Pt. Dume State Beach, Malibu  

Address:  7200 Westward Beach Rd

Thomas Brothers Map: LA, pg 667,  E4  GPS: N34.00235  W118.8062

Gather at: Rest rooms at East (far) end.

Type of Beach:  Sandy, rocky with pinnacles around the point.

Average Depth: 20 - 100'

Parking: Paved stripped spaces, a day use fee of $7 is collected
at the gate. (note directions below)

Facilities: Flush toilets, water, pay phones, and outdoor showers.

Notes:  The area  is known as great whale watching spot when migrations are in season. Humpback Whales have been reported as being seen by divers here.  
 
Directions:   Take Rt. 1 (PCH) north (west) past Kanan road. Go down the hill, and just as you reach the bottom, turn left on Westward Road.  There is no traffic light here, just a left turn lane.   If you miss this turn,  you will immediately come to the traffic light at the east end of Zuma beach.  Proceed to the end of Westward Road, where you pay the parking fee and continue on.  Drive past the large building, containing the lifeguard headquarters and rest rooms, to the small building with restrooms at the far end. Pt. Dume will be prominent in front of you.

The Entry: The sandy beach provides for a fairly easy entry depending upon waves.  We normally enter near the edge of the beach and the cliff.

The Dive: This is an Advanced Dive Site. DIVING THE PINNACLES REQUIRES A STRONG SWIMMER!   Two points to consider are 1.) it is a very long swim (approximately 548+ yards) to the pinnacles and 2.) On the return you will normally have to swim against what can be a very strong current!  The normal current here is from the North and sweeps around the point to the South.  This means that on most days on the return trip you will be swimming against the current to get back to the beach.  Swim out past the rocks around the point toward the buoy.  From about 200 yards off shore, on a course of 130 degrees from shore and 150 degrees from the last bathroom this will get you to the reef.  Here you will find a large rock reef approximately 75-100 feet long and 15 feet tall in 40-50 feet of water.  Many smaller reefs may be found in the area as well.  From the reef a course of 330 degrees should take you back to the beach and miss the rocks.  There is a sandy bottom here and not much to see until you get to the reefs.  Large bat rays (5ft) have been spotted here and lots of marine life, some on the larger side. There are lots of rock formations in the water here as can be seen in the photograph above.  The Pinnacles is the normal destination of most divers.  Note the normal current is from the NORTH and sweeps around the Dume. Current is an issue at this site and can be quite strong.  The only exit is at the sandy beach on the left above. That means you will drift from the sandy beach around the point and along the coast to the right in the picture above.

For another description of the site see: http://www.saintbrendan.com/cdnnov00/scoast11.html   http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=623

Conditions: Northern Surf Report: 310-457-9701  Zuma Beach Camera http://watchthewater.co.la.ca.us/beach.cfm?bid=19

Surf forecast: http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/WestwardBeachPointDume.1to3.shtml
 

DISCLAIMER:                     P L E A S E   N O T E:
 
The Sand Eaters is little more than a scheduling organization. It's sole purpose is to schedule a Sunday morning beach dive and notify those who have requested to be on the list.  The Sand Eaters and it's members are not responsible for you, your equipment, you're being teamed up with another diver, or your safety.  You and you alone are solely responsible for your diving activities!

Your participation is voluntary.  You are the only one who decides whether you dive. The Sand Eaters make no claim to the suitability of  the location and are not responsible for dive conditions.  Conditions change and there will be occasions where a chosen location will not be suitable for diving upon arriving at the site.