Unconventional Dive Sites (Santa Cruz area)

[kf6alc]

So, I am thinking of doing some shore/beach dives in the Santa Cruz area, but there is NO information on on any dive site between Marin and Monterey. Has anyone dove say under Fishermans Wharf in Santa Cruz? Or some of the beaches north of SC, like RWB, Bonny Doon, Greyhound Rock, etc? It strikes me these are some beautiful beaches, it can't be that bad of a diving spot either, but maybe I am missing something.

I am wondering if the dives there are just not great, or if there is some other reason no one dives these beaches. I understand it may not have a great reef or some such attraction, but I have friends (non divers)that go to these beaches, and I thought it would be fun to break out the gear and just walk into the ocean in front of them, saying, "see ya in about an hour" and tell them what lies just beneath the surface where they are standing. It may get some buddies to get interested in diving with me, so I sort of have an ulterior motive, but I would also like to use these local areas to practice my skills, fine tune my bouyancy, etc, as these areas are closer and easier to access.

Thanks in advance for any info from someone who can help me decide if I should try these beaches!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I'd dive it, why not?
I have dove in places that others would never think of diving and found them to be extremely interesting. That's what an exploration diver is, someone who dives where nobody else has or would never think of diving. Even if the diving sucked, who cares, at least you dove it and know for sure that there isn't anything worth while to see. On the other hand what if there is some structure or maybe even a wreck? You would have been the first to find it.
Go dive it and let us know how it is.

ZKY

 

[dannobee]

I've dived with someone who lives about two blocks from the beach in Santa Cruz and I asked him about it and says the vis is typically measured in inches, but a half a dozen times out of the year it opens up to 10-15 ft, then you can see why people don't dive there much. It didn't sound like he did much there except spear fishing, FWIW.

But give it a try and tell us how it is.

The reasons nobody dives around the SF area is because it's in the "Red Triangle," and the bottom is mostly sand (at least that area around the GG bridge). The currents really rip here too (6+ knots that I've personally seen). Not only those, but the vis from the delta waters muddy up everything around.

 

[Rev. Blade]

I did my advance open water cert. dives in Santa Cruz bay. "Clear vis" ended at my mask. I could see my outstretched hand fairly well, but could not make out my dive buddy if he was at arms length of my outstretched hand. (True we have long arms, but no one's arm is that long.)

Red Triangle = Great Whites
Most people don't dive north of Monterey until they are up near Zky's neighborhood.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=122431&highlight=red+triangle
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=108773&highlight=red+triangle

If you drop by Aqua Safaris http://www.aquasafaris.com/ you can get on their email distribution for weekly dive condition updates... for Monterey. Even the Santa Cruz dive shops send people to Monterey to dive.

 

[barnacleben]

i'm from santa cruz and recently certified here (basic/advanced/nitrox) through aqua safaris. my instructor says that santa cruz has a limestone sea bed, unlike monterey--which is granite. that's why the vis is so poor here--even without algae blooms, there is always fine, particulate matter in the water...

however, i did a dive off the municipal pier and that was fun. it's all close-up viewing of what's on the pilings. there are plenty of sea lions too, but they pretty much ignore you. unless you are into hovering and anemones, it's probably advizeable to make the trip to monterey in most situations...

on the other hand, i'd be interested in exploring a few of the points around santa cruz when the surf is totally flat, just out of curiosity to see what's there.

any takers?

ben