Boasting the largest and deepest (depths of up to 2 miles) of the national marine sanctuaries, the diversity of marine life will amaze and entrance you. Again you’ll find kelp forests, rocky reefs, sandy ocean floors, and a plethora of ocean dwellers. You’re gonna need a permit.Īs if Point Lobos wasn’t enough, go ahead and venture to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Because the dive site is protected, make certain you check out the rules and regulations before heading to this dive site. Heck, there’s even an overhead environment to dive in if your training is up for it. Depths range from 10 feet to about 200 feet, so make certain you keep an eye on your depth and stay within your range of training and comfort. Though there are strict regulations for the Point Lobos dive site…it’s worth jumping through the hoops.With 26 dive sites in this one area ranging from beginner to advanced, there’s something for every skill level here. Penetrable, make certain your training is up to par before you start exploring any of these wrecks. The Yukon lies in 100 feet of water and the dive on her starts at 60 feet. Requiring some experience, this area sees sudden current changes so you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared. If you time it right, you might even get to see a few squid, giant sea bass, and a few sharks (Tope and Sevengill are most likely).Ībout 2 miles off Mission Beach lies The Yukon, a wreck that was sunk in 2000 to become part of what’s known as Wreck Alley. For those who like an occasional night dive, you’ll be treated to some amazing creatures including bat rays and two ringed octopus. Perfect for the whole family, this location will keep everyone engaged whether you’re diving, snorkeling, or freediving. In the cove, you’ll enjoy the kelp forest with a variety of ocean life and a maximum depth of 45 feet. La Jolla Cove is a treasure trove of diving, freediving, and snorkeling sites. San Diego Diving, Snorkeling, & Freediving Beautiful to photograph, the Lions Mane jellies pack a powerful sting so you’ll want to avoid their long tentacles. And though moon jellyfish don’t sting, there are quite a few Lions Mane Jellyfish in the area. Port Fidalgo offers clear waters for divers to experience the amazing sight of Moon Jellyfish blooms. If you drop past about 130 feet below, you’ll notice a distinct difference and lack of marine life, other than a few sponges. At about 100 feet below, the bottom drops off into the abyss.
Once below the surface, as you explore and the bottom angles down, keep an eye on your depth. First, your drop point is at the furthest waterfall. About a 10-minute boat ride from Smitty’s Cove, you’ll enjoy an amazing wall dive. Kittiwake Rookery is for the experienced, advanced, and technical divers. If you’re looking to increase your cold water diving experience…I think we just found your location. Note that you’ll want to visit this site late September through early May due to natural water runoff the remainder of the year. A protected marine park, this dive location offers WWII wrecks, sunken cranes, and planes that play host to a variety of marine life. Smitty’s Cove is a shore dive out of Whittier.
You’ll definitely want to check in with a dive charter operation up there before packing for this dive trip. This dive is in cold water and requires you to be an advanced diver. Among the amazing and beautiful ocean dwellers you’ll likely encounter are North Pacific Giant Octopus, Wolf Eels (they might tag along for the dive), Red Irish Lords, and the beautiful Metridium. This site is off the south end of the island and offers diverse marine life. Wooden Fingers is another dive site that you don’t want to miss while you’re there. A cold water dive, this isn’t for everyone. A narrow canyon that offers an incredible experience, you can expect the dive to have a maximum depth of about 80 feet.
The breathtaking amounts of moon jellyfish off Baranof Island are a short boat ride to the east at a dive site named Smudges. Don’t get us wrong, you will need a bit more gear than diving in south Florida. And a trek to Dive Prince William Sound and see the moon jellyfish blooms or do an epic wall dive sounds totally worth it. But for real, Diving Baranof Island to see mass amounts of moon jellyfish and Snorkeling Ketchikan in the southern part of Alaska just got added to our bucket list. Okay, okay…yeah our first thought was ‘Are you nuts?’ also.
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