Karl_in_Calif
Banned
Those of you who have emailed me about visiting & diving Northern California from out of state, you can get a guided dive from Aquarius Dive Shop
http://www.aquariusdivers.com/
or from Monterey Bay Dive Center
http://www.montereyscubadiving.com/
Both those stores rent gear. Most stores open at 9 a.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. weekends in Monterey.
The easiest place to dive here, which is also one of the most beautiful in California depending on the visibility and weather, is Point Lobos State Reserve. it requires reservations in advance, and is best to dive in the mornings, from 9 a.m. to noon. That is such an easy dive site that you probably would not need a guide there. But if you have not dived cold water in several years, a guide would certainly be a good idea.
Another easy dive, complete with sea lions who will sometimes come play with the divers, is at the end of the breakwater jetty at San Carlos State Beach, known locally as Breakwater beach.
Yet another beautiful place here is the south beach at Carmel River State Beach, known locally as South Monastery beach. If the other two sites are blown out by south-west swells, then South Monastery is often calm, since it is protected from the south. To dive here, you should have a local guide with you.
All 3 of these sites are fairly shallow. Lobos is 20 to 25 ft. Breakwater is 30 to 45 ft. South Monastery is 30 to 45 ft as well. So either air or EAN36 is a good choice, assuming you and your friends in your group are nitrox certified.
Most diving guides would normally require you to sign a waiver for insurance purposes, listen to a beach briefing, and follow their instructions.
You can dive up to 3 dives in one day if you like, although I highly recommend nitrox for the 2nd and 3rd dives if you want to dive more than twice in one day.
You will need to rent gear from one of the local stores, like those I mentioned above. You can call them in advance, give them your sizes, and reserve the gear.
Gear needed:
Wetsuit (farmer john) 7mm
Hood, gloves, boots
Weight belt with approx 20 to 45 lbs weight for ocean diving (I have never seen anyone here use less than 20 lbs with a farmer john 7mm wetsuit, nor more than 45 lbs)
B/C
regulator (with console including compass & SPG)
tank(s)
Some stores rent drysuits as well, and if you can find a rental drysuit that fits you well, and you have drysuit experience, that can be more comfortable and warm, especially between dives, than a wetsuit. Most drysuits come with boots attached, or rental boots. You would still need a wetsuit hood of some kind, and wetsuit gloves.
Make sure you bring your own fins, mask, and snorkel. Your fins need to fit over boots. It is nice if you have your own computer as well, but not critical.
Message me if you have any more questions about diving here.
http://www.aquariusdivers.com/
or from Monterey Bay Dive Center
http://www.montereyscubadiving.com/
Both those stores rent gear. Most stores open at 9 a.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. weekends in Monterey.
The easiest place to dive here, which is also one of the most beautiful in California depending on the visibility and weather, is Point Lobos State Reserve. it requires reservations in advance, and is best to dive in the mornings, from 9 a.m. to noon. That is such an easy dive site that you probably would not need a guide there. But if you have not dived cold water in several years, a guide would certainly be a good idea.
Another easy dive, complete with sea lions who will sometimes come play with the divers, is at the end of the breakwater jetty at San Carlos State Beach, known locally as Breakwater beach.
Yet another beautiful place here is the south beach at Carmel River State Beach, known locally as South Monastery beach. If the other two sites are blown out by south-west swells, then South Monastery is often calm, since it is protected from the south. To dive here, you should have a local guide with you.
All 3 of these sites are fairly shallow. Lobos is 20 to 25 ft. Breakwater is 30 to 45 ft. South Monastery is 30 to 45 ft as well. So either air or EAN36 is a good choice, assuming you and your friends in your group are nitrox certified.
Most diving guides would normally require you to sign a waiver for insurance purposes, listen to a beach briefing, and follow their instructions.
You can dive up to 3 dives in one day if you like, although I highly recommend nitrox for the 2nd and 3rd dives if you want to dive more than twice in one day.
You will need to rent gear from one of the local stores, like those I mentioned above. You can call them in advance, give them your sizes, and reserve the gear.
Gear needed:
Wetsuit (farmer john) 7mm
Hood, gloves, boots
Weight belt with approx 20 to 45 lbs weight for ocean diving (I have never seen anyone here use less than 20 lbs with a farmer john 7mm wetsuit, nor more than 45 lbs)
B/C
regulator (with console including compass & SPG)
tank(s)
Some stores rent drysuits as well, and if you can find a rental drysuit that fits you well, and you have drysuit experience, that can be more comfortable and warm, especially between dives, than a wetsuit. Most drysuits come with boots attached, or rental boots. You would still need a wetsuit hood of some kind, and wetsuit gloves.
Make sure you bring your own fins, mask, and snorkel. Your fins need to fit over boots. It is nice if you have your own computer as well, but not critical.
Message me if you have any more questions about diving here.
