Best San Diego Kelp Forest Diving
Meet Point Loma, home to 6 miles of pristine San Diego kelp forest and wall diving
Must-see sites
6 Fathoms
New Hope Rock
Horsehead Reef
Dino Head
Train Wheels
all part of the southern San Diego kelp forest stretch
Water Temp
52° to 58°F / 11° to 14°C
Visibility
15 to 60 ft / 5 to 18 mÂ
Gear
Diving: 7mm wetsuit or drysuit, hood, booties, gloves
Snorkeling: 5mm or 7mm wetsuit
When to Go
Diveable: Year-round
Best: late fall & winter (healthiest kelp)
Access
Boat only (private or commercial)
Marine Life
Sevengill Shark
Giant Sea Bass
California Spiny Lobster
California Moray
Horn Shark
California Giant Kelp
Harbor Seal
California Sea Lion
California Sheephead
Garibaldi
5-hour trips to 2 different sites
Tanks and weights included
What is Point Loma diving like?
Point Loma, often overshadowed by La Jolla's popularity and Wreck Alley's hype, is San Diego kelp forest paradise.
A prized San Diego scuba diving gem, this area teems with sea life and kelp forests. Here's what you'll find while diving in Point Loma, in a nutshell:
- Kelp Forests - a healthier stretch when compared to La Jolla kelp forest
- Canyon/Walls - sometimes a short swim from nearby kelp lines
- Wreck-ish - a random set of wrecked train wheels lying on a canyon
Video by Todd Miller
Where can you dive in Point Loma?
Point Loma dive sites are generally separated into two main areas, with some overlap between them: Kelp Beds and Sea Cliffs.
At the northern end of Point Loma lies the main area of the San Diego kelp forest (locally referred to as 'Kelp Beds'), a combination of shallow sandy bottoms, rocky ledges, and giant kelp and sea palm clusters.
This gradually slopping 6-mile stretch of San Diego kelp forest has so many unique dive sites, one could dive here their entire life and not get bored.
The Sea Cliffs, at the southern end of Point Loma, tend to be deeper dive sites along underwater walls.
These cliffs, formed during the last ice age, were dug out by thousands of years of wave action and used to be out of the water.
Now a diver's paradise, slot canyons, large overhangs, and other dramatic features awe even the most seasoned divers.
⨠KELP DIVING SAFETY TIP: If you feel like you got stuck on kelp, try not to spin around to untangle yourself. Instead, signal to your buddy to assist you while remaining still. It will be much easier for them to set you free.
What marine life calls Point Loma home?
The combination of rocky bottoms, ocean currents, and the protection of kelp forests has formed the ideal environment for life to flourish in Point Loma.
Divers often encounter horn sharks, moray eels, bat rays, sea stars, octopus, and spiny lobster hiding amongst the rocky structure.
Macro photographers will have their hands full, with over 20 species of nudibranchs in the area and loads of other small creatures to find and photograph.
Up above in the kelp canopy, larger creatures such as sevengill sharks, giant sea bass, schooling blacksmiths, and even yellowtail can all be found in Point Loma.
Photo by Charles Hobson
Photo by Jonathan Lavan
â¨LOCAL TIP: Be ready to get in the water after your crew dive brief. This will give you the best chance of seeing larger creatures that may get spooked by big groups of divers.Â
Weekly trips in two dive boats
Closest commercial dock to the ocean
Point Lomaâs 6-mile coast offers over 20 dive sites, which we divide into two main zones: the Point Loma Kelp Beds, featuring giant kelp forest and reef life, and the Point Loma Ancient Cliffs, where kelp gives way to steep cliffs descending into about 100 feet of water. Below, we highlight the key differences between these areas and share some of our favorite dive spots in each.
Point Loma Kelp Beds
Depth: 60 ft (18 m)
Level: Open Water
Point Loma is known for having one of the largest and healthiest kelp forest extensions of the whole Southern California coastline.
The luscious local kelp canopies tower over big boulders, overhangs, ledges, and cracks, creating the perfect environment for a diversity of marine life to call home.
For dive boats, spot specific trips are hard to pin down due to dive conditions and boat traffic. Notable spots include 6 Fathoms, New Hope Rock, Horsehead Reef, Goal Posts, Broomtail Reef, NRAD, and North/South Pipe.
Point Loma Ancient Cliffs
Max. Depth: 100 ft (30 m)
Level: Advanced
During the last ice age, when the sea level was 100 ft lower, the Sea Cliffs were battered and carved by relentless waves and tides. Nowadays, these cliffs lie between 65 ft and 110 ft underwater.
As with Point Loma Kelp Beds, boat trips are kept to a general area. Some of the notable spots within the area include Dino Head, Train Wheels, Three Fingers, and Main Wall.
Most of the sea life will be congregated within 10 ft (3 m) inside or outside of the kelp line. As you venture deeper into the kelp forest, activity slows and fish can be sparse.
