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Dive Review of Monterey Bay Dive Center in
The Continental USA/Monterey Bay

Monterey Bay Dive Center, Oct, 2006,

by Jon Scott, NH, USA . Report 3076.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 3 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 3 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 3 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments 2-tank boat trip with Monterey Bay Dive Center on their 40-foot Silver Prince on a Saturday morning. Both dives at 3rd Pinnacle in Carmel Bay, a 40-min trip from Monterey (swells and wind making for sickness difficulties for some). Boat was not full with 12 divers (capacity 14) but full enough. Needed to rent equipment as airlines temporarily misplaced gear. Dive shop easy to work with; good quality equipment. Good dive and safety briefings. Nice breakfast (bagels, coffee, etc.)and snacks on board. Good roll-call procedures. Entry off side by giant stride; return by stern ladder; staff assists with fin removal. All gear setups responsibility of diver. Dove with guide/divemaster Jeff Conway, as this was a first kelp forest dive experience and dive partner had not been diving in several years. Site consisted of granite formations/walls with interesting channels to swim through. Every hard surface covered with colorful anemones, urchins and cup corals. Visibility and color both much better and even more spectacular than expected. Abundant fish life. Interesting small critters. 2nd dive stayed in/around kelp forest exploring fish and other life at different levels. Like being on another planet. Much more dynamic than re-creation in Monterey Aquarium. Thick clouds of fish everywhere; after a few minutes clinging to stalks of kelp, you become invisible to the fish and they swarm around. These dives left me hungry for more; dive op and staff made potentially very challenging (cold water, unfamiliar conditions, surge, etc.) dives a blast. Dive Center also arranges/supports shore diving; will try that next time.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 26-50 dives
Where else diving Caymans & New England lakes
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas surge
Water Temp 56-0°F / 13--18°C Wetsuit Thickness 7
Water Visibility 20-60 Ft/ 6-18 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified]
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 1 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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