited Monterey last year for a family wedding, had some spare time. Aquarius Dive Shop was very helpful, very friendly. Matched me up with a local diver for some shore dives, gave me some great advice, good deal on steel tanks. Aquarius Dive Shop

-Bryan

 

[sarita75]

Another good option is a local guide. I think you can organize one through Monterey Bay Dive Center. I know that your profile indicates you are from the NE but do you have cold water dive experience?

Monterey has good dive sites, some of theeasier ones are the Breakwater and MacAbre Beach. Point Lobos in Carmel is gorgeous but you need to get the cove on a great day or be willing to swim a ways out.

Good luck!

 

[jhavenm]

Water temp was 44 on Wednesday. That should cover cold. I use a drysuit and my diving around home is mostly shore diving.

 

[dannobee]

Water temp was 44 on Wednesday. That should cover cold. I use a drysuit and my diving around home is mostly shore diving.

Perfect then. Let me know what day you're thinking of coming down to Monterey/Carmel and I could take a day off of work and go.

I have a little boat so we can get to the nicer spots.

 

[jhavenm]

Perfect then. Let me know what day you're thinking of coming down to Monterey/Carmel and I could take a day off of work and go.

I have a little boat so we can get to the nicer spots.

That sounds great! I'm hoping to all of the scheduling taken care of by the end of the workday on Tuesday. I'll let you know then.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

See http://www.garlic.com/~triblet/ba_diving/newmontereydiver.html

 

[sarita75]

Water temp was 44 on Wednesday. That should cover cold. I use a drysuit and my diving around home is mostly shore diving.

Awesome. There are a lot of NE'ers that I know that only dive warm waters. And since many people come to Northern California excepting Sothern California land temps - the fact that we have cold water diving here can be against their general perceptions.

Dannobee is a great diver, you'll be in good hands to dive with him.

If you are around for the weekend, let us know. More can dive on the weekends.

 

[jhavenm]

I'm actually very excited about this work trip. I've heard great things about diving in northern California. I just wish I had a bit more time to get the scheduling down. If this goes the way I want it to, I will be there over the weekend (and traveling to Seattle via Sacramento/Boise for Thursday through Saturday of the next week). I really hopes this works out right.

Thanks Chuck for the link. Conditions sounds similar to here, minus the kelp forests. I'll do some reading up on those before I leave.