6 Fathoms
Photo by Michael Wimmer
Depth: 40 - 60 ft (12 - 18 m)
Level: Open Water
At the north end of Point Loma Kelp Beds, this area has some of the densest sections of San Diego kelp forest.
Underwater, about 0.5 mile from shore, a large flat portion of the rocky bottom abruptly ends in a 5 ft (1.5 m) tall ledge running north to south. All along this ledge, ocean life thrives.
Divers can encounter lobsters, horn sharks and other bottom-dwelling creatures hiding amongst the rocks. If you venture East underneath the kelp forest canopy, you may even encounter a giant sea bass or sevengill shark cruising around.
We consider this our âhouse reefâ as this is a relatively easy dive, with the chance of seeing most of the creatures found on the San Diego coast. Itâs a local favorite!
Dino Head
Photo by Michael Wimmer
Max. Depth: 65 - 100 ft (19 - 30 m)
Level: Advanced
What makes Dino Head one of San Diego's most iconic dive sites is a large pinnacle rising of the sea cliff in the shape of a T-Rex head, looking out over the dive site.
Similar to other sites along the sea cliffs, the top of the wall sits at 65 ft and descends to the sandy sea floor at 100 ft. This dinosaur head sits to the East, up a wide sand channel running toward shore.
But donât forget to check out the holes and ledges on your way there! These ridges are home to more nudibranchs than we care to count.
Divers have a wide range of structures to explore at different depths of this dive site, so dive planning is key.
New Hope Rock
Photo by Brian Foreman
Depth: 20 - 35 ft (6 - 11 m)
Level: Open Water
Possibly the shallowest dive site in Point Loma Kelp Beds, this rock is home to a large density of fish and other sea life.
Excellent for those new to California diving, New Hope Rock rises up from the seabed, in 35 ft (11 m) of water, putting the top of the structure only 10 ft (3 m) from the surface.
The main rock is surrounded by sea palms on all sides, except for a few cracks and crevices. If you still have plenty of air, there is a second rock pinnacle near the main structure to explore.
Several holes and an overhang were carved out by ocean currents, now lined by anemones and other invertebrates. Make your way along the bottom and you may find lobsters, octopus, and even scorpionfish.
Train Wheels
Photo by Jon Schmitt
Max. Depth: 65 - 100 ft (19 - 30 m)
Level: Advanced
Very close to the southern tip of Point Loma, the shelf quickly ends and a wall drops from 65 ft down to 100 ft.
Lying in one of these slot canyons, around 100 ft down, are two full-sized sets of train wheels, now confined to this canyon by prevailing currents. This canyon, known as âthe crackâ is wide enough for several divers at its base, but slowly narrows near the top of the canyon wall.
Now you may be asking yourself, âHow did train wheels end up in a canyon almost a mile offshore?â
Although no one knows exactly how these train wheels got here, there is some speculation they were used as part of a NAVY exercise, or possibly for ballast on a smaller cargo ship. Either way, this site is one of the most unique dives in the Sea Cliffs area.
Horsehead Reef
Photo by Michael Wimmer
Depth : 45 - 60 ft (13 - 18 m)
Level: Open Water
This shallow underwater ecosystem is a favorite for macro photographers, teeming with nudibranchs and other small critters that thrive in the rocky terrain.
A prominent rock here protrudes from the bottom, resembling a horseâs headâgiving the site its name.
The main rock is surrounded by smaller rocky outcrops, with ledges and holes providing shelter for lobster, octopus, moray eels, and other reef creatures.
Moving slowly is recommended; paying close attention to the boulders can reveal camouflaged inhabitants, like scorpionfish or kelpfish, blending into the background and waiting to be spotted by careful divers.
This site is a must for nudibranch fans!
7 Fathoms
Photo by Jon Schmitt
Max. Depth: 65 - 100 ft (19 - 30 m)
Level: Advanced
7 Fathoms, or Three-Fingers Reef, is a bustling underwater habitat with rocky fingers that extend into deeper waters, creating a vibrant space teeming with marine life.
The strong currents are a food source to filter feeders, which in turn attract diverse fish, including calico bass, sheepshead, and barred sand bass.
In the deeper crevices, divers may find guitarfish nestled away, while smaller fish, like black perch and opaleye, inhabit the shallower crevices.
Nudibranchs and other macro critters are plentiful, making it a popular spot for photographers. Lobsters and rock scallops hide among the rocks, though many lobsters are undersized.
Strong currents and surge create both challenges and a lively environment.
Other Point Loma dive sites
Other notable dive sites south of Point Loma and towards the Mexican border include USS Hogan shipwreck (not part of Wreck Alley), Missile Tower wreck (not part of Wreck Alley), and S-37 submarine wreck (not part of Wreck Alley).
We don't usually venture out to these sites as they're all past recreational diving limits.
Weekly trips on two dive boats
Friendly crew and creature comforts
