Quick Report from North Monastery

This is probably a bit unusual report from North Monastery simply because our average dive was not 60FT, it was not 90FT it was not even close to 120FT... it was... wait for it... wait for it.... 17FT. Yup, it's not a typo. We did 60minute dive in 17FT waters of North Monastery.

It was really nice day in Carmel in the afternoon and the Monastery beach was very calm (not a lake, but very calm). After nice 45minute dive on south side with +/- 30FT viz and almost no surge, we decided to explore the shallow waters of North Monastery. We entered at the far far far right side, took the heading to the wash rock and without any surface swim went down.

It was really calm exceptional dive with no surge and maybe 30FT viz and tons of colorful sponges, boulders forming mini-canyons and beautiful light green almost yellow kelp beds.

If you know Scubabump Steve, you have to agree that he is very calm, polite person. The first thing he said when we got out was "fuc***ing magic land". Yup it was that good!

North Monastery in the shallows is absolutely beautiful.

Although not the deep part, it is surgy and you can get rock and rolled, so all of the "normal" precautions still apply.

It is magic when the conditions are right.

My one dive at Monastery was south, but some of the best was in the very shallow water coming back, and admiring the moss and algae that looked like Rapunzel's hair, blowing in the surge. Magic is a good term for it.

Awesome... I need to try there.