Pebble Beach Dive report

[petrieps]

I went to work this morning, by noon I had had enough. I've been out of the water too long and decided it was a dive day. I hadn't dove Pebble Beach in years but for some reason that site was in my head. The conditions were perfect bright sun, calm seas and not an office or computer anywhere to be seen.
Once in the water I remembered why it's not one of my usual dive sites, not much to be seen there. Still a good dive though, bottom time 62 minutes, minimum temp 47, max depth 27 feet, and vis maybe 6-8 feet. Saw lots of lobsters, but nothing worth gauging. I did bag three nice size flounder, ended up letting 2 go and kept the biggest, a real monster. It was delicious.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Any pictures of anything?
Even though I'm 3000 miles away it still sounds fun.

 

[petrieps]

no camera, someday i'll get one

 

[reefseal]

At the risk of a bunch of others slamming me for saying this.. IMHO, It's a dangerous dive. (Like Niles, Stage Fort Park..) Pebble is such a boring dive that divers have been known to drown by regs falling out of their mouth by falling asleep.

"It's a pretty dive" = Zzzz....

That being said.. If you have to get in, it's an option.

I'm sure it's cooler night dive but any sight at night to me is cooler.

 

[AfterDark]

The best time of the day to dive is after dark!

 

[eab]

Once in the water I remembered why it's not one of my usual dive sites, not much to be seen there.

Hey Petrieps. *Not* trying to stir the pot and I am seriously asking the question.... Where are some of your usual, much to see sites? I am a fan of Pebble, and am curious what I'm missing and where. Please share!

Thanks!

 

[petrieps]

Fair enough question, but not one I can entirely answer.

It's not that I dislike Pebble, It's just not a site I would return to time and time again. I've been there 3 times in the last 16 years. You used to be able to catch surf clams there, didn't see any signs this time. I swam up and down both reefs and it was all pretty much the same, just small rocks and sand. Any site with the word beach in it is usually pretty lame IMO. What is it that makes you a fan of Pebble Beach?

I like sites with more structure. Magnolia rocks used to be one of my favorites. This time of year it's loaded with lumpfish, always cool to see. Now I rarely dive there any more due to the popularity and the constant boat traffic overhead.
Off season I dive all the regular sites, I do favor Rockport though. When the bugs are in I have a couple spots off the beaten path that I dive regularly.

 

[eab]

There's a labyrinth of rocks that we swam around and through for about 45 minutes a couple times. Yeah, not much to see, but how often do you get to swim in a rock maze? I also like to poke around in the crater off to the far right. I've seen lumpfish and a wolf eel there several times as well as the usual lobsters, sculpins, grubby sculpins, skates, rock eels.

The other thing that's cool about Pebble is the incoming tide as it cascades across the rocks. It sounds like applause. Not a diving thing, but I've never heard it anywhere else.

I agree about Mag Rocks. Cool dive, but a bit crowded on shore and in the water.

Thanks for the honest reply! Always looking to see if someone has a place I haven't heard of or been to.

 

[eab]

[ removed double post ... sorry! internet troubles :-( ]