Santa Monica Pier Break Water

[pasley]

Has anyone ever dove the Santa Monica Pier breakwater. I see on my maps that there is a breakwater running parralel to shore off the end of the pier in about 24 Feet of water. How far from shore is it (map lacks scale). How is the dive? Want to go dive it?

 

[scottfiji]

sure, I'll dive it, I live near it.. but I don't think we are technically allowed to dive under the pier...the breakwater might be ok... I haven't actually looked out there in a while, I can take a look tomorrow to see where it is...

It's pretty sandy there, so we'd probably want to wait for low surf / high tide conditions.

Scott

 

[headhunter]

Here is a link to a couple of before and after arial photos of the breakwater and pier in 1931 and 1949:

http://web.whittier.edu/fairchild/santa_monica.html

At least you can get the scale from that. I read somewhere that the pier is about 2,000 feet long and that about half of that is over the water. That would put the breakwater about 500 feet past the end of the pier.

I'll let you know if I find more.

It looks like it was originally a really long breakwater.

I'd be up for exploring this. Although, I've never heard of anyone diving this, so there may be a reason.

Christian

 

[desert camel]

looks pretty far away from shore. may need a boat for that.

 

[headhunter]

Here is a story by someone who dove it with a boat:

http://www.diver.net/seahunt/d_dream.htm

It looks like it's about 2-3 times as far as the swim to Deadman's in Laguna.

I think it's doable.

Christian

 

[PhotoTJ]

Dove it twice, if you catch a good viz day, it's fantastic, if a bad viz day, it's diving in soup. (I've had one of each.) And there are a lot more bad viz days than good. Lot's of life, but I'm way leary about taking anything, bugs, scallops, or otherwise.

 

[dazedone]

It looks like it's about 2-3 times as far as the swim to Deadman's in Laguna.

I think it's doable.

Christian

Too bad you can't giant stride off the end of the pier!

 

[headhunter]

Too bad you can't giant stride off the end of the pier!

Yeah, I actually checked the municipal codes on that!

Not only is it illegal to dive off the pier, but you are not allowed to "walk" on the breakwater either. I guess that you can do that on some of it at low tide, but otherwise it seems a little deep for that kind of thing. :11:

Christian

 

[pasley]

I went out to the Santa Monica pier to eye ball the Break wall today. It is located parallel to shore and about 100 feet from the end of the pier. In short, it appears to be about the same or less than the swim to Deadman's in Laguna. It is certainly swimable, albeit a long swim. I am going to give this a go and try the dive. I have heard from more than one who has been there and dove it, Reports are if the vis is bad, the dive is well, bad, but if vis is good.....it is a great dive. So I am now planning to dive there on Friday 22 October. Time TBD. So who wants to give it a try?

 

[headhunter]

I went out to the Santa Monica pier to eye ball the Break wall today. It is located parallel to shore and about 100 feet from the end of the pier. In short, it appears to be about the same or less than the swim to Deadman's in Laguna. It is certainly swimable, albeit a long swim. I am going to give this a go and try the dive. I have heard from more than one who has been there and dove it, Reports are if the vis is bad, the dive is well, bad, but if vis is good.....it is a great dive. So I am now planning to dive there on Friday 22 October. Time TBD. So who wants to give it a try?

I'm interested. I think I can go. I'll know for sure a bit closer to the date. We may be getting some storms coming through from the north, so I'll be interested in seeing what really happens.

Christian