As
divers head north of Fort Bragg towards the Lost Coast they notice
subtle changes in the diving environment. Perhaps the biggest change
is the lack of other divers. Except for a few locals from Westport,
there are few, if any, divers from points south. The visibility up
here is not as good, on the average, as southern Mendocino county.
This is more than made up for by the abundance of game, which
includes huge lingcod and trophy abalone.
During the late 1800s the rush for redwood was on and every nook along the Mendocino coastline had a little town, lumber mill and dog hole port. Kibesillah was one of the busier ports and was called the "coming metropolis of the North Coast." With two hotels, a church, a school and two saloons, who could have thought otherwise. Kibesillah was first a trading post and a gathering place for local ranchers and potato farmers. The town grew quickly when a mill, wharf and slide chute were built. Kibesillah did not last long after nearby stream beds were logged out in 1885. The old town of Kibesillah was located at the current site of the Pacific Star Winery. Unfortunately this area has no public access.
However, there is good public access at the South Kibesillah View Area. Kibesillah Beach is well protected by a series of offshore rocks and a submerged reef. The inshore area is very shallow and you must swim 100 yards or so straight out from the beach to be in water deeper than 10 feet. The bottom here is covered with algae - featherboa and numerous species of short-stalked algae.
In the center of the cove is a shallow, rocky area that breaks when the surf is up. In 15 to 20 feet deep water around this area is a good population of abalone. There are reported to be a sizable population of monsters here and eight and one-half inchers are commonplace. These are not the biggest in diameter but are among the thickest abs I have seen. Abalone diving and fishing get better at the north and south points of the beach in 20 to 30 feet of water, although it is a long swim to either. This is a good area to hunt for larger-than-average lingcod.
When the surf is up, protected entries and diving may be found behind the large rocks at the south end of the beach. Locals claim that some really big abalone are taken here each year. On my last outing I was only able to find a few smallish but legal abalone here. This area is only in five to seven feet of water, and I find this kind if diving in thick kelp to be tiring. I'd much rather hunt in 30 feet of water and not get tossed around so much.
Today only a few metal artifacts and a brick wall remain from the old dog hole days. These are probably what is left of someone's house or maybe part of a store or hotel. Either way, the view from the window must have been magnificent. Today the view is just as good and the abalone diving may be even better.
Editor's note: Abalone season is closed during July but reopens in August.
Location:
The South Kibesillah View Area is located about five miles south of
Westport in Mendocino County at mile marker MEN 71.95.
Access and Entry: Park in the roundabout on the north side of the well-marked "South Kibesillah View Area." For reference, the view area (with no beach access) is on the south side of a gulch, and beach access on the north side. Follow the short, but very steep, trail to the gravel beach. Locals have left a rope to aid your descent and ascent along the last part of the trail.
Skill Level: Intermediate or better.
Visibility: Fair, 10 to 15 feet.
Photography: Poor, head south for better visibility.
Hunting: Prolific, large abalone, good spearfishing for large lingcod.
Hazards: Watch for big waves and surge. Offshore rocks and reef protect the cove fairly well from northwesterly waves. However, the cove is facing northwest and when the northwesterlies pick up, this place can get ugly. Exercise caution when climbing the bluff trail.
Bruce Watkins is a frequent contributor to California Diving News, as well as author of the books A Diver's Guide to Monterey County and A Diver's Guide to Northern California.