Lovers Point

Notice the kelp just off the beach. It's an easy hike to the beach. It's a simple walk into the water. Swim straight out and then to the left to get to the clear water. Parking is very limited in this area. Gear up here, if you can.

Dove from the Lovers 3 stairs on 9/12/21 and had a blast. Tricky entry/exit so go with someone who knows the site and assess conditions before committing to dive this site. We headed NW so our friend could practice with his SG, and we stayed fairly shallow which made the surge really heavy. It was good practice staying relaxed in surge but seems like going deeper would have been a better time.

This is my partner's and my favorite, 'let's grab our gear and go for a dive' spot. We dive here so often, it is perfect. Something new on every dive, and the people on the beach and rec trail are very nice! There hasn't been much mapping done of the cove (we stick to what is known as LP-East), so this is something I want to do. No one seems to know of an old I/O we found out there in about 90 feet of water. Try to find it on 30 degrees out from the normal drop-down point.

7.25.10 We dove Lover's Point and West Lover's Point this weekend. Harbor Seals are in abundance, and a joy to watch! We had one accompany us on our surface swim and then swim around us a couple of times as we were diving. The surface swim is fairly easy, with the exception of the kelp which tends to tangle on your fins. We experienced mild/moderate surge on the west side of the site, which only added to the experience! We were rewarded with 20 ft. visibility and a wide array of sea life including bat starfish, nudibranchs, sea cucumbers, one jelly, rockfish and several types of crab. It is a great site for beginning divers!

This site is not one of the best in Monterey. Not a lot of life (other than kelp, lots of kelp). Pros - the vis. tends to be a little better than other northern Monterey sites. If you go here with non divers there is a lot to do top-side while you go diving. Dive here if you want to see harbor seals...damn harbor seals!

This site seems understandably popular with picnickers, swimmers, kayakers, and divers. Regulations are posted on signs, and diving is conducted to the right of a pyramid-shaped marker, presumably to provide separation for dive ops. Restrooms and food concessions are close at hand. Local divers were helpful with information. The site offers ease of entry and egress. My son (Daniel) and I arrived at slack ebb, entered the water and noted the viz at 18-22 feet. Kelp was easily negotiated. We wore 6.5mm wetsuits and the water was warmer than I'd anticipated. The bottom appears to slope very gradually. Our dive was uncomplicated and we enjoyed a pleasant dive in relatively shallow water (<30 ft). Suspended particulates and occasional soupy conditions did not favor underwater photography that day. Once ashore, my wife, son and I enjoyed the view. Topside, Lovers Point itself is worthy of a postcard, a "Kodak moment", and we enjoyed our day. This appears to be a site that has its moments, and I hope to return to it on a day when we can observe more of what it offers in terms of resident marine life.

When the surf is down, the entry is not to bad. Unfortunately, when we dove this site nearly all the kelp was dead do to a rare October (and all summer) heat wave. The water temperature was 65-67 degrees! It easy to see that when the kelp is healthy this is a fantastic dive site. This dive was special to me because I proposed to my girlfriend Shelley during the dive. We headed out and I presented a pre-made laminated sign asking if she would marry me. Luckily, she said yes and I didn't have to resort to plan B (chumming the water with my ziplock of seal's blood). There are many awesome large boulders down there that form a cathedral type atmosphere. A great dive!

This is an awesome site to dive if you are looking to shoot some really nice halibut! You have to swim a ways, but the catch is well worth it. Visibility usually sucks because most of the dive is in all sand. The Halies are definitely worth the dive, though.

Did two dives at Otters Cove. Good viz, about 25 in the sand. Saw five dolphins right by shore as I was gearing up. Didn't see many animals: Saw a big sheep crab, a hermit crab dragging an empty shell around and a lot of senoritas. There are a few pictures on my website, www.kelpdiving.com Overall it was an OK dive day.

I've dove Lover's Point on a few occasions with different results. My first dive the viz was about 30 feet and I went to the reef on the North- a nice dive. On the last two dives the surge was pretty rough and not unlike a washing machine. I guess picking a good day is important here. I prefer Coral Street, McAbee, or the Breakwater Pier to this spot.

During my first dive in the cove, I thought that my fins were repeatedly getting caught in the kelp; turns out, there was a playful harbor seal nipping at them, and I missed it! My favorite dive of the two is Otter Cove. There is a great canopy of kelp over the rock 'reef' in 40-50 feet (you have to swim a ways to get there). Huge biodiversity here. Harbor seals, diving cormorant birds, sea lions, sea stars, kelp crabs . . . Great dives when there's no South swell.

There are actually two dive sites at the point. The first is on the south end, and is commonly known as Otter Cove, on the north side is Lovers Cove. Lovers Cove is a very calm dive with almost never any surge. Because it is currently closed to fishing, it is also full of life. My first trip here, I must have seen 40 kelp rockfish, as well as hundreds of smaller senoritas, perch, cabezone ect. I also had an encounter with an amazingly large spider crab. The second trip the rockfish seemed to have diminished in number, but it was still an impressive dive. In Otter cove there is a much more wild feel. The surf comes in a bit more there, although it is not as bad as Coral Street. This makes a good beginner spear fishing location, and is where I learned to fish. However most of the fish are small, and you will quickly want to move to another area. Some of the more interesting critters that inhabit this place, are large rays, as well as harbor seals, and otters.

The other reviews addressed Lover's COVE. The Point dive is around the corner and is much better for the immediate+. Walk down the steep steps to the rocky beach, head straight out (note the rock formations for the return). Once you're out to 20ft or so, drop down and take a 10 degree heading. Hop from kelp paddy to next till huge rock formation at 45-50' with a valley down the middle. Fun night dive. Vis can be very silty if the wave action is up. Thornback and bat rays often seen here.

Did my first night dive here. Was pretty good diving. Again, crapy parking laws! So beware!

This is a beginner's dive area. Great easy pool like entry. Note the many local restrictions: parking, diving times (mornings only), no spear guns, etc. This is an area primarily set aside for beach go'ers in Pacifica. You will be ticketed by the sharp eyed police for violations (including the dive time restrictions). There are many better spots if your an intermediate or advanced diver.

We got here a couple of days after a storm so I'm sure the visibility is usually much better. But it was still diveable. This dive is fairly shallow compared to other Monterey sites. We got there early and parking was easy.