Cannery Park

It's an easy hike down the ramp to the water's edge. Two hundred yards in the distance is the Breakwater. Beware of rocks that may loom under the surface as you enter. A beach-side view of the ramp.

Went diving 2/12/2011. Visibility this time of year seems to be much better than summer late fall, probably because of less algae and plankton in the water. Kelp forests were in less abundance this time of year, which is normal, and visibility was 20ft +, which I consider a good day for Monterey. Topside was calm and surf was minimal. Followed the pipe to the metridium fields, lots of life, very playful harbor seal. On a good day with good vis., this is a great site for anyone wanting easy entry, easy parking, etc.

Metridium fields have become our default dive for San Carlos Beach/Breakwater. We've found that the worse the visibility, the more Metridium are out. Find the large pipe just north of the bathrooms and pump house. There are several small pipes that could mislead you. The big one is probably 2+ feet in diameter. Once you've found the pipe follow it out until its end. Then, take a heading directly at magnetic north and you should reach the metridium within 50-100 feet. We've seen lots of sea-life along the pipe... many rockfish, halibut (some several feet long), seals, otters, many nudibranchs.

This is always a long swim. I took the scooter on the first one and followed the large pipe out to Metridium Fields. Good viz and no surge. Saw several Sea Nettles and got to photograph them. We decided not to follow the pipe back in. Instead we took a heading to bring us closer to the breakwater when we surfaced. It's a long way but we hit our target. The swim out and back is what makes this a tougher dive. Watch your air it goes fast. I use a steel 120 and that gives me a lot more time out there.

Dove this site with a buddy trying to find the Metridium Fields. We went straight out following the pipe, took an angle, then dropped down. Saw a few very large Metridiums, then took an angle and headed back for the beach next to Breakwater. This was a very long surface swim, and a long dive back to the beach, so know the amount of air you use. I think we missed the field but it was a great dive. I'd do this one with a buddy or boat/kayak again.

We entered the water where the old pilings stick out of the beach and set our compasses straight out to sea. After we passed a wonderful kelp bed we swam maybe 100 yards more to enter the Metridium fields. These are very neat to see. On the way back we saw a purple stripe jellyfish and found one of the old cannery underwater pipes. We followed that the rest of the way in and popped up near the breakwater. Fun dive and a great place to practice your navigation skills.

A lot of people get certified here. Use the entrance at the trail head and seriously watch out for some rocks. Flat in the morning, it was about 55F with a slight surge. This place is also known as Breakwater Beach or Coast Guard Beach.

As in the previous narrative, follow the pipe out to sea. It ends at 45 feet, after which there is a slight rise in the sand. Then there are the fields of Metridium. These are HUGE white anemones, some 1 to 2 feet tall, and about a foot in diameter. They are really spectacular and worth a dive all by themselves. Also saw a seal just inshore of the Metridium. GREAT DIVING!

The gray building next to the bathrooms has an underwater pipe, if you follow that out to the end and then keep going to about 55-65feet you will find the Metridium Field, beautiful large white anemones.