Where to dive when swell is up...?

[mrabdiver111]

I had plans to head down to Monterey tomorrow and decided to scrub them due to monitoring the conditions all week and seeing that they were actually getting worse. I was down there last Sat. morning and viewed the washing machine in full spin cycle at Breakwater and watching some O/W folks getting pounded at the stairs. I ended up driving all the way around to Stillwater looking for a semi-decent spot to try and dive, checking out all the spots I knew of. Nothing looked even close to diveable, as Im sure alot of you saw for yourselves. I ended coming back to breakwater at around 2pm and saw that the tide had gone out and the seas had calmed a bit. My buddy and I suited up and attempted to find the pipe and hit the fields, since I had never seen it. Not a chance for us. The vis. was about 3~5 ft. and it got pretty surgy. After about 15 mins. we called it and went home.

I've heard that there is almost always somewhere to dive in Monterey when the conditions are crappy, or is that just wishful thinking? Also, does it have to do with the swell direction? I think the swells that weekend were from the SW as well as this weekend. If the swell was coming from the W, would there have been a protected area somewhere? Im just trying to get my head around this Monterey diving thing. I live in Concord and I dont want to drive all the way down there just to turn around.

Your guys' and gals' input would be much appreciated.

Rob

 

[Brewski]

When the conditions are like that, its a good day to go through pictures.

 

[Jon Nellis]

When Monterey conditions are bad, the place I like to dive is...

... Bonaire.

One stop in Houston on Saturday and you're there in 10 hours.

Some days there is just no refuge in Monterey or Carmel and then it's a good time to clean gear and take care of honeydo's. Thankfully, those days don't happen too often.

Diving deeper (100-200ft) can usually get you out of the surge, but the visibility won't necessarily be much better and you'll have to survive the boat ride.

This weekend I'll be cleaning the garage in the wake of my latest project...




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[dannobee]

Stillwater Cove, near Pebble Beach is nearly always flat and calm. Sometimes Point Lobos is diveable when other spots are blown out. Also, people just give up reservations when they see the swell is up.

 

[diveguy1]

We're getting a big storm in this weekend. Although you can usually find some sheltered area to to dive in Monterey, this weekend is one of those that you might be better off staying out of the water. Even if you're able to safely enter and exit the water, visibility will suffer. If you're going to try, it looks like it's best to get out Saturday morning.

You can check here to see some wave model forecasts:
Monterey Sea Conditions at a Glance

- Chris

 

[TheMadDane]

Lots of rain and wind with heavy runoff = 5ft viz. I'm 15 min from all the diving and I'm weed wacking the back 40 this weekend.

Like George Carlin said, ... You can't have it all, where would you put it?

 

[mrabdiver111]

Stillwater Cove, near Pebble Beach is nearly always flat and calm. Sometimes Point Lobos is diveable when other spots are blown out. Also, people just give up reservations when they see the swell is up.

I went down the 17 mile drive last weekend in search of a dive site and wound up at Stillwater. Im wondering though, where would be the entry point? On the side of the long pier? Also, is the dive site All the way to the rocks out there?

Thanks for all the info. fellas. Is anybody diving mid-week in Monterey? I may be interested. I have never been able to hit Monastery. The conditions have always been bad. Or even Lobos, Im always up to dive there. Although I've only dived there once.

Rob

 

[Jon Nellis]

When the winds or swells are out of the West or South (or any combination there of) Stillwater will be worse than Monterey (like this weekend) Pebble beach has a webcam to check conditions at Stillwater. There's been a couple times when I've made the trip down only to find out I should have stayed in Monterey.







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[bbianchi]

Not to mention this weekend was the ATT tourny (man I hate these things) so all of that side of the peninsula was not fun to navigate and apparently PG closed down all beach parking.

 

[matt mattison]

All I can say is I dove breakwater and monastary this weekend and had stellar conditions sturday 20 ft at break water and on sunday 50ft plus vis at moastary so it goes to show you can not allways go by the swell report.