All times are for mandatory check-in – divers must be geared up for the briefing 30 minutes later. The club has resumed diving, with some safety modifications.
All divers will have to RSVP at least two days in advance to info@montereybayseaotters.org and sign a COVID waiver. You are not confirmed for the dive until the dive coordinator notifies you!
After-Work Dive, Friday, April 15th, 6:00 p.m. San Carlos Beach (Breakwater), Monterey
I’ll wager most Central California divers did at least two of their certification dives at the Breakwater. This dive site is the most protected in the Monterey Bay Area and is an ideal spot for open-water certification dives. As diver’s skills improve, most divers migrate away from the breakwater to find more challenging sites and to avoid the crowds. However, as more and more divers take up underwater photography, the breakwater is now known for its incredible collection of photogenic marine life. Even within an area that is well known for its excellent macro photography, the breakwater stands out as one of the best. I recently dived the site after a long hiatus and was happy to find that all of my favorite critters were there in abundance. Divers enter the water from San Carlos Beach on the north (ocean side) of the breakwater. Extending from the beach is a sand bottom that gradually slopes down to a maximum depth of 60 feet along the breakwater.
To the left of the breakwater stretches a rocky patch reef that extends all the way to McAbee Beach. Scuba classes are normally conducted here. Divers will find kelp-covered rocks with an interesting assortment of hermit crabs, small fish, and nudibranchs. The breakwater itself was fabricated from large granite blocks that create a labyrinth of small crevices and passageways in which a virtual army of sea creatures can find shelter. Striped shrimp hang on the undersides of rocky ledges and monkeyface pricklebacks peer out of holes. Small shrimp, juvenile abalone, flatworms, a huge variety of nudibranchs, and an assortment of small crabs will make macro photographers think that they are in heaven. Orange cup corals dot many of the rocks and make great photographic subjects.
These little corals possess fluorescent pigments in their tissues and cause the rocks to glow orange. Rockfish and surfperch hang out in the kelp. Living on, and feeding on the kelp itself is an assortment of photogenic subjects, including brilliantly colored blue-ring top snails and bright red kelp crabs. One of the biggest attractions that the breakwater has to offer is its large colony of California sea lions. The last half of the breakwater itself is not accessible to people from the wharf and is a favorite hauling-out location of these large and noisy mammals. Sometimes they will stay on the jetty and avoid divers, and at other times they will dive down and check us out. Diving with marine mammals is a delightful experience. While most sand bottoms are generally uninteresting, this one is dotted with sand dollars, sea pens, and aggregating anemones, many of which have intricately colored radial disks. Translucent tentacles of white, orange, and purple tube-dwelling anemones wave to-and-fro in the surge. Sand-rose anemones are found in deep water near the end of the breakwater. Look for a large anchor in shallow water near the entry as you swim along the breakwater. There are quite a few rainbow nudibranchs here and they are a real treat to discover. These deep red mollusks are the largest nudibranch found in California waters. They owe their existence to the tube anemones, on which they feed, mate, and lay their eggs. When disturbed, they fly through the water with an undulating motion California Spanish dancer. So, if you have not dived Breakwater since you were certified, I encourage you to check it out. All of the diver support services you could ever ask for are within an easy walk, and the sea lions and little critters make for a very enjoyable dive.
At-A-Glance Location: At the south end of Cannery Row in the City of Monterey.
Access and Facilities: Fee parking is available at the foot of the Coast Guard Pier and in several large parking lots up the hill from the water. The lots fill up quickly in summer and during salmon season, so plan on getting there by 8 AM on weekends. Access is via a short set of concrete stairs and a wide, calm beach. There are restrooms, fee showers, deli, and a free launch ramp.
Depth: 10-60 feet
Visibility: 10-30 feet
Skill Level: Novice to advanced
Visibility: 15 to 30 feet
Hunting: None for divers. The Breakwater is part of the Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area, where only recreational take of finfish by hook-and-line is permitted.
Photography: Excellent macro photography as well as good opportunities to photograph sea lions and octopuses. Only get your wide-angle lens wet on exceptionally clear days.
Hazards: Divers should watch for boat traffic. This site is the most protected entry in the Monterey Area.
Source: Bruce Watkins, California Diving News, A Diver’s Guide to Monterey, California
RSVP if you are coming by email to info@montereybayseaotters.org, and meet at the stairs at the top of the beach.
General Guidelines for After Work & Night Dives: To participate in after work dives or night dives, divers must carry a minimum of two lights, one main light and one marker light (usually attached to the tank valve). The dive must be terminated if a person experiences a malfunction of his/her light(s). That is why carrying three lights is strongly recommended so that dive team can continue the dive if one diver’s light ceases to function. For everyone’s diving pleasure, the club would like to thank all participants for adhering to these recommendations for club dives.