Baja California & Monterey Diving

Stephen wrote:
> Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
> March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
> Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
> is still worthwhile / possible?

It's certainly possible to dive from Monterey at that time of the year.
Last time I was there was March/April and although I didn't have the
time to go diving, I did see plenty of people who were.

I've a trip report from another time I was there if you're interested:
http://www.peardrop.co.uk/monterey98.htm

- Keith

Stephen wrote:
> Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
> March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
> Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
> is still worthwhile / possible?

It's certainly possible to dive from Monterey at that time of the year.
Last time I was there was March/April and although I didn't have the
time to go diving, I did see plenty of people who were.

I've a trip report from another time I was there if you're interested:
http://www.peardrop.co.uk/monterey98.htm

- Keith

Stephen wrote:
> Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
> March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
> Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
> is still worthwhile / possible?

It's certainly possible to dive from Monterey at that time of the year.
Last time I was there was March/April and although I didn't have the
time to go diving, I did see plenty of people who were.

I've a trip report from another time I was there if you're interested:
http://www.peardrop.co.uk/monterey98.htm

- Keith

Stephen wrote:
> Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
> March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
> Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
> is still worthwhile / possible?

It's certainly possible to dive from Monterey at that time of the year.
Last time I was there was March/April and although I didn't have the
time to go diving, I did see plenty of people who were.

I've a trip report from another time I was there if you're interested:
http://www.peardrop.co.uk/monterey98.htm

- Keith

Stephen wrote:
> Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
> March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
> Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
> is still worthwhile / possible?

It's certainly possible to dive from Monterey at that time of the year.
Last time I was there was March/April and although I didn't have the
time to go diving, I did see plenty of people who were.

I've a trip report from another time I was there if you're interested:
http://www.peardrop.co.uk/monterey98.htm

- Keith

Stephen wrote:
> Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
> March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
> Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
> is still worthwhile / possible?

It's certainly possible to dive from Monterey at that time of the year.
Last time I was there was March/April and although I didn't have the
time to go diving, I did see plenty of people who were.

I've a trip report from another time I was there if you're interested:
http://www.peardrop.co.uk/monterey98.htm

- Keith

In article <cv9v2s$ctt$1@titan.btinternet.com>,
Stephen <NO SPAMsm.vincent@btinternet.com> wrote:
>Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
>March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
>Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
>is still worthwhile / possible?

I dived around Monterey for about 5-6 months one summer - might have
been about March - July/Aug.

Unfortunately this was almost 10 years ago and I don't recall that much
about it. The diving was nice, I didn't have a problem with just my BSAC
tickets. It was nearly all shore diving, but I did once dive off a small
inflatable we paddled out over the kelp, and you can hire dive canoes
too. (You just tie them to the kelp and go diving, then navigate your
way back.

Depth is about 15m, but you can get to the edge of the continental shelf
if you try hard enough. One beach, (Monastery Beach?) will get you to
the edge very quickly.... Then the bottom slopes down to a mile or so...

Don't worry about the kelp. As long as your kit is relatively neat and
close to you, it won't pose a problem. Remove any knife from your leg you
might want to carry... The best way to break the kelp if it gets tangled
round you is to bite it. (seriously, don't bother faffing with a knife!)

If you are lucky you'll get buzzed by a sea otter, or one of the harbour
seals.

The Aquarium at Monterey is worth a visit, as is the resurant in
Castroville just up the coast where you get deep fried artichoke hearts
and garlic mayonaise (garlic from Gilroy a bit further up the coast
where they have an anual festival and you can smell the garlic for miles
around :)

Other shore dives I remember were called Lovers Cove and Butterfly House.

Don't let blue skys & sunshine fool you - the water IS COLD. I was diving
in my dry-suit all the time.

And if you are intersted in history, theres the whole cannery row stuff,
the sardine trade and Steinbeck... (And the near extinction of the local
native American tribes)

Good luck!

Gordon

In article <cv9v2s$ctt$1@titan.btinternet.com>,
Stephen <NO SPAMsm.vincent@btinternet.com> wrote:
>Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
>March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
>Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
>is still worthwhile / possible?

I dived around Monterey for about 5-6 months one summer - might have
been about March - July/Aug.

Unfortunately this was almost 10 years ago and I don't recall that much
about it. The diving was nice, I didn't have a problem with just my BSAC
tickets. It was nearly all shore diving, but I did once dive off a small
inflatable we paddled out over the kelp, and you can hire dive canoes
too. (You just tie them to the kelp and go diving, then navigate your
way back.

Depth is about 15m, but you can get to the edge of the continental shelf
if you try hard enough. One beach, (Monastery Beach?) will get you to
the edge very quickly.... Then the bottom slopes down to a mile or so...

