Dive sites closer to San Francisco than Monterey/Mendocino (don't care about sightseeing)

[BeeBrown]

Heya folks - I'm a beginning diver in the San Francisco area. I'd like to do more dives, but I hate driving the 2+ hours I need to drive to get to a dive site.

A lot of what I've read about diving in/around SF is that visibility is awful and diving depths require long swims. The long swims are certainly tough, and something I'd want to minimize. However I get the impression that the low visibility what most folks consider to be the main problem. But I don't care about sightseeing - I just really enjoy being deep underwater (edit: my definition of "deep" is probably a lot shallower than y'all's -- for me it's just <= 20m) for extended periods of time. So I only consider low visibility as a problem when it compromises safety.

With that in mind, are there any dive sites closer to SF than Monterey/Mendocino that aren't prohibitively difficult to access for folks who don't care about sightseeing? Also, are there any folks who are like me and would be interested in buddying-up to do the kind of diving I'm talking about?

 

[MichaelMc]

Welcome to the board and diving!

You may want to define what you mean by deep.

I don't know of any sites closer than roughly Monterey. Aside from a lake on the way to Tahoe, but I believe it is shallow. Oh and some beaches along the peninsula south of SF itself, likely the shallow long swim ones you mention.

 

[suricatasuricata]

With that in mind, are there any dive sites closer to SF than Monterey/Mendocino that aren't prohibitively difficult to access for folks who don't care about sightseeing?

I live in SF and I have been on the hunt for such sites as well. AFAIK, the answer I am afraid seems to be either go 2 hours North to Stillwater Cove or South to Monterey. There might be some diving in Pacifica with like 2 feet of viz, I will know more once I talk to some people who hunt there.

So in theory, you can dive anywhere for the sake of diving. The risk being that the SF Bay has heavy boat traffic, or has unprotected coastlines, which exposes you to the craziness of all the weather patterns.

Also, are there any folks who are like me and would be interested in buddying-up to do the kind of diving I'm talking about?

I'd totally be down. Assuming that it isn't dangerous. I have often thought about taking a tank down to the Marina where people swim and try to just explore the area.

 

[lexvil]

Only a 2 hour drive to good diving, over 3 for me and I go at least once a week, sitting in a car is a lot more comfortable than cold dives with nothing to see.

 

[Jeff_O]

Only a 2 hour drive to good diving, over 3 for me and I go at least once a week, sitting in a car is a lot more comfortable than cold dives with nothing to see.

Tomales State Park mentions scuba I thought. Though I have not dove there, I have seen the water and I did not think I have ever seen that bay with much clarity. Maybe others can inform on this place. Of course if this is maybe half the drive from SF to Still Water Cove Regional Park, probably better going where it is generally clearer. I'd be interested in what is the bottom like to see at Tomales.

 

[sea_ledford]

Man, I would kill to be 2 hours from beach diving... And I live at the beach!

So I'm on topic, I would avoid diving in the bay. Water quality leaves a bit to be desired. I recall someone on here mentioning that any commercial dive in SF Bay is considered contaminated diving.

 

[SaltyWombat]

I've heard about hunters diving in Pacifica. Not sure what they're hunting. You could call Anderson's scuba shop in Pacifica.

Also give a call to Marin Diving Center in San Rafael. Maybe they know something in Marin.

There's diving at Russian Gulch State Park and places near there. Probably still 2 hours for you, depending on where you live.

 

[GiraffeMarineSalvage]

Best option for diving within 2hrs of San Francisco in my opinion is diving from a boat which opens up a number of potential options (so long as you pay extremely good attention to the tides/currents...). Some loose knit groups of boaters (like the Facebook group "Washed Up Yacht club") in the bay area would be a good place to start, although a 12' Achilles air-floor inflatable with a 9.9 hp Yamaha motor would be something you could store in a closet and take out (so long as you remain away of the expanded opportunities come with expanded responsibilities in terms of secure anchoring and general due diligence...)

 

[Bigbella]

I've heard about hunters diving in Pacifica. Not sure what they're hunting. You could call Anderson's scuba shop in Pacifica.

Also give a call to Marin Diving Center in San Rafael. Maybe they know something in Marin.

There's diving at Russian Gulch State Park and places near there. Probably still 2 hours for you, depending on where you live.

I once lived a couple of blocks from the beach, near Linda Mar, in Pacifica, and went after some sizable ling cod; decent halibut, one year; and some odd rock crabs; but the visibility was near-zero most of the time, unless directly over the reflective sand; and conditions could quickly change, and not in your favor . . .

 

[pauldw]

With that in mind, are there any dive sites closer to SF than Monterey/Mendocino that aren't prohibitively difficult to access for folks who don't care about sightseeing?

Farallon Islands. Just wade out into the water and swim west. It is a long surface swim. Good luck.