Who to dive with in Monterey

[computo]

I'm planning driving through Monterey, CA soon, and want do some diving. I've never done any diving there. Any recommendations on good dive shops? Should I plan on a boat dive, or can I get to good areas from the shore? There seem to be a lot of different places I can dive. Any opinions on what would be better?

Thanks

 

[joewr]

Hi, Computo!

Now (as Ross Perot would say), I live two hours from Monterey, have a bother, whom I visit often, who lives 20 minutes from Monterey--and I have never dived there! But I have gone there a lot, seen and talked to divers there a lot, and know people in the local (San Rafael) dive club who go there fairly often. So, in case no one of that bunch answers you, consider my thoughts.

Dive shops: The Bamboo Reef in Monterey is tops from what I hear--I think they do both boat and shore dives.
Marin Skin Divers in San Rafael has regular trips to Monterey--I think they also do both boat and shore dives.

You can do unguided shore dives by renting tanks at the Bamboo Reef and they will tell you where to enter. But, I bet it is easy to get lost in that murksy stuff. One place I have seen folks enter fairly often is at Lovers' Point--you might even see a wedding taking place. People also enter regularly near Cannery Row. There is a big parking lot that diver use--the best address I can give is 32 Cannery Row, the location of Backscatter, an U/W camera shop.

The reasons we do not dive Monterey are threefold:

(1) Cold water
(2) Murky water
(3) Kelp--entangling kelp
(4) Did I mention cold, murky water?

But there are lots of avid divers who are willing to don 7mm wetsuits, hoods, gloves, vests, lots and lots of weights, etc., and see the wonders. Myself, I go the Monterey Aquarium--which I recommend you do--dive or not.

Do you Kayak? If so, you can rent a Kayak and see the sea otters up close and personal--and breath deeply of the fragrance of sea lion feces as you round one corner of the bay!

Also, try the Old Bathhouse for lunch or dinner--pricey, but excellent food. For a place a little lower on the price scale, try Rappas on Fisherman's Wharf--good local sea food. And do not fail to try lots of our San Francisco Sour Dough French Bread! In fact, buy some sour dough, a good bottle of California wine and some Monterey Jack Cheese and drive down to Pacific Grove (adjacent to Monterey) along the shore and have a picnic while you watch the beautiful Pacific waves crash on the rocky coast! Very pretty!

I do not have the phone numbers of the places above handy, but if you want them, let me know and I will get them for you.

Have a blast!

Joewr

 

[joewr]

Alain,

He may be a bother, but he is still my brother!

And I got much better grades in English than I did in touch typing in high school. But you have got to type accurately to demonstrate that!

Joewr

 

[computo]

Thanks for the information. I still don't know whether I should go ahead or not, however. I live now in Tennessee - local diving here is limited to quarries, which, if you have never been in one, are about as exciting as you would guess. On a good day, the viz can get all the way up to 15 feet. I've noticed a couple of dive shops on the web, one of which lists visibility at different points between 25 and 35 feet. Do you think they are accurate?

I was considering, before your post, the idea of paying for a divemaster to guide us. Your comments make me think this might be a good idea.

Actually, I grew up in San Francisco (Corte Madera and San Bruno, technically), but moved away a bunch of years ago. I'm picking my son up from college in Portland, and we'll be driving down the coast before heading back East. I'm looking forward to good food, some good wine, and definitely some great french bread again.

Thanks for the suggestions. Maybe someone who has Monterey diving experience will add their comments.

Computo

 

[joewr]

Okay, Computo...did not know you were a ringer! One of my best friends lives in Corte Madera--near Paradise Drive. And my daughter-in-law's parents do not live too far from San Bruno! Small world.

I chatted with one of my dive buddies who has done Monterey and he says that doing it unguided for the first time would be an error. He has never dived a quarry--we hear they are the repository of lots of old VW Bugs--but has seen (or,maybe it would be better to say, not seen)15 ft vis on a windy day in Monterey and would not liked to have been a first time diver under those circumstances. At any rate, he says that a dive shop adventure would be a good idea. By the way, I introduced him to tropical diving and he has stopped diving Monterey--I am a bad influence!

