Collins Landing

Collins Landing is one of the hidden gems of Mendocino County. Many divers drive right past the site on their way to Anchor Bay or Point Arena without ever realizing that they have just passed a protected entry with a spectacular assortment of marine life. There is not even a little sign indicating that there is public access to the beach.

Collins Landing once had a small port facility with a lumber mill. A Mr. Collins operated the mill for a short period of time during the late 1800s, but closed down when the near-by stands of redwoods were logged out. Today the area is home to bed-and-breakfast establishments and vacation rentals. Public access is through private property at the Serenisea Lodge. This is a spot where the locals dive and you will find few, if any, out-of-town divers.

The main cove has a rock and sand bottom with depths ranging from 15 to 25 feet, and you must swim 150 yards or more to reach depths much over 30 feet. There are a few small abalone in the cove, along with a few fish. The generally poor visibility and lack of game sends divers to the point at the north end of the cove. Here, divers find plentiful abalone in 20 to 25 feet of water as well as some rockfish. The bottom here consists of large boulders on a sand bottom. Anemones, urchins and sponges cling tenaciously to the rocky bottom.

Better diving may be found within the larger cove to the south of the entry point. The water is often substantially clearer than the north cove and it's a shorter swim. After you enter the water, just head left (south) and swim between the large, offshore rocks. The area just south of the rocks is a snorkeler's paradise. There are more species of kelp here than I've ever seen in one place. The numerous species of kelp, along with their bizarre shapes and colors, make this one of the best snorkeling spots on the North Coast. All in two to four feet of water.

As one proceeds southwest, the depth gradually drops to 10 to 15 feet. The bottom here is rock with boulders scattered about. The rocky bottom supports a very thick bed of bull kelp and a few small abalone. Better abalone picking is in deeper (25-30 feet) water. Inshore of the wash rocks is a nice wall that begins near the surface and drops to 10-15 feet. The inshore side of these rocks is extremely colorful: anemones, sponges, cucumbers, and lots of nudibranchs. Last time I visited the site there were 20 or so Spanish shawls on a 10-foot patch of reef.

As you proceed south toward the other end of the cove, the bottom becomes mostly sand, with rocky patch reefs sprinkled about. There are some abalone here, but the diving is not interesting until you get a little farther from shore. About 200 yards from the beach is a nice little rocky patch with a lot of invertebrates and a fair amount of fish. The abalone diving on this rock is spectacular. There are abalone piled on top of each other; some of them a very respectable size.

Collins Landing is a great place to get away from the crowds. It's also a good spot for beginner abalone divers since good diving is not much more than 15 feet deep. The Serenisea Lodge offers private cabins at a reasonable price for those who would like to spent the night right above the dive site.

Dive Spot At - A - Glance

Location: Collins Landing is found at the southern end of Mendocino County, four miles north of Gualala.

Access and Entry: From Highway 1 at mile marker MEN 3.83 turn west into the Serenisea Lodge. Park in one of the few public parking spaces at the west end of the traffic circle. Follow the public access path that begins to the right of the office and proceeds behind the office and down a steep, well-maintained stairway to the beach. Enter off the small gravel beach to the right, or the rocks to the left. There are cabins for rent (Call Serenisea Lodge at 707-884-3836, or www.serenisea.com), but there are no facilities for day users. Divers also park at MM 4.00 and hike to the point north of the cove and down the cliff, but they are trespassing in doing so.

Skill level: All levels.

Depths: 2 to 40 feet.

Visibility: Poor in the cove (5-15 feet); better outside the cove (15-30 feet).

Hunting: Good abalone hunting in shallow water; poor spearfishing for rockfish.

Photography: Great macro photography for nudibranchs and unusual algae; good wide-angle photography when the visibility is good.

Hazards: Watch for big surge and swell.

Bruce Watkins is a frequent contributor to California Diving News, lecturer and author of the book A Diver's Guide to Monterey County.