One day in Monterey........

[keesmon]

Good afternoon everyone, I'll try to keep this brief.
Please forgive the ignorance of some of my questions.
I'm taking the family on a 15 day camping loop this summer, starting and ending in SFO.
We'll be camping at Big Sur on August 5-7 and in Monterey on August 8th (I like to plan ahead).
Ideally, I'd like to dive around Monterey on August 8th in the afternoon, which is a Tuesday. I could make the morning work if needed.
My experience is mostly tropical (200+), some North Carolina wreck, and some local quarry dives.
Here come the questions:
Where should I dive, knowing I'll have 2 tanks max before I'm hauled back into my family vacation?
What's the chance of someone (a shop, a person on SB) able to go on a Tuesday afternoon?
Since I"m flying in from NY with a buttload of camping gear, I was hoping to only bring my computer and mask. Is rental equipment available?
I don'y get cold too easily, but what temps are we talking about underwater in August?
I'm usually good in 7MM wet to about 50 degrees. Assuming rentals again?
Is there a must dive spot for the single day. Is it boat or shore?

Once again, forgive my lack of knowledge about the local conditions. Any advice is appreciated. I think if I sleep in Monterey and don't try to get some diving in, I'll regret it for a long time to come.

Thanks in advance,
Kees (case)
Brooklyn, NY

 

[elgoog]

What's the chance of someone (a shop, a person on SB) able to go on a Tuesday afternoon?

None of the local open boats go out on Tuesday on a regular basis. You do see that happen sometimes but it's rare. Unless you're able to join a private charter, you're looking at shore diving. You can pay for a guided tour at any of the local dive shops but may have to call a fair bit ahead of time for a weekday.
Post closer to your trip date looking for a buddy if you don't want to go the DM/guide route - ocean conditions that week will heavily influence if someone is willing to go out mid-week.

Where should I dive, knowing I'll have 2 tanks max before I'm hauled back into my family vacation?

Is there a must dive spot for the single day. Is it boat or shore?

Pt Lobos is the best spot around here but not recommended as a first dive in Monterey conditions. The recommendation for first dives here is the Breakwater.

Since I"m flying in from NY with a buttload of camping gear, I was hoping to only bring my computer and mask. Is rental equipment available?

Yep, you can get full kit at multiple shops in Monterey.

I don'y get cold too easily, but what temps are we talking about underwater in August?

Mid 50s most likely.

I'm usually good in 7MM wet to about 50 degrees. Assuming rentals again?

Yes, but it's probably better to have a 7+7mm on your core.

 

[keesmon]

None of the local open boats go out on Tuesday on a regular basis. You do see that happen sometimes but it's rare. Unless you're able to join a private charter, you're looking at shore diving. You can pay for a guided tour at any of the local dive shops but may have to call a fair bit ahead of time for a weekday.
Post closer to your trip date looking for a buddy if you don't want to go the DM/guide route - ocean conditions that week will heavily influence if someone is willing to go out mid-week.



Pt Lobos is the best spot around here but not recommended as a first dive in Monterey conditions. The recommendation for first dives here is the Breakwater.


Yep, you can get full kit at multiple shops in Monterey.


Mid 50s most likely.


Yes, but it's probably better to have a 7+7mm on your core.

Thanks Elgoog.
I'll get in touch with the local shops and arrange something.
I appreciate the heads up on location for the uninitiated.
I wouldn't want to try anything too advanced for a novice to the area.
I'll repost the week prior to going and see if anyone's around from this community, or will arrange for a set of guided dives at that point.

 

[runsongas]

for shore diving:

Pt Lobos south of carmel if conditions are good, shouldn't need reservations if you go on Tuesday morning. You will need a buddy though, they don't allow solo diving. bluefish cove is great when conditions are just right.

Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Whalers Cove (Point Lobos) of California North, USA West

if you can't scrounge up a buddy but the conditions are good, monastery beach (hike across beach) or butterfly house (hike down some cliffs) are other options. south monastery is a shallower kelp dive. pretty thin right now though. north side runs down into the trench. bigger lings, some wolf eels. also saw a mola pass through there late last year. butterfly house is a good kelp dive but conditions can be rough because it is exposed.

Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Monastery Beach South of California North, USA West
Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Monastery Beach North of California North, USA West
Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Butterfly House of California North, USA West

Breakwater at San Carlos Beach in monterey if conditions are a bit rougher, breakwater is somewhat protected and the most reliable dive site. vis not as good as carmel usually. wall side usually has sea lions and chewie if you do a night dive. the pipe side heads out to the metridium field. i saw some octopi out near the pipe last week.

Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Breakwater Cove of California North, USA West

for boat diving:

you can check out the local boats which usually do a 2 tank trip, but there is no guarantee they can get you out to the carmel pinnacles. i am not a fan of paying money to go dive hopkins reef. weekday trips also aren't that common i believe.

California Dive Boats : The Official Page

there are 4 shops in monterey that rent gear: breakwater scuba, aquarius, aquarius II, and bamboo reef. breakwater is mostly oceanic/hollis gear (bob partly owns it i've heard) and bamboo reef is a lot of mares as they are an ssi shop iirc.

7mm with a hooded vest is workable in august. i wouldn't go deep in the carmel trench diving wet though.

 

[elgoog]

Aquarius II or Glenn's Aquarius is right on the Breakwater and seems super convenient but I would recommend against going there. There's rumor that they got bought out by Breakwater Scuba but I have no idea if that's true or not.

I've had great experiences with Bamboo Reef consistently and the couple of interactions with Breakwater Scuba were also good. Both will set you up with full rental gear as well as guides.

 

[keesmon]

Aquarius II or Glenn's Aquarius is right on the Breakwater and seems super convenient but I would recommend against going there. There's rumor that they got bought out by Breakwater Scuba but I have no idea if that's true or not.

I've had great experiences with Bamboo Reef consistently and the couple of interactions with Breakwater Scuba were also good. Both will set you up with full rental gear as well as guides.

Thanks. I just got off the phone with a nice lady at Bamboo Reef. Couldn't be easier. I'm gonna go the Wednesday morning at 7:30AM while my wife breaks up camp
Done by 11AM and onwards to the Sierra's. Driving to the mountains afterwards won't count as flying after diving will it?
Thanks everyone for your help. Looking forward to it.

 

[elgoog]

Done by 11AM and onwards to the Sierra's. Driving to the mountains afterwards won't count as flying after diving will it?

Driving up to altitude is impacted the same way as flying. Search for the NOAA table for ascent to altitude to get the exact values for the dive groups you end up in.

IMO, for the dives you'll most likely do and the amount of time you'll be driving until you actually get up to altitude, you should be fine. Did you talk about where they will take you?
If you can add lunch or something in Monterey before you drive out, that'll give you an extra hour or so as well.

7:30-11 for 2 shore dives is certainly doable but you'd have to be pretty efficient about it (assuming you do at least an hour SI). Are you planning your trip to the mountains with the assumption that you will be done by 11?

 

[JellyMan777]

Given that this is your first time in the area and the limitations imposed by gear rental return, I would recommend diving the Monterey Breakwater at San Carlos Beach.

If you have any problems (technical or medical) before, during, or after the dive, you're best to be near a population center where help near. Point Lobos is amazing but sparsely populated even during the weekend and fairly far removed from the city. Monastery Beach can be dangerous even under seemingly benign conditions -- I would not recommend diving there unless accompanied by someone who has experience diving the site.

I will grant you that the Breakwater is a beginner site and possibly a little underwhelming sometimes, but it is well-protected and divable under conditions that typically prohibit diving elsewhere along the peninsula. As mentioned by other respondents, two dive shops are virtually right on the doorstep of the Breakwater and the local hospital is less than 10 minutes away. In addition, the park is easily accessible and frequented by divers, so your chances of finding a willing buddy midweek increase by virtue of convenience.

 

[keesmon]

Driving up to altitude is impacted the same way as flying. Search for the NOAA table for ascent to altitude to get the exact values for the dive groups you end up in.

IMO, for the dives you'll most likely do and the amount of time you'll be driving until you actually get up to altitude, you should be fine. Did you talk about where they will take you?
If you can add lunch or something in Monterey before you drive out, that'll give you an extra hour or so as well.

7:30-11 for 2 shore dives is certainly doable but you'd have to be pretty efficient about it (assuming you do at least an hour SI). Are you planning your trip to the mountains with the assumption that you will be done by 11?

I was kidding on the elevation. Sorry, should have made that clear. We'll end up at 2400 feet 5 hours later. Thanks for the assist.

 

[keesmon]

I'm hiring a dive guide from Bamboo Reef and we are doing a two tank dive at Breakwater.
I have no interest in diving advanced sites while new to the area and area conditions.
I doubt that Breakwater would be underwhelming to someone who has never dived the area.
Thanks again