Florida diver looking for diving buddies in Monterey

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Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
St Petersburg, FL
# of dives
25 - 49
Hi everyone. Newbie here on the boards.

I'm flying out to visit friends in Monterey next week, and I've heard how great the diving is. I'd like to spend a day seeing what there is to offer. I probably don't have more than a day, but my schedule is flexible from Tues - Fri.

1) I've done somewhere in the the neighborhood of 30 dives, about a third of them shore dives. I've only done a couple of cold-water dives, however. Because of my relative inexperience, I'm kind of hoping I can find a group of people shore diving. I hear from my friends that they see groups of divers doing the shore dives regularly. Anybody know how I might get plugged in with this? Also, my understanding is shore dives are the way to go in Monterey because the kelp forests aren't so far away. Is this true?

2) I have some of my own gear I could bring, but it seems that dive rentals run a pretty fair price out there, and with the cost of luggage and needing to rent my own tanks and weights anyway, maybe that's all a wash. Anyway, can anybody offer any advice on the decision of whether to bring one's own gear or not? I have a dive computer, so that helps, but I've only recently started using it anyway. I can make do with rented equipment in decent repair. What do people think of the dive shops out there?

I'll appreciate any information. I've been very busy and I only recently discovered this website. Of course, if anyone wants to hang out and dive, libations could be in your future...
 
To answer some of your questions -

The local charter boats usually only run on weekends, so shore diving is your most likely option. The kelp forests are indeed accessible via a short surface swim from shore.

The local shops are all good, e.g. Aquarius on Del Monte Ave just north of town, or Bamboo Reef in town. There's a new store on Cannery Row near the Breakwater that just opened, I haven't had a chance to check it out yet. Anyway, any of them can kit you out as well as set you up with a guide if you can't roust up a buddy. For just one day of diving I probably wouldn't bother lugging my own stuff; I presume you're going to need to rent a 7mm wetsuit as well as tanks and weights in any case.

Another place you can look for a buddy is on the ba_diving yahoogroup:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ba_diving/info

Lastly, I highly recommend you read the information on this page:

New Monterey Diver Information

Enjoy your visit!
 
Just for a very quick and easy shore dive that will get you in the water and acclimated, you could go down to the Breakwater at San Carlos Beach. There is a dive shop right there called "Glenn's Aquarius II". They will be able to rent you everything you need, and then you do a shore dive literally a few steps from the dive shop. You wouldn't even need to drive anywhere.
They could accompany you with a DM if you want or you could hook up with someone here on the board and they could meet you there.
The Breakwater can be a pretty good dive along the breakwall if you get out there far enough. The wall cascades down to about 40 feet to a sandy gravel bottom. Out on the flats it can be a little boring, but along the wall if you get out far enough there are some really pretty kelp forests and some playful sea lions that will play around you. There are also a lot of fish that hang out.
There is a barge and a few large anchors out on the flats but I don't know exactly where they are.

For a second dive you could go off the same beach and instead of the wall you go closer to the cannery row. There is a large pipe that heads out from a small pump house. If you follow the pipe out it will lead you to an area we call the "Metridium Fields". This is a dive in the 50' range. There are a grouping of rocks out there that have thousands of big white plumous anemones all over them. There are also a lot of fish hanging out.

Beyond that, you would need to get in a car and drive a few miles to other sites. It would be best to get a local to show you around and do a few more shore dives. But the two I told you about will get you started for sure.
 
If you have a mask you're used to using, bring it. A rental mask is never going to fit you like your own. And bring your own computer, if for no other reason so that you can start getting used to it. A full rental package with 2 tanks will run you about $75, and that price is much less than the price of renting each item separately. So if you have your own mask, for example, it's not going to save you anything off the package price. But you will be more comfortable. The same is true of your other equipment--BCD, regulator, etc. If you're used to using them, you will be much more comfortable than diving with "strange" rental gear. If you have 5mm (or thicker) boots, bring them. Again, it's a comfort thing. Almost certainly you're going to have to rent tanks, weights, wet suit, hood, and gloves.

Bruce
 
Thanks for the posts, everyone! The outreach has been very helpful. Maybe I'll fly it. If I'm lucky, maybe I can cram it all into a decent sized checked bag without going over the dimensional or weight allowances, and then I wouldn't have to pile everything into one day if I didn't want to. I have a 7mm suit, a hood, fins, snorkel, mask, BCD, and a 2 mm shorty I put under my looser fitting 7mm (for extra warmth... winter temps out here are nice, but December sees water in the high 50's, which is about as cold as I am used to). I have a weight belt and my usual 10-15 lbs, but I assume that will run me over the weight limit for the plane. But I would have to go grab my stuff from my buddy's place about 40 miles away where I left it last, so maybe the hassle isn't worth it.

One detail I should explain... when I mentioned I would be there next week, what I mean is I will be there starting tomorrow, Tuesday. Hope that helps anyone browsing by.

Seriously, thanks to everyone who has posted. And I'm glad the shops are well-vouched for. Still looking around for a buddy if someone is interested this week, though!
 

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