Our club has relatively easy access to one of the few kelp forest diving sites in the world. The Monterey Bay area is home to a rich and exciting variety of sea flora and fauna that deserve a unique place in the list of best diving destinations.
During any given day while diving in Monterey you would find sea anemones, sea cucumbers, harbor seals, dolphins, metridiums, sea lions, spider crabs, octopuses, many classes of fish, and much, much more.
Not all the sites included in this reference are technically along the coast of Monterey. Some are in Pacific Grove and Carmel, but in general, the area is known to divers around the world as the Monterey Bay kelp forest. From the most challenging dive sites -- such as the North Monastery Beach -- to the comfortable and safer McAbbey Beach, there is much to see and appreciate in the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Conditions
Monterey is definitely a cold water dive. Expect temperatures under 65 degrees Fahrenheit; about 55 degrees is normal.
Either a 6 mm neoprene wetsuit or a dry suit is appropriate. You'll want a hood, boots, and gloves, too. Pretty much the only part of your body that should be exposed to the cold water is your face.
Visibility varies throughout the year, depending on the plankton blooms, which occur mostly during the warmer months (May thru October). In other words, visibility is best in the colder months (November thru April) because there is less plankton. Fifteen to twenty-five feet of visibility is normal. Ten to fifteen feet isn't bad.
