NorCal Freshwater Dive Sites

[Eric Sedletzky]

If you love Crawdads, then there are some great opportunities in the Sierras. Prior to moving from Berkeley, CA up here to the PNW / Puget Sound 25 years ago...... our family had a small cabin in Truckee that we would frequent all year..... In the spring, summer and fall, I would leave on a Friday afternoon for the 3-4 hour drive. On the way into the Truckee area we would stop on the North shore of Donner Lake. Lots of easy entry points. We had a few spots where there we're trees or other deadfalls that had fallen into the lake. We'd take 5 or cans of cheap catfood, poke a few holes in the cans and then toss them into the lake around the deadfall... then go to cabin and get some sleep. Then return the next morning with our gear and goodie bags. First order of business was to retrieve the now empty catfood cans. 2nd order was to grab and bag the hundreds of dads that have gathered over night... Just love eating those little fresh water lobsters and nice to know they are coming from a source that you could basically drink.

I used to gather hundreds (maybe even thousands) over the years of crawdads in Lake Tahoe on the north end at Speed Boat Beach which is right at state line. There’s lots of structure for them to hide.
I would just start flipping over rocks and there they were.
Many great crawdad boils we had! I use Zatarain’s crab and crawdad boil and some cayenne pepper or “Slap ya Mama” cajun seasoning available at Lucky’s.
I was just kidding about fresh water diving. I love sierra lakes. I’ll have to try Donner, that sounds fun!

There’s also one river dive I’ve been fantasizing about for years. Along the Arroyo Seco River in the central part of the state in the Los Padres National Forest there is a gorge. When I was a kid in the 1960’s my family used to swim this part of the river every spring and it was a tradition. We would leave a car many miles down stream then enter the river upstream and float the river all day long. The trip ended swimming through this gorge with towering walls that formed a narrow dark corridor and water so deep in the crevice that it appeared black. Who knows how deep it is at the deepest part but I imagine it’s pretty deep. Just after the gorge there is a campground and that’s where we would end the trip. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea to dive the deep holes of that gorge.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I found some pics of the arroyo seco gorge

 

[cassiebrown]

I just don't get around much. Tahoe is a short drive away for me in Reno. Donner and Fallen Leaf Lakes are good spots up here, too. I've got designs on schlepping in a wetsuit and small tank to check out a few others in the area. I met some guys who were planning a trip to Convict Lake, which apparently gets relatively deep. I'd definitely be interested in joining any expeditions!

I jump in Tahoe most every weekend (it was a toasty 41F on Sunday). I've been exploring new sites and collecting info about and diving established ones for a few years now. If anyone's interested, I've got 41 dive sites across 22 locations described on my website, DiveLakeTahoe.com, and I have a few more I still need to add. (I am not a guide or instructor and don't make any money on the site.)

Great site---thank you!

 

[wnissen]

Who is interested in a dive in Pinecrest Lake over Labor Day weekend? I have a call into the ranger station, the folks at the one off Highway 108 didn't know offhand and will get back to me whether it is permitted.

 

[Nick_Radov]

I'd like to try driving in Yosemite's Tenaya Lake sometime just to see what's there. Have swam in that lake but never had an opportunity to dive. It's right on the main road and should be an easy shore dive.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

The other one would be Donner lake.
That might be fun.

 

[Ca_Ghost]

I’m just getting back in to diving after a 5 year hiatus. I’ve never dove fresh water before but am interested in trying it.

I’m in Stanislaus County and am not to far from Tulloch, Don Pedro and New Melones. Has anyone dove these?

 

[jmcgilroy]

I just viewed a video of a submerged seaplane in Lake Tahoe. It was taken by an ROV and the telemetry shows it at 30 meters. On the fringe of an altitude/rec dive but doable. I'll be doing some research to find some coordinates but maybe someone can assist? Has anyone made this dive?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I just viewed a video of a submerged seaplane in Lake Tahoe. It was taken by an ROV and the telemetry shows it at 30 meters. On the fringe of an altitude/rec dive but doable. I'll be doing some research to find some coordinates but maybe someone can assist? Has anyone made this dive?

Do you know the location?

 

[lostsheep]

I found some pics of the arroyo seco gorge
View attachment 712200View attachment 712201View attachment 712202

Just found this old post about the gorge and feel obligated to chime in.

I’ve freedived EVERY hole between the horsebridge and the “waterfall”. Most are 30’ or shallower. The last one before the walls get really narrow is probably 60’ and it is COLD down there.

There is a really deep pool below the first main swimming hole but it is hard to get to. I’ve ridden rocks down to about 45’ and could not see the bottom…I’ve always wanted scuba for that one.