Ready for an epic shore dive? Join us at Point Pinos—the southern tip of Monterey Bay—on Saturday, August 16th, 2025 at 8:00 AM.
This is an advanced entry, so bring your A-game and gear! We only dive this site once every few years so this is your chance!
Where: Point Pinos, Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove, CA. The parking turnout has no street address. It is called Point Pinos Seawatch, Heart Shaped Rock or Love Rock. We will only dive this site if conditions are optimal. Backup site is TBD.
When: Saturday, August 16th, 2025.
Meet-Up: 8:00 AM
Dive Level: Advanced.
Point Pinos History
Point Pinos was first charted in 1837 by French naval officer Abel Du Petit-Thouars, who named it for its dense stands of Monterey pines. Over the ensuing decades it became a vital but perilous landmark for shipping: hidden reefs have claimed dozens of vessels, most famously the passenger steamer Frank H. Buck on May 3, 1924. Sailors’ tales tell of the schooner Macon and fishing troller Saratoga also dissolving into these jagged rocks, their remains now silent reefs beneath swaying kelp.
Construction on the Point Pinos Lighthouse began in 1853; its French-made first-order Fresnel lens first shone across the bay in early 1855. This brick tower—automated but still operational—is the oldest continuously lit beacon on the West Coast, and the adjacent keeper’s cottage remains a cherished historical landmark.
Just uphill, the John Denver Memorial bench honors the late singer-songwriter who tragically crashed offshore in 1997. Maintained by local volunteers, it offers a tranquil spot to reflect on Denver’s love for California’s coast.
Dive Highlights:
Entry through shallow granite boulders into a giant kelp forest
Inshore wave-scarred rock shelves draped in hardy algae
Deeper boulder canyons (40–120 ft) teeming with lingcod, cabezon, rockfish
Macro opportunities: white-lined dirona nudibranchs, tiny crabs, shrimp
Protected scallop beds beyond 100 ft—look, don’t touch!
Logistics:
Parking: Use pullouts along Ocean View Blvd
Buddy up & carry surface-signaling gear
Post-dive meetup: Share stories and snacks
This legendary site blends rich maritime history with challenging dive terrain and spectacular marine life—don’t miss it!
Questions? Email
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Also check out other Meetups in Pacific Grove, Music events in Pacific Grove.
