Last updated: 5/1/04

Notes on Northern California Diving - Mostly Monterey/Carmel related

The Environment

The waters south of San Francisco, in the Monterey Bay area vary between 47 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on time of year. June/July offering the coldest water temperatures. It is not unusual to suit up in 95 degree beach weather for a 48 degree dive. This in itself can be stressing to the more casually-in-shape warm water diver visiting for the first time. Just suiting up and trucking the gear from the parking lot to the water in a 6.5mm wetsuit is an experience. You’ve got to remain focused on the wonderful dive you’re about to make. <G>

The visibility also depends greatly on time of year, as well as the normal variation that comes with dive site, depth, tides and currents.  This is mostly due to the increase in plankton during summer months as the hours of daylight increase. During June you may find visibility limited to 5 to 10 feet where the same dive site might offer 20 to 40 feet during the winter. Boat dives to the best sites off Carmel might offer 60 to 90 foot vis during calm winter days.

The structure of Monterey Bay and the associated coast make weather considerations (swell, current and wind) less of a problem than you might otherwise think. Yes, you might get blown off one beach site by excessive swell; but be able to easily dive a site a couple of miles up the road because it doesn’t face the direction of the incoming swell.

Giant Kelp

The presence of giant kelp in our local waters present both a magnet and a unnatural concern to visiting guest divers. The kelp here provide living quarters to a wide, wonderful, beautifully diverse animal population.  At the same time, many visitors hear stories and dream about getting caught in kelp while diving.

Kelp is, by nature, strong and grows from the bottom of the ocean floor to the surface, sometimes 100 feet or more. It is, however, only strong from end to end. That is to say, if you take one end and have someone else pull on the other, you’ll find it very strong and difficult to break. If, on the other hand, you hold a strand between your hands and bend it so that it lays back on itself you’ll find that it breaks easily.

The point here is that even if you do find yourself tangled in a kelp strand, simply patience and a little puzzle solving will easily help you unwrap yourself or, if necessary, break the strand and simply swim off. Having a knife to cut yourself free, should the occasion present, is important but you can also bite through it if necessary. Mmmmm, tasty.

Dealing with kelp is like any other situation in diving; stop, analyze and act decisively.

I say that diving in kelp is like taking a leisurely stroll through a forest of redwoods, taking note of all the animals that call the forest home. The only thing is, you can get MUCH closer to animals living in the Kelp forests than you can to animals in a redwood forest.

Unlike most tropical destinations where most (but certainly not all) critter density is on the reef or slightly above the reef; kelp provides animal habitat at the bottom, mid-column and even within a few inches of the surface. Simply put, the critter density in our kelp forests is worth the trip.

Familiarity and acclimatization

We do not say that it is harder to dive in our local waters than at warm water vacation sites, but some consideration needs to be given to fact that you’ll be using very different equipment (thicker wetsuits, more weight, etc), in water that is much colder and, in which, you may be shore diving (lugging heavier gear to water and back over some distance).

In addition, the view from the surface, not being able to see bottom as you might in The Caymans, for example, can set the mind to considering what might be down there. This is an unnatural fear but, as humans, we have wonderfully colorful imaginations.

If you have not dived in the Monterey/Carmel area before, and are normally used to warm water conditions, you may wish to use one of the many fine instructors in the S.F. Bay or Monterey areas to get a familiarization dive and checkout before you go off on your own. I have corresponded with many divers who tell me they will be in the Bay Area for a day and want to dive Monterey. I normally recommend that they try and get an extra day or two added to their trip so they can take it at a more leisurely pace.

The mantra of diving Monterey is dive within your limits and take it easy. Rest a bit if you get pooped on a surface swim with heavier, unfamiliar gear. And, always dive within your personal capabilities. The ocean will be there when you get there.

As a student pilot I learned a saying about flying that applies equally to diving; “Flying is not, in itself, a dangerous activity, however, it is absolutely unforgiving to those who do not pay attention”.

What you’ll see if you invest the energy

Kelp, color, macro opportunities for the UW photographer, seals and sea lions that like to play, otters, whales, dolphins, jellyfish, sport fish at ease (lingcod, blue fish, etc), invertebrates (sea stars, carpets of anemones , crabs, lobster), canyons that drop off to the sea floor several miles down and more!!! 

Gear

You’ll be using a 6 to 7 mm wetsuit, gloves, booties and hood. You should plan on substantial more weight than you are used to carrying into warmer water with thinner wetsuits, and a BC with more lift (larger bladder) than you might otherwise use. A flashlight is a recommended accessory as there are wonderful things in little nooks and crannies (NO, not English Muffins silly!). It will also help you retrieve the color that gets lost at depth and with the lower light levels in kelp forests. A dive knife should be carried to deal with any pesky kelp or, more likely, fishing line that should "attack" without warning.

Practice and Skills and Etiquette

When on land, practice your etiquette; when parking, changing clothes and cleaning up after yourself. We want to be on good terms with our land neighbors. Use the changing facilities where available. If there are none, use a changing caftan if you have one or change in the car under a towel or blanket.

While wandering the wonderful kelp mentioned above, you’ll need to use your navigation skills since there are limited clear reference points. Kelp kind of all looks the same.

As there is a great deal of shore diving, you’ll need to make moderate to heavy surf entries and exits. Trust your good judgment but be honest with yourself, err on the conservative side.

Reserving enough air to return from a dive underwater is good form. For the lazy diver, like me, the swim underwater is much easier than having to “kelp crawl” on the surface, if you’ve been diving in a kelp bed. A tired diver is a diver at risk. Know your limits.

You should know that virtually all of the waters you’ll be diving in are part of the Monterey National Marine Sanctuary and as such the taking of anything is prohibited. In addition, the harassment of marine mammals is prohibited. This would, for example, prohibit you from approaching a Sea Otter. Although if an Otter approaches you on it's own you're fine. If you wish to hunt, you need to check the local fish and game regulations and obtain a license. Most dive shops can help you.

Tell me what you think. Questions or comments are always welcome!

Email me at timboyd1 at yahoo.com
  
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