Californias coast, must dive spots

[togdick]

Im flying out to visit my brother in Santa Cruz for a couple weeks tommorrow. Were planning on driving down the coast to La and maybe San Diego, while stopping to dive along the way. I need some suggessions on what the illest shore dive spots along that route will be. I want to try and shoot a bunch of different kinds of fish so any tips on what i should expect at the spots is greatly appreciated. Also, i was told that you can only take abalone above the golden gate, whats the closest abalone spot to Santa Cruz someone can recommend? Preferably one at which i wont get breached on by a white shark.

[Spearbodj]

I don't know too much about abs and diving up north but if you drive through malibu/ventura county area there's a beach called Leo Carrillo, its got kelp with decent structure and a nice entry point. Make sure you check out the CA DFG regs on the fish and pick up a fishing license because I can assure you if you at one point you will get stopped. And the fines out here compared to the east are 10x worse.

[the bodj]

Originally Posted by Spearbodj

I don't know too much about abs and diving up north but if you drive through malibu/ventura county area there's a beach called Leo Carrillo, its got kelp with decent structure and a nice entry point. Make sure you check out the CA DFG regs on the fish and pick up a fishing license because I can assure you if you at one point you will get stopped. And the fines out here compared to the east are 10x worse.

theyre also enforced 10x as much too. and the regulations arent crystal clear, so make sure you have everything 100% leo carillo is a fun and pretty dive. definitely more tropical than RI

[AndyzFshn]

PM me I will set you straight.

[ApneaAddict]

There are some ab spots in Marin County, but that area has a reputation for being especially sharky. If you don't wanna risk life and limb in Marin, you'll have to head all the way up to Mendocino to get your snails (probably 4 or so hours north of Santa Cruz). EDIT: The reason you have to choose between Marin and Mendocino is because all of Sonoma County is currently closed for abalone due to a naturally occurring die-off.

If you're starting in Santa Cruz heading south, I would definitely recommend that you take the long route down to LA on HW 1 and hit the Big Sur coast. It'll add a couple of hours to your drive, but Big Sur has some absolutely incredible diving. This time of year, the divability of many spots in Northern and Central CA becomes very weather dependent, but when the weather allows you to get in the water, its not uncommon to have 50+ft vis in Big Sur.

[cmburch]

Mendocino is 4.5hr north across the Golden Gate Bridge.
Easy spots for Abalone http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/433/fi...ngulch_van.pdf



Here's some to check out south of Santa Cruz:

Elk Horn Slough for kayaking or walking, not freediving.
http://www.philsfishmarket.com/
http://www.elkhornslough.org/
http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=574
There is normally a lot of sea otters. Just make a right at Moss Landing SB.

Carmel River SB near the mouth
http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=567
If Monterey and Carmel are calm, it is usually best to head south for better visibility and more marine life.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/579/files/Garrapata.pdf

http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_jadecove.html

It may be best to hook-up with someone familiar with the best locations in these areas.

[ApneaAddict]

If you're thinking about diving big sur, I use SwellWatch to watch the conditions forecasts. If the swell is <6ft and the wind is <20kts, then its divable. If either of those is over that threshold, you may be able to get in the water, but you'll get pretty tossed around. It looks like the fall/winter storms are beginning to build. But they'll tend to come in waves with a day or 2 of divable water in between big swells. Get south of pt. conception and the conditions even out a bit more.

http://forecasts.swellwatch.com/#pla...ht_none_Sat_-1

[togdick]

thank you for your generous advice cali bros

[Joshua R.]

We're doing an end of season campout November 18-20 in Mendocino if you want to come up and dive for some abs and make a weekend out of it. That way you could hook up with some local divers and find better spots with better abs/fish.

[U/C Spearo]

Remember, if you pick up a fishing license and head south, when your south of Pt Conception you'll need a Ocean Stamp. Not needed up north.

Be safe

[bigfishhunter]

Is the campout also the Ab seminar? Where are you guys camping at? I am interested.

[JTH]

If you make it to SD dive the childrens pool

["Yard-Sale Josh"]

If you are anywhere near Malibu hit up Big Dume. Usually has the best viz in malibu and if the current is not ripping swim out to the pinnacles that stick up out of the water just off the bluff. Its one awesome spot that almost always produces fish and will be closed in a few months.

[VinWalrus]

Originally Posted by togdick

thank you for your generous advice cali bros

I highly sugest hooking up with a local like Josh or others when first diving the North Coast. Mendocino is beautiful, but it can also drive you nuts trying to find an in spot and whats safe in the ever changing weather. You will have a WAY better time hooking up with a fellow spearo up here for sure, but the costom is YOU buy the beer! You will need an Abalone punch card but well well worth it

I just not sure we will be on the coast when you get here, if so you can dive with us... in any case the drive to Mendocino is very much worth it

John

[matt mattison]

Come join Josh and I at the camp out !! ton of good local divers to help and share techniques. Bring a float line makes life much nicer and ab gauge and iron and like others said punch card lic and zip ties and a pen for your card