Monterey Kelp Conditions

[Bobby R]

Hello everyone! It has been about ten years since since I have dove Monterey or Pacific Grove, and have been wondering what the kelp forests have been like lately? I have heard that do to massive sea urchin population explosions they have been pretty much decimated. Been wanting to make a trip that way, anyone got suggestions or reports?

 

[Nick_Radov]

There are still kelp forests, although sparse compared to before 2013 when all the sunflower sea stars died. Now the purple urchins have stripped the rock reefs bare at many of the shallow dive sites.

There is still excellent diving in the area. Your best bet is to get on a charter boat that can run out to deeper sites with fewer urchins. For shore diving you can still find nice kelp forests at Point Lobos and Monastery Beach, if you swim out far enough. Monastery can be hazardous so I recommend finding a local guide if you haven't dived there recently.