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Our background:
I'm a fairly "inexperienced" diver...less than 50 dives over the course of 10 years. (Have had about 10 dives in the past year though.) Son is 14yrs old, got certified last year and has about 8 dives as well. We've been to Monterey breakwater several times, and done McAbee beach once. Looking for other dive sites, in particular places NOT to go as well. I hear scary things about Monastery, but not sure what makes it so dangerous. If things are calm on the surface, does that mean things are "safe" underwater as well? Or is it the heavy surf that makes Monastery so dangerous? Looking for any insight and advice...thanks!
I haven't been to Monastery myself for a few years... so take this with a grain of salt.
The biggest issue with Monastery is the steep beach. This leads to the waves breaking suddenly and HARD as the beach slopes up. It doesn't take much wave action to cause dangerous surf. The center of the beach is the worst. Dive either the North or the South ends only.
The second issue is the surf can change rapidly from calm to impassable. This can happen during the dive.
Third issue is the long slog through soft sand. Not so much a safety issue if you are fit, but a hassle none-the-less.
If the conditions are right, Monastery can be a gorgeous dive. Well worth visiting - UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS. Would I do it with a in-experienced youth? No, if even only that they would have a hard time getting you to shore if something happened to you.
Monastery is a beach that if the surf comes up - you stay out past the surf zone and wave for help. The Coast Guard will eventually come.
All of that said, take your son to Pt. Lobos, Whaler's Cove. Fantastic sea life and a very easy entry. You do need reservations.
Make sure you practice your Monastary Crawl before you go. I have seen many a diver and done it once or twice myself, went in while condiotions where great and crawled out with reg in and mask on, no air in the BC, and dont stop crawling until you are above the high water mark. It is a dive you need to finish with quite a bit of air in the tank as you may need to exert yourself crawling thru breakers.
The regulator in mouth is an important one, and something I follow at most any beach. Having been tripped up by a rock underwater at the Breakwater, I learned my lesson, and reg in mouth means I always got air. The waves stripped the mask off my face and I didn't even feel it go.
We were at Lobos one day when the rescue crew came and pulled a petite teenager and her father from the water because she was not capable of getting back onto the beach safely. The brother made it out and called 911. It started as a calmer day and wound up getting bigger during their dive. Happened to be the same day the two teenagers from Reno died in Monterey Bay.
There are plenty of places to dive around the Carmel area including Carmel River Beach, Butterfly house, Coral Street, Still Water Cove, and many more. Much of where you can and can not go is going to be determined by the entire dive teams physical capabilities. Everyone needs to be able to fend for themselves. By that I mean on larger surf days someone may not be able to get to or assist their dive buddy safely nor easily. Those are the days you walk away and find another dive site.
Current can run pretty strong around the beach area, but typically the conditions underwater are nothing like the entry and exit.
To be clear what makes Monastery dangerous is the beach is very steep. What this means is the water movement will actually suck you back out quickly. You can be standing a couple feet from the edge of the break yet the waves are crashing over your head. The gravel is larger, not a fine sand, which lets your feet sink right in. So every step is only half a step since you sink down again. It can be very physically demanding to walk out of the water, even on a calmer day.
They don't call it mortuary beach for nothing. Many people have died there.
I don't know how tall your son is, but one of the problems with Monastery is that, if you are short, you end up having to stand up to take your fins off right where the shore break is. This is an almost unmanageable problem if there is any surf AT ALL, because it will break right where you are standing. My one experience with Monastery was on a day where the surf was maybe 6", and I got knocked down and could not get up, even with major help.
Go to Lobos. The diving is equally good but much safer.
The others have properly covered Monastery, the only established shore dive that requiers extreme cation. However all of the sites require cation, The conditions need to right or I do not dive. I always say we might be going diving, or we might be spending the day at the aquarium. I'll be happy either way.
I also strongly recommend Point Lobos. Start by looking at the maps of Point Lobos' whaler's Cove dive sites and ask the other divers in the parking lot for advice on how to find Middle Reef. Try to dive Lobos on a incoming tide or at lest before an outgoing tide. An outgoing tide brings a lot of particular matter from the cove with it and often reduces visibility. An incoming tide brings clearer water from the open bay. This is a beautiful place both above and below the water. Bring a lunch there are great picnic tabbles and bathrooms for your surface interval.
Unless the water is glass or ankle lapping, Monastery is an absolute ALL gear on entry and exit. Look like a diver until you are high and dry, this includes mask, fins, regulator/snorkel.
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Originally Posted by TSandM
