Nellies Cove

It looks like a lake, but the Pacific is right around the corner. At the West end of the beach area, you'll find these restrooms and parking. Yes, that's a shower on the side of the building! Head out beyond the rock to find clear water.

I really enjoyed this site! Most of my experience comes as a Oregon coast shore diver, so I will review this site with the notion that it is a SHORE dive on the Oregon coast. Entry and exit was much easier than most jetties I have dove. The amount of life was substantially greater than any other shore dive I have seen on the Or. coast. The fact that it was not tide dependant and relatively shallow allowed my buddy and I to get several dives in here. The site was large enough to accommodate several groups of divers and still provided lots of new areas to check out. The last day of our three day weekend spent here, the weather blew in from the south. This immediately stopped our diving, as the waves hit directly onto the entry/exit area. Viz was 8-10ft, enough to really enjoy the area.

Our vis on this dive was as high as 3 feet and as low as 6 inches this past weekend. In the cove you could get the shadows of fish and it might be decent conditions for a hunter as they'd never see you coming. This is Oregon diving and you never know what you'll get from one day to the next. There is a bloom going on right now. Off shore a couple of miles at the reef divers had the same vis until they dropped below 40 feet and then the vis was great. Shore divers got to burn gas is all.

This is a kayak/boat dive from the harbor because entry/egress to the cove over the rocks is hazardous. Snorkelers are less encumbered and can make it over the rocks. It's an uncomplicated kayak or inflatable launch from the beach, since the surf is little more than a ripple. Powerboats are lowered to the harbor by 15 & 25-ton cranes for a small fee. Viz in Nellie's Cove and adjacent Tichenor's cove was poor (5 to 8 ft) on 4 dives, 2 occasions. Noted a good population of rockfish, moon snails, crab. I anchored my dive kayak in 32-35 ft depth. Other divers advise that conditions are occasionally very good, but my timing was poor on a subsequent summer visit also. Prevailing wind increased in the afternoon. Return to the harbor around the breakwater with the kayak was uncomplicated by surf. Vehicles (4WD with off-road tires recommended) were permitted on the beach to facilitate transport of boat and gear, but the resolute diver can carry the gear from the parking area. Showers & restrooms available. Food concession nearby. Time constraints did not permit night dives. Affordable lodging available at Castaways and Sea Crest Motel. Diving fell short of expectations, but the kayaking was fun and the scenery was a "Kodak moment" that justified the trip for me.