South Monastery Beach

Giant fish-eating Telia anemone
In California winter storms come out of the south. Air always rotates counterclockwise around a low pressure area in the Northern Hemisphere, so California experiences southerly winds and swell as a storm approaches the coast. During really big storms, it is best to watch the ocean from a long, safe distance; but prior to smaller storms, the south wind flattens out the ocean producing the finest diving conditions of the year. On these days look for entries on the north side of rocky points; for example, South Monastery Beach.

Monastery Beach is one of the most popular sites in the Monterey/Carmel Area and has two very different personalities. A finger of the Monterey Submarine Canyon comes right up to the north side of the beach and divers have access to very deep water, an easy swim from shore. The north entry is unfortunately plagued by plunging breakers on a step beach.

Rockfish

South Monastery is distinctly different. Here you will find a considerably more protected entry, and no access to really deep water. In fact, you have to swim a long way to find water deeper than 60 feet. Most divers enter at the extreme southern side of the beach and swim a short distance to the edge of the kelp bed. Much of the area is sandy and the kelp is a convenient marker of the rocky areas and better diving.

The granite reef is an extension of the near-by shoreline, and the bottom consists of fields of large rocks dispersed on a gently-sloping sand bottom. This is not a challenging dive, just lots of little critters to see along with reasonably calm conditions.

The granite outcroppings are covered with an interesting assortment of invertebrates. Coralline algae covers the tops of most rocks. The nooks and crannies of the rocks are filled with photogenic little critters. Dock shrimp and decorator crabs take shelter here. Intensely colored red and orange sea cucumbers anchor their bodies deep within the cracks and extend feeding tentacles into the water column. These are fascinating to watch as each tentacle takes its turn delivering food to the central mouth.

In a bit deeper water, there are huge fish-eating anemones clinging to rocks. These rocks are also covered with orange bryozoans and yellow, orange and white sponges. Among these sedentary invertebrates are hordes of nudibranchs. Like most California sites, the most numerous nudibranch by both species and individuals are the dorids, but you will find Hilton’s nudibranchs and hermissendas here as well. Look for their spirally wound egg cases, also called sea roses, which are firmly anchored to rocks throughout the area.

South Monastery is an enchanting place to fish watch. Here divers find numerous greenlings, sculpins, gobies, and rockfish. Small cabezon and lingcod are also found back in cracks or perched on large rocks. During the late winter and early spring, leopard sharks come here to pup in the shallow water. If you are lucky, you might get a glimpse of one resting on the sand between the rocks. Leopard sharks are particularly sensitive to the noise from a scuba system, so you can get much closer if you freedive.

South Monastery offers a peaceful dive with lots of things to see and photograph. When the south wind is blowin’, this makes a good place to get out of the weather and find some of California’s more interesting marine critters.

Dive Spot At-A-Glance
Location: Along Highway 1, next to the wide beach just south of the Crossroads Shopping Center in Carmel .
Access and entry: Short walk to the beach from Hwy. 1. Small inflatable boats and kayaks may be launched from the sand beach on very calm days.
Skill level: Intermediate to advanced with beach diving skills.
Depths: 15 to 60 feet.
Visibility: Generally good, 15 to 50 feet.
Hunting: The entire Carmel Bay is an ecological reserve and no invertebrates may be taken. Spearfishing is poor.
Photography: Good macro and wide-angle photography.
Hazards: Steep beach with plunging breakers; coarse sand does not provide sure footing. This beach has very dangerous surf on rough days. Previous beach diving experience is suggested before diving here.

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 (both from Saint Brendan Corp.)

Return to Cover Page/Contents for March 2003 issue

California Diving News is published by Saint Brendan Corp.
P.O. Box 11231, Torrance, CA 90510 (310) 792-2333 • FAX (310) 792-2336
EMAIL: mail@saintbrendan.com
© Copyright 2002, Saint Brendan Corporation, All Rights Reserved