Diablo
PinnaclesWhen Monterey divers board a charter boat and head south they look forward to clear water and an abundance of the critters that make California diving so famous. When conditions are good they head south of Point Lobos (SOL) for the most exciting diving along the Central California Coast. One of the most requested spots SOL is the Diablo Pinnacles.
The Diablo Pinnacles are a pair of rocks located south of Soberanes Point and offshore from the Granite Canyon Bridge. In summer the pinnacles can easily be located by the thick, offshore kelp bed; otherwise, you will need a depth finder or GPS to find them. Diablo Pinnacles jut up from the bottom to about 20 below surface and can only be dived by boat. This area is a relatively flat rocky plateau that drops off to 90 feet on the inshore side and to over 140 feet on the ocean side.
The rocky bottom on the top the pinnacles has numerous small canyons, seemingly carved out of the rock by a giant chisel. The square-sided canyons wind along the rocky plateau until they reach the edge and leave you at the precipice. The canyons are filled with large rose anemones, and large trees of pink and purple hydrocoral are sprinkled about. Look for small snails and crabs living among the branches of the coral. This is a good spot to photograph chestnut cowries, fluffy nudibranchs and decorator crabs.
The
Pinnacles supports one of the better populations of lingcod and
cabezon in the Monterey area. There are often schools of blue
rockfish circling the pinnacles and less active member of the genus
Sebastes hiding among the nooks and crannies of the bottom. Take the
time to look in the little cracks and you will treat yourself to
sights of other, more colorful fish, sculpins, painted greenlings and
gobies.
Because of the proximity to open water, pelagic species such as ocean sunfish and the enormous lion's mane jellyfish are often seen here. Every now and then you should pry your eyes away from the pinnacle and look for what is swimming by in open water. If you are lucky you might spot a blue shark.
Dive Spot At-A-Glance
Location: About 2/3 miles offshore and about 1.5 miles south of Soberanes Point. Those with GPS may find it at 36° 25.957' N, 121° 55.825' W (GPS for reference only. Do not use as your sole source of navigation).
Access: Boat dive only.
Depths: 20 to 140 feet.
Visibility: Very good, 20 to 50 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate or better.
Photography: Great for both macro and wide-angle. Particularly good for divers and reef scenes and invertebrates.
Hunting: Good spearfishing for lingcod and rockfish, fair for rock scallops. Abalone are protected and may not be taken.
Hazards: Watch for boat traffic and strong currents.
Bruce Watkins is author of the book A Divers Guide to Monterey County and a frequent contributor to California Diving News.
