Monterey Kelp Forest Sept 2 - 10

[Web Monkey]

I'm going to be in Monterey Sept 2 - 10, and would love to dive the kelp forest

Anybody want to go for a dive?

Also, I need to get my pony bottle refilled (UPS won't let me ship it full). Does anybody have a recommendation for a good dive shop near San Jose

 

[scubasean]

there are several in the San Jose area...

Try Diver Dans in Santa Clara...

http://www.diverdans.com/


Lots of locations in Monterey have kelp...Any idea where in Monterey you will be diving?

 

[Web Monkey]

scubasean once bubbled...
there are several in the San Jose area...

Try Diver Dans in Santa Clara...

http://www.diverdans.com/


Lots of locations in Monterey have kelp...Any idea where in Monterey you will be diving?

I've never been there before, so I'm open to anything within reasonable driving distance from San Jose

Got any suggestions?

 

[aquagal]

Have you dove in kelp before?

There are many different sites depending on your skill level. The easiest is the Breakwater just north of Cannery row. It's a popular area for the skill portion of OW classes so its usually very crowded on Saturdays. The vis is usually poor because of so many people stirring it up. The metridium fields are near there and vis is sometimes a little better at that area. Most of the Monterey sites are fairly easy to reach from shore but you'll have a long surface swim if the tide is low.

Carmel sites are more challenging and if this is your first time diving in the bay it would be better to hire a dive master to do some orientation dives with. Or you could boat dive. There are a lot of dive boats to choose from. I've only dove from the Escapade http://www.divecentral.com/index.html and found them to be a great operation. My buddy has dove from the Silver Prince
http://www.mbdc.to/boattrip.htm and Monterey Express http://www.montereyexpress.com/. She's had good experiences with both.

My buddy and I are shore diving this weekend. We might boat dive next weekend 9/7 but haven't decided yet. Maybe we'll see you in the water.

Aquagal

 

[summer99]

If you're diving Monterey Bay breakwater by Monterey Bay Aquarium, don't forget a dive knife.

 

[Web Monkey]

I signed up for the afternoon dive on the Escapade for Sat the 6th.

I'll probably do some shore dives before then.

If you decide to go, drop me an email.

aquagal once bubbled...
Have you dove in kelp before?

There are many different sites depending on your skill level. The easiest is the Breakwater just north of Cannery row. It's a popular area for the skill portion of OW classes so its usually very crowded on Saturdays. The vis is usually poor because of so many people stirring it up. The metridium fields are near there and vis is sometimes a little better at that area. Most of the Monterey sites are fairly easy to reach from shore but you'll have a long surface swim if the tide is low.

Carmel sites are more challenging and if this is your first time diving in the bay it would be better to hire a dive master to do some orientation dives with. Or you could boat dive. There are a lot of dive boats to choose from. I've only dove from the Escapade http://www.divecentral.com/index.html and found them to be a great operation. My buddy has dove from the Silver Prince
http://www.mbdc.to/boattrip.htm and Monterey Express http://www.montereyexpress.com/. She's had good experiences with both.

My buddy and I are shore diving this weekend. We might boat dive next weekend 9/7 but haven't decided yet. Maybe we'll see you in the water.

Aquagal

 

[Wristshot]

This may be too late, since it is already Sept 2.

Diver Dan's in Santa Clara is essentially in San Jose. San Jose is a very large metropolitan area (population > 900,000) with a lot of urban sprawl and many outlying communities immediately adjacent to it. If you weren't paying attention you would not even know that you left San Jose and entered another adjacent city.

Other good dive shops in the San Jose area:

West San Jose = Any Water Sports
South San Jose = Pacific Offshore Divers (PODI)

By the way, when you use a knife in kelp, be sure that you strap it somewhere that it will not catch on the kelp. Inside the leg is okay, outside the leg could be a problem.

After your visit to the Monterey Bay area, let us know what you think of diving here.

Wristshot

 

[Scubaroo]

Shears work much better than a knife on kelp - you can use them one handed. Knives generally require both hands to be free - one to hold what you're cutting, one to hold the knife. Buddies work even better.

Kelp breaks *very* easily if you just snap it with your fingers - however it's almost impossible to break by pulling lengthways.

There is very little monofilament line around the Breakwater, but you never know your luck. So take at least one cutting device.

 

[Web Monkey]

Wristshot once bubbled...
This may be too late, since it is already Sept 2.

Diver Dan's in Santa Clara is essentially in San Jose. San Jose is a very large metropolitan area (population > 900,000) with a lot of urban sprawl and diving here.

Wristshot

Thanks for the help, but as it turns out, I had to fly back early, and never got a chance to dive 8-(.

 

[Wristshot]

Too bad, because based on what everyone else is posting, the diving has been real good lately.

I am finally over the pulled hamstring, and now I blocked a slap shot with my thigh, so I stayed dry this weekend. My schedule is pretty busy, so I have to keep missing all this great opportunities to diver with SBers.

Someday it will all come together.

Wristshot