Butterfly House

The image of giant kelp towering above you with the sun streaming through the fronds is a spectacular sight indeed. While tropical reefs may have their coral, California is blessed with an abundance of kelp. The rich, nutrient-filled waters of California are required to support this plant life, and entire reef communities develop because of the kelp.

You will find no finer example of a giant kelp bed than at Butterfly House. This dive site is located on the protected, north side of Carmel Bay, and takes its name after the house with the funky, wing-like roof. It's hard to miss it as you drive along Scenic Road.

The small cove is relatively long and thin with rocky reefs flanking both sides. These reefs provide considerable protection to the entry point. When the northwest swell is running, the beach is one of the calmest in the entire Carmel Bay. During the spring and summer it may be the only diveable spot for several miles. However, during the winter months, the full force of the southern storm swell runs straight down the mouth of the cove.

The beach has a few rocks in the surf line that need to be avoided, and then the bottom gradually drops away from 5 to 15 feet. This is a pretty area to explore if there is little swell. There is a colorful display of marine algae on the rocks and a host of small crabs, nudibranchs and snails can be found. This area, however, is not a lot of fun if there is any surge at all.

From the shallow rocky area the bottom drops to 40 feet to a sand bottom with few redeeming features for divers. The bottom again becomes rocky when it drops to 50 feet in the major offshore kelp bed.

This is a fine example of what a kelp bed is supposed to look like&emdash;thick and forest-like. The area experiences limited currents, so the kelp stands straight up like so many Grecian columns. The kelp adds a third dimension to diving. Without kelp divers would only poke around on the bottom rather than enjoy the entirety of the water column.

You will see schools of señoritas slowly meandering through the maze-like kelp. A host of marine animals live in the kelp and often go unnoticed by divers. Kelp crabs cling to the underside of kelp fronds and colonies of bryozoans turn the kelp white toward the end of summer. Several species of snails feed on the kelp, such as the purple ringed top snail and the blue top snail, as well as many species nudibranchs.

The bottom under the kelp is rocky with valleys, canyons, and small caves. The kelp tends to filter much of the crud from the water and the visibility here is often better than at near-by locations. This is a good spot for wide-angle photos, particularly kelp shots.

There are a few lingcod in the deeper rocky reef and a few, small cabezons as well, but I've seen few here fish worth shooting. Schools of blue rockfish are sometimes found at the outside edge of the kelp bed.

Butterfly House gets fewer divers than other spots around, partly because of limited parking and partly because there are no facilities here. It's a great place to leave crowds behind and enjoy the pristine kelp beds.

Dive Spot At -A-Glance

 

Location: At the intersection of Scenic Road and Stewart Way in Carmel.

Access and Entry: Drive west on Rio Road, turn left on Santa Lucia, and make a left on Scenic. Make a left on Stewart, and park near the intersection. Beach access is a short, but steep, walk down a rocky cliff. There is limited parking and no facilities. Dive kayaks may be launched here but not inflatable boats.

Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced.

Depths: 10 to 60 feet.

Visibility: Good, usually 20 to 30, but can be 50 feet or more.

Photography: Good macro and great wide-angle photography. Good spot for "kelp shots."

Hunting: Fair spearfishing for rockfish and lingcod. This area is part of the Carmel Bay Ecological Reserve and no invertebrates may be taken.

Conditions: Surf is normally small, but this area can be rough when southerly winds are blowing. Look for currents at the far end of the kelp bed.

Hazards: Rocks in surf line; surge in shallows.

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.