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La Jolla Cove Underwater Park

La Jolla, CA

Across from 1178 Coast Blvd S, La Jolla CA 92037

GPS: 32.84997N 117.27280N or 32.50.57N 117.16.17W

Type of Beach: Sand. Marine Refuse, no bags or lobster gages allowed. Beach faces North to North East.

Depth: 10-30 feet, further out you can get to 40 feet, but it is a ways.

Facilities: Restrooms, Showers, picnic areas, shopping and restaurants near by. Nearest dive shop for air fills is 1.4 miles away to the east in La Jolla Shores on Avenida De La Playa just off Torrey Pines Road.

Directions: From I-5 south, exit at La Jolla Village Drive and go West (RIGHT) for 0.7 miles and then turn Left (South) at the stoplight onto Torrey Pines Road for 2.7 miles. Turn West (RIGHT) onto Prospect Place for 0.2 miles and then Bear RIGHT down the incline (at 5 points) onto Coast Blvd S. which is one way here for 0.2 miles. Ellen Browning Scripps Park will be on your right where the road widens out and again become two way traffic. See map and photo below.

Parking: That is a challenge here. There are a few 5 minutes parking spaces just as you get to the park. 3 hour free parking spaces are available along the park but fill up quickly. Since you will most likely not get one of these coveted spaces, after dropping your gear and leaving someone to watch it continue on Coast Blvd South keeping to the left. You want to go up the hill past the restaurants and sidewalk cafes till you come to Prospect Street. Turn right and almost immediately turn right into the parking garage. Pay the parking attendant for all day parking. See photo above. It is a little bit of a walk but not bad and worth it as parking is at a premium here and you don't have to limit yourself to only 3 hours.

Entry: Use the stairs closest to the street. There is a sandy beach that is somewhat steep and drops off very sharply. When we say sharply we mean your are diving just about as soon as you walk into the water and are shoulder deep in about 10 feet from the waters edge. No need for a long surface swim here.

General Dive site description: Shallow water dive with depths from 10-30 feet. The area directly in front of the beach by the stairs closest to the street and straight out is a wide sand channel with a few rocks and kelp. At the end of the sand channel is the area known as "The Rock Pile". To the left and right of the stairs are extensive rock reefs with shallow diving and eel grass. To the right is the area called "The Hole", an indentation in the cliff with unpredictable currents and rips. Further to the right (east) is a shallow reef area and in surge or waves this area could be uncomfortable. Tot he left is Alligator Head (a large wash rock) and a "cave" a tunnel through the cliff open both above and below the water with depths in the cave in places reaching 6 feet depending upon the tides. The cave can be very shallow water and the waves could give you a good pounding in here if you should be caught in the cave at the wrong time. Diving in the cave is not recommended and should be avoided in anything but the calmest of conditions. Further to the right are a series of caves. One cave is accessible from stairs and a path (a fee is charged) near the Shell Shop on Cave Street. This is a north facing beach with nothing to break the incoming waves or swell if the swell is out of the north, which it normally is in the winter months. With the summer months offering a predominate swell out of the south, this can be a nice sheltered dive site with terrific diving and great visibility. When the visibility is good, this site can be one of the better beach dives in Southern California. Because of that, it does get crowded with both sun worshipers and divers.

The Dive: This is a marine preserve and the life guards will not allow any lobsters gauges or bags of any kind in the water. Taking or disturbing marine life is strictly prohibited. La Jolla Cove offers excellent diving when the visibility is good. Because it faces North, it is usually best dove in the summer months when the predominant swell is out of the south. Here you can dive kelp forest, extensive rock reefs, sand channels and "caves". When you first enter the water, there is lots to see right away. Great snorkeling location. Leopard Sharks are common and Giant Black Sea Bass may be found here as well. You really cannot go wrong anywhere you go in this cove. Well away from shore you can get into some deeper water over a sand bottom. The below are some suggestions:

Dive 1: From the stairs, surface swim out on a magnetic compass heading of 30 degrees toward the yellow buoy. When you are about 50 yards short of the buoy drop down and continue on the same course until you come to the buoy. If you look sharp, you will find a clear spot on the ocean floor where you may find a fish grooming station manned by Senorita fish. 12 Giant Black Sea Bass have been observed in one dive here taking turns getting groomed at this site. On that same dive two 5ft blue sharks were also spotted.

Dive 2. From the stairs go to the left and explore the reef structure near the wash rock (Alligator Head) and the cave that connects the cove to the shallow on the other side. Be careful if you go around the corner to Boomers not to get too close and let the surge push you into the cliffs or caves. Note Boomers Beach is reserved for BODY SURFING ONLY.

Dive 3: From the stairs swim to the right and explore along the rock reef to the right. Take care about getting too close to the cliff face as there are indentations and potentially small caves where the current/surge could trap you.

DISCLAIMER: Dive site descriptions, while believed to be accurate are not guaranteed and should not be relied upon for making your dive decisions. Dive site conditions can and do change and each diver is responsible for making their own site survey to determine present conditions and the suitability of the site for diving. Every diver is responsible for their own diving decisions.

Webpage designed by Melvin Pasley of Pasley Realty http://www.pasleyrealty.com/ April 08, 2004.