Welcome back to the Bay Area!

Joewr

 

[computo]

Thanks.

Quarry diving is an experience. Depending on the age of the quarry and creativity of the quarry owner, you can find all sorts of stuff. I've seen complete kitchens (stove, refrigerator, formica table and chairs), school buses, small boats. The murkiness of the water makes a good challenge for orienteering.

About the only good thing about quarries is that they are pretty easy to get to and it doesn't cost much to dive.

Computo

 

[Triton]

I was in Monterey about a week ago and had a couple of really good beach dives, we dove at Lover’s point in the morning and McAbee beach in the afternoon. Visibility for both places was about 20 to 25 feet and the water was at 52 degrees. The kelp is starting to get a little thick in some places which is good if you are diving through it, but if you need to surface, make sure to look for a clear spot before doing so. You also want to make sure you have enough air coming back because sometimes there is no way around the kelp except to get under it. Believe me, it’s no fun and extremely tiring if you have to swim over the kelp (don’t ask me how I know that).

To find out about diving conditions, I will usually drive around to different dive sites since they are close together and will ask the divers coming out about their dive. That way I can go to the place with the best visibility.

This site has a general map to give you an idea of where the different dive sites are along with the dive conditions.

http://www.mantaraydive.com/divecond.htm

Unfortunately, I can’t help you with getting a guide, I had a friend of mine show me around, but I think that getting a guide would be a good idea, they would be able to show you some of the best places.

If you end up getting a guide, let me know who you ended up with and how you liked them.

Also, here is another site where you can find pictures and video clips of Monterey.

http://www.metridium.com

Have fun.
Triton

 

[computo]

Thanks, Triton (and joewr).

Based on your comments and joewr's as well, I think we'll go ahead with our plans to dive in Monterey, but definitely find ourselves a guide. I'll dig through past postings and see if I find any favorable impressions of dive shops in Monterey. I'll definitely let you know how it turns out.

From your collective comments, I think we'll be best served if we don't let our expectations get out of line and/or succumb to the hyperbole at the dive shop web-sites I've seen. Our experience to date has been at a couple of locations in Florida and the aforementioned quarries. Monterey has GOT to be better than the quarries.

Computo

 

[sactomags]

I got certified in Monterey (and Lake Tahoe, where it was snowing at the time, but that's another story). There is some INCREDIBLE diving there and vis can reach 70+ feet. The water, unfortunately, does not get into the 70s ... yes, it is cool -- right now, June, it is in the low to mid 50s with the occasional high 40s thrown in there(and sometimes downright cold), but it is wonderful.
Plankton bloom and kelp are just two things to deal with, but the first time you see a curious seal swimming by, or perhaps the lovely starfish, anenomes, halibut -- and I've heard stories of a Giant octo in the vicinity.

Local boats include Monterey Express and Cypress Point, local shops include Monterey Bay Dive Center, Bamboo Reef, and others. I also recommend that your first dive be "escorted" as there are some hazards along with incredible diving.

If you're interested, I can send you some links to get local info. Email me (grabill@yahoo.com) and I'll zap it to you. In fact, we'll be there this coming weekend (July 1-2) and will be diving Point Lobos on the 2nd and are hoping for some good vis. And, in case you're wondering, I dive with a 7mm wetsuit.

Sactomags

 

[Triton]

Sactomags,

I'm jealous, I still have not made it to Point Lobos, I heard it can be really good diving. What part of Point Lobos are you looking at diving?

We are going to try and get a couple of dives in Monterey this Saturday, still don't have a destination for our first dive, but our second dive will most likely be the metridium field at the Breakwater.

Anyway, I would really be interested in hearing about your dive at Point Lobos, so if you get a chance, maybe you can post on how your dive went.

Have a great time.
Triton