Monterey Oct 10, 2010

[neve]

This is my first post in this sub-forum, so, hello everyone

I'll be in Santa Clara for work, and I was thinking of doing two dives in Monterey on Oct 10 (Sunday).

This is my first visit to the US west coast, and I've always wanted to dive the kelp forests of California, so your advice would be much appreciated.

Could anyone kindly recommend:

• a dive center in Monterey that does day trips, preferably one that departs in the afternoon.
• a decent hotel/B&B for overnight stay.

I also have some questions:

• Are there local dive guides I can buddy up with? I don't have a buddy, and I don't know the area well.
• Do dive centers provide equipment rental? I will only be in the US for a week so lugging all my gear from Asia is just nuts.
• Will I need a drysuit? If not, what kind of wetsuit should I get? I've logged 400+ dives, but mostly in warm waters. The coldest dives I've done were in 57F water off Bali, Indonesia.

Thanks so much for any comment/advice! :banana:

 

[kathydee]

Hi Neve,

I hope you enjoy diving our kelp forests, with luck the vis will be good but certainly nothing like the 20-30 meter vis and 27C of Bali Indonesia - where I learned to dive . Kelp forests have their own unique beauty though...

I think a guide is a great idea as it can be a bit shocking to drop down into the cold water after enjoying all those blissful warm dives. 57F in Bali? - I never found colder than 72F and back then that seemed artic .

You can rent equipment here. You need a drysuit certification card to rent a drysuit, Many people dive wet 7mm's, unfortunately I have no experience with local wetsuit diving or equipment rental, or hiring guides so will let others fill in those details.

Are you interested in shore or boat diving?

Many of us stay at the Lone Oak which has an equipment rinse bin - nothing fancy but it does the job and is reasonably priced

Lone Oak Lodge Monterey Hotel California Monterey Bay Lodge

I snooped in your dive log - see you trained with Gideon Liew out of Singapore - good stuff!!

 

[neve]

Hi Kathy,

Thanks for the kind reply.

The waters around Nusa Penida Island, off Bali, can get very cold in July, August, and September. Something about cold currents from Australia... not sure what it is but I'm glad it's there because the cold water brings the sunfish (mola-mola) closer to diveable depths.

What's the water temperature like in October there? I don't have drysuit certification, so I'll have to rent the thickest wetsuit I can get, it seems.

Shore/boat/gutters/whatever, I'm easy I even dive Singapore waters, it's like diving in chocolate milk, but hey I was desperate for a Nitrogen fix.

I'll have a look at Lone Oak, thanks for the link.

My online log hasn't been updated for yonks... thanks for the reminder! Yes, I agree that Gideon is an excellent instructor. I did my open water with him before he went GUE, and then did my fundy with him. He's like a rock star now, it's funny

 

[neve]

-deleted-

 

[kathydee]

The waters around Nusa Penida Island, off Bali, can get very cold in July, August, and September. Something about cold currents from Australia... not sure what it is but I'm glad it's there because the cold water brings the sunfish (mola-mola) closer to diveable depths.

Yes I've been to Crystal Bay several times searching for the large Mola-mola and haven't been lucky yet, probably because the upwelings had just started and the water was still "warm" . I did really enjoy the beautiful thermocline. But who can complain about a day with no Mola mola but lots of Manta at Manta Point.

What's the water temperature like in October there? I don't have dry suit certification, so I'll have to rent the thickest wetsuit I can get, it seems.

Our temp is commonly 53F (I think that's around 11C) It can run a few degrees cooler but it's rarely warmer.

 

[master00sniper]

Neve, I was just diving in Monterey a few weeks ago. Bottom temp @ 35 feet was slightly above 50 degrees, and a heavily used rental 7mm wetsuit with cheap hood, gloves, etc. Was keeping me at a cold but manageable temp. I've since purchased my own gear and am itching to go back out and test it. I do not know what your tolerance for cold is, but I've always thought mine was pretty good. I enjoy diving in cold water.

 

[alibi 2]

Welcome to Monterey!..I always dive wet and have for the last 36yrs...Im plenty comfortable as long as Im able to move on a dive and not sit stationary. I have dove wet in temps ot 43 degrees but I did get cold..our temps right now have been around 52 degrees.

If your driving from Santa Clara to Monterey you could rent your gear at Aqua Safaris in Santa Cruz, its right on your way right off the freeway. They change out their rental gear every year so the rental wetsuits are only a year old. I know right now they are using the Xcell wetsuit which i dive in...

If you prefer to rent everything in Monterey you have a couple shops there and most all the dive shops in Monterey have DM's available to hire as a guide. Good luck and have a great time!

Aqua Safaris Scuba Gear, Diving Equipment & Dive Travel

 

[neve]

Kathy: Come and dive in Bali again! I'm there every August so drop me a line if you're heading there, maybe we can dive together. Here's a little something to whet your appetite

Thanks everyone! I just booked guided dives with Aquarius Dive Shop and accommodation at Lone Oak. I appreciate the tips. Everyone I know here thinks I'm nuts to attempt diving California waters in a wetsuit, but I won't know until I try it. You guys seem to survive just fine I'm looking forward to it.

 

[blewgrass]

Neve,

We get lots of mola mola up here in Northern California, especially when the jellyfish are thick as they have been over the last year or so. Generally, divers do not come into contact with them unless they are open water diving from a boat in deeper waters. I used to pull my boat up to them and have my kids "pet" them lightly as they flapped their fins at the surface.

I think you will be happy diving wet with a 7 mil suit. If you can rent a suit that is of the "hyperstretch" "elastiprene" or any of the brand name stretchy neoprene suits you will be plenty warm and comfortable. If you get cold easily, then synthetic base layers like under armour, etc, will help.

At the risk of being flogged by the dry suit enthusiasts, I have no desire to dive dry... too time consuming to don and doff.. being a surfer and freediver, I like wetsuits.

Enjoy your diving

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

http://www.garlic.com/~triblet/ba_diving/ has information on
diving Monterey. We had 51F and 50F on dives today.

I'd bring basic stuff: Mask, booties, fins if you they fit booties,
gloves if you have them, reg, computer.

We get lots of little Molas here in the fall. They come in to be
cleaned. Most are dinner-plate-sized. Large-pizza-sized is
occasional. I've seen two jumbos in 1500+ dives here.