Newbie diver: anyone dive Leo Carrillo State Beach in LA?

[Kathleen Sea Hare]

Hello!
I’m new diver, and visiting Los Angeles so I also have no experience diving there.

Has anyone dived Neo Carrillo State Beach in Los Angeles county? I read about it here

Leo Carrillo State Beach - California Diving News

... a local dive shop told me that’s not a good spot. If anyone has dived it, and has different experience or opinion of this spot for new divers, can you let me know? I was hoping to find a dive master to tour us who was local and knows this beach. Thanks for info!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’ve dived there and not too much of anything but sand unless you come across some finger reefs. We were looking for bugs and searching for any structure. We found some rock structure but no bugs. It’s hard to know where any rocks come up out in the ocean when you’re looking at the plain white sand beach with no indication of any underwater terrain, so we just had to cover a lot of ground out there to find stuff.
Also just so you know, there was a GW baby or juvenile that used to cruise that area of Malibu a few years back. It had been spotted by several people and made that stretch of beach it’s home. I don’t know if it’s still there or not.

 

[Kathleen Sea Hare]

Aloha Eric! Hey thanks for these details that’s what I was wondering about if the article was accurate on what’s there... also especially about the baby GW!

 

[kablooey]

This is another dive site not far from Leo Carillo.
Deer Creek

It's been a few years since we dived there, so my info may need updating.
Perhaps check with the Malibu Divers shop.
Deer Creek is right on the L.A./Ventura County line.

Deer Creek used to be a big favorite of our dive club.
Mostly because the parking is very close to the water, which means it's the shortest gear walk of any So Cal beach dive.

It's a sand entry (easy and safe).
I recall there is some reef structure not far from the beach that becomes more scattered as you go to the south side. Not deep. Great for exploring.

Go early to get parking. The beach fills up fast.
Lock your car and put valuables out-of-sight. Car break-ins have occurred there (don't ask me how I know).

Stop at Neptune's Net for lunch on the way home (across the street from Leo Carillo beach).

K.