Don't worry about the kelp. As long as your kit is relatively neat and
close to you, it won't pose a problem. Remove any knife from your leg you
might want to carry... The best way to break the kelp if it gets tangled
round you is to bite it. (seriously, don't bother faffing with a knife!)

If you are lucky you'll get buzzed by a sea otter, or one of the harbour
seals.

The Aquarium at Monterey is worth a visit, as is the resurant in
Castroville just up the coast where you get deep fried artichoke hearts
and garlic mayonaise (garlic from Gilroy a bit further up the coast
where they have an anual festival and you can smell the garlic for miles
around :)

Other shore dives I remember were called Lovers Cove and Butterfly House.

Don't let blue skys & sunshine fool you - the water IS COLD. I was diving
in my dry-suit all the time.

And if you are intersted in history, theres the whole cannery row stuff,
the sardine trade and Steinbeck... (And the near extinction of the local
native American tribes)

Good luck!

Gordon

In article <cv9v2s$ctt$1@titan.btinternet.com>,
Stephen <NO SPAMsm.vincent@btinternet.com> wrote:
>Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
>March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
>Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
>is still worthwhile / possible?

I dived around Monterey for about 5-6 months one summer - might have
been about March - July/Aug.

Unfortunately this was almost 10 years ago and I don't recall that much
about it. The diving was nice, I didn't have a problem with just my BSAC
tickets. It was nearly all shore diving, but I did once dive off a small
inflatable we paddled out over the kelp, and you can hire dive canoes
too. (You just tie them to the kelp and go diving, then navigate your
way back.

Depth is about 15m, but you can get to the edge of the continental shelf
if you try hard enough. One beach, (Monastery Beach?) will get you to
the edge very quickly.... Then the bottom slopes down to a mile or so...

Don't worry about the kelp. As long as your kit is relatively neat and
close to you, it won't pose a problem. Remove any knife from your leg you
might want to carry... The best way to break the kelp if it gets tangled
round you is to bite it. (seriously, don't bother faffing with a knife!)

If you are lucky you'll get buzzed by a sea otter, or one of the harbour
seals.

The Aquarium at Monterey is worth a visit, as is the resurant in
Castroville just up the coast where you get deep fried artichoke hearts
and garlic mayonaise (garlic from Gilroy a bit further up the coast
where they have an anual festival and you can smell the garlic for miles
around :)

Other shore dives I remember were called Lovers Cove and Butterfly House.

Don't let blue skys & sunshine fool you - the water IS COLD. I was diving
in my dry-suit all the time.

And if you are intersted in history, theres the whole cannery row stuff,
the sardine trade and Steinbeck... (And the near extinction of the local
native American tribes)

Good luck!

Gordon

In article <cv9v2s$ctt$1@titan.btinternet.com>,
Stephen <NO SPAMsm.vincent@btinternet.com> wrote:
>Has anyone done any diving around Los Cabos / Cabo San Lucas Mexico in
>March? Also at the start of April around Monterey and San Francisco?
>
>Looks like I will be there a little out of season but wondering whether it
>is still worthwhile / possible?

I dived around Monterey for about 5-6 months one summer - might have
been about March - July/Aug.

Unfortunately this was almost 10 years ago and I don't recall that much
about it. The diving was nice, I didn't have a problem with just my BSAC
tickets. It was nearly all shore diving, but I did once dive off a small
inflatable we paddled out over the kelp, and you can hire dive canoes
too. (You just tie them to the kelp and go diving, then navigate your
way back.

Depth is about 15m, but you can get to the edge of the continental shelf
if you try hard enough. One beach, (Monastery Beach?) will get you to
the edge very quickly.... Then the bottom slopes down to a mile or so...

Don't worry about the kelp. As long as your kit is relatively neat and
close to you, it won't pose a problem. Remove any knife from your leg you
might want to carry... The best way to break the kelp if it gets tangled
round you is to bite it. (seriously, don't bother faffing with a knife!)

If you are lucky you'll get buzzed by a sea otter, or one of the harbour
seals.

The Aquarium at Monterey is worth a visit, as is the resurant in
Castroville just up the coast where you get deep fried artichoke hearts
and garlic mayonaise (garlic from Gilroy a bit further up the coast
where they have an anual festival and you can smell the garlic for miles
around :)

Other shore dives I remember were called Lovers Cove and Butterfly House.

Don't let blue skys & sunshine fool you - the water IS COLD. I was diving
in my dry-suit all the time.

And if you are intersted in history, theres the whole cannery row stuff,
the sardine trade and Steinbeck... (And the near extinction of the local
native American tribes)

Good luck!

Gordon