East
Pinnacle
Offshore
pinnacles often have the best diving. Their current-swept structure
is blessed with more nutrients than inshore reefs. Consequently, life
on pinnacles is both more bountiful and more diverse. Since pinnacles
regularly have clearer water than inshore reefs, their more
interesting marine life may be enjoyed that much more.
The greater Monterey Bay Area has an outstanding selection of offshore pinnacles to dive, most notably "The Pinnacles" of Carmel Bay. There are, however, others that are just as interesting and less-frequently visited. One is East Pinnacle, also called Pescadero Pinnacle. East Pinnacle is actually an extension of nearby Pescadero Point.
This dive site is sculpted from a giant dome of granite. The high spot is about 55 feet deep and the surface of the rock rolls away to 100 feet or more. The granite is not in one piece but is fragmented by many large cracks. These are 10 to 20 feet apart and they form a series of steep-sided canyons to explore.
The sides of the canyons are dotted with large and small trees of hydrocoral. These may be in shades of pink or purple and make great wide-angle photo subjects. Divers should take the time to look among the branches of the coral. Crabs, shelled mollusks, and sea stars often take refuge in the protection of the coral.
The
rocky walls are covered with layers of sponges is some areas, while
others have a coating of strawberry anemones. Large anemones are
sprinkled along the rock walls, waiting for an unsuspecting fish to
wander too close. This is a good spot to look for nudibranchs. The
most common nudibranch here are members of the dorid family. These
come in many colors but always have two horns in the front and one
gill plumb in the rear.
This is a good place for fish watching, but not necessarily hunting. There are many small fish, including members of the sculpin and greenling family. These are too small to eat, but make great photo subjects. There may be some reasonably-sized lingcod and cabezon to add a little excitement to the dive.
Divers
should not pay too close attention to just the reef but should glance
out into open water every now and then. There are often large schools
of small rockfish circling the pinnacle and you may also expect to
spot a sea lion or two. Very large jelly fish drift by and are
frequently enjoyed by divers. Some of these jelly fish may have
tentacles over 10 feet long, although their bell may only be 18
inches across. For those who are very lucky and very observant, they
may catch a glimpse of a gray whale during their annual migration.
Location: About 1/2 mile south of Pescadero Point in Carmel Bay. Those with GPS may find it at 36° 33.343 N, 121° 57.430 W.
Access: Boat only, Monterey's charter dive boats frequent this spot.
Depths: 55 to 100 feet.
Skill Level: Intermediate or better.
Photography: Good photography for invertebrates and reef fish. Great wide-angle photography for hydrocoral and reef scenes.
Hunting: Fair spearfishing for lingcod and rockfish. This site is adjacent to the Carmel Bay Ecological Reserve; collection of invertebrates is not advised.
Hazards: Divers should watch for big swell, currents, and boat traffic.
Bruce Watkins is a regular contributor to California Diving News and hundreds of his articles and photographs have appeared in various magazines. He is the author of A Diver's Guide to Monterey County, published by Saint Brendan Corp.
