San Diego
Scuba Diving Guide

Everything you need to know before scuba diving in San Diego

San Diego Scuba Diving

Main Diving Areas

When to Go

Diveable Months: Year-round
Best Conditions: Fall & Winter

Access

Boat Diving: All dive sites
Shore Diving: La Jolla only

Cost

Boat Diving: avg. $170 - $350
Shore Diving: free - $180

Visibility

Average: 15 to 30 ft
Best: 50 ft - 100 ft

Surface Water Temp

Imperial: 58° to 70°F
Metric: 14° to 21°C

Bottom Water Temp

Imperial: 48° to 65°F
Metric: 8° to 18°C

Exposure Protection

Mandatory: 7mm wetsuit or drysuit
Recommended: Hood, booties, gloves

Marine Life

Red gorgonian, strawberry anemones
Sevengill, horn, swell, & angel sharks
Stingray, bat ray, guitarfish
Yellowtail, lingcod, halibut
Halfmoon, blacksmith
Garibaldi, sheephead
California spiny lobster
Giant spinned sea star
Sea lion, harbor seal
Giant sea bass
Nudibranch

Boat Diving

Waterhorse Charters (us!) ⭐️
Marissa Charters

All in one Mission Bay shop
Check-in, rental gear fitting, boat boarding

What to expect

San Diego scuba diving packs the whole punch of cold-water diving:

  • Kelp Forests: richer at Point Loma area, but also found in La Jolla
  • Canyons & Walls: prime spots are Scripps Canyon & Train Wheels
  • Wreck Diving: famous underwater collection at Wreck Alley
  • Sea Lion Diving: a day trip to Coronado Islands' local rookery
  • Specialty Diving: lobster, night, and shark diving are possible here
YouTube video

Dive conditions

Visibility changes hourly, from site to site. These are San Diego scuba diving averages:

  • Average: 15 to 30 ft
  • Best: 50 ft+ locally & 100 ft+ at the Coronado Islands (fall & winter)
  • Worst: 5 ft (usually during algae blooms)*

Surface temperatures vary with the seasons and range between:

  • May - October: 62° to 70°F
  • November - April: 58° to 61°F

Bottom temperatures don't ever get too high and range between:

  • May - October: 56° to 65°F
  • November - April: 48° to 55°F
san-diego-scuba-diving-exposure-protection

Brave birthday diver ventures out at the Coronado Islands without a wetsuit (Photo by Jon Schmitt)

san-diego-scuba-diving

Photo by Jon Schmitt

Coronado Islands, a day trip to Mexico away, tend to have 1 to 3°F higher surface and bottom temperatures. Every bit counts!

San Diego waters are nutrient-rich, which helps kelp forests and cold-water species like sea lions and some shark species to flourish.

Dive conditions here change hourly. We keep a running Conditions Report spreadsheet to better forecast future visibility for our boat charters.

Gear requirements

If you plan to scuba dive in San Diego, exposure protection is a must. 

An extra layer of neoprene is always helpful when diving in San Diego, which is why we recommend full 7mm wetsuits with hood, booties, and gloves.

If you are certified and comfortable with it, a drysuit is not a bad idea for an even-warmer dive.

✨ LOCAL TIP: Ocean Enterprises, Beyond Land Adventures, and San Diego Divers are some of the San Diego dive shops that rent drysuits (in select sizes), but only if you are certified for it.

Accessing dive sites

You can dive La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores by shore, but you'll need a private or commercial boat to access any other dive site in San Diego. 

Waterhorse Charters - us - and Marissa Charters have the only United States Coast Guard inspected commercial dive boats in town.

san-diego-dive-boat

Photo by Phil Colla

la-jolla-shore-diving

Shore diving in La Jolla is a strenuous, yet rewarding physical activity

Tanks and weights included
Closest commercial dock to the ocean

Main San Diego dive sites

The San Diego scuba diving map and list below includes our favorite dive sites from La Jolla, Wreck Alley, Point Loma, and Coronado Islands. Although not all of San Diego dive sites are represented here, these are the main local recreational dive sites.

Darker icons represent advanced sites (over 60 ft) and brighter icons represent open water dive sites (under 60 ft).

Scripps Canyon

  • Max. Depth: 130 ft+
  • Level: Advanced
  • Formation: Canyon
  • Highlight: Deep Walls

La Jolla Pinnacles

  • Max. Depth: 90 ft
  • Level: Advanced
  • Formation: Rocky Pinnacle
  • Highlight: Nudibranchs

La Jolla Shores

  • Max. Depth: 130 ft+
  • Level: Open Water, Advanced
  • Formation: Sand, Canyon
  • Highlight: Night Diving

La Jolla Cove & Reefs

  • Max. Depth: 50 ft
  • Level: Open Water
  • Formation: Kelp Forest
  • Highlight: Shore Diving

HMCS Yukon

  • Max. Depth: 100 ft
  • Level: Advanced
  • Formation: Wreck
  • Highlight: large size (366 ft)

NOSC Tower

  • Max. Depth: 60 ft
  • Level: Open Water
  • Formation: Wreck
  • Highlight: Mini 'Oil-Rig'

Ruby E.

  • Max. Depth: 80 ft
  • Level: Advanced
  • Formation: Wreck
  • Highlight: Colorful Anemone

Old Ingraham St. Bridge

  • Max. Depth: 70 ft
  • Level: Advanced
  • Formation: Wreck
  • Highlight: Bridge Rubbles

El Rey

  • Max. Depth: 80 ft
  • Level: Advanced
  • Formation: Wreck
  • Highlight: Kelp Harvester

6 Fathoms

  • Max. Depth: 60 ft
  • Level: Open Water
  • Formation: Kelp Forest
  • Highlight: Sevengill Sharks

New Hope Rock

  • Depth: 35 ft
  • Level: Open Water
  • Formation: Kelp Forest
  • Highlight: Shallow Reef

Horsehead Reef

  • Max. Depth: 60 ft
  • Level: Open Water
  • Formation: Kelp Forest
  • Highlight: Walls

Dino Head

  • Max. Depth: 100 ft
  • Level: Advanced
  • Formation: Kelp Forest, Cliffs
  • Highlight: Dinosaur Rock

Train Wheels

  • Max. Depth: 100 ft
  • Level: Advanced
  • Formation: Kelp Forest, Cliffs
  • Highlight: Wrecked Wheels

Lobster Shack

  • Max. Depth: 60 ft+
  • Level: Open Water
  • Formation: Rocky Reef
  • Highlight: Sea Lions

Middle Grounds

  • Max. Depth: 60 ft+
  • Level: Open Water
  • Formation: Rocky Reef
  • Highlight: Archway

Keyhole

  • Max. Depth: 60 ft
  • Level: Open Water
  • Formation: Rocky Reef
  • Highlight: Rocky 'Fingers'

✨ LOCAL TIP: We didn't include Mission Bay as a main San Diego dive area because ocean conditions always triumph. Despite poor average visibility, Mission Bay is often used for scuba courses and lobster diving.

Tanks and weights included
Closest commercial dock to the ocean

Shark diving

Here is what you need to know about shark diving in San Diego:

  • Common Species: horn sharks, leopard sharks, sevengill sharks
  • Rare Species: swell sharks, tope sharks, smooth-hound sharks
  • Rarest Species: great white sharks, blue sharks, mako sharks, thresher sharks
  • Cage Diving: there is no great white shark cage diving in San Diego, but charters leave from San Diego to Mexican Guadalupe Islands
  • Dangers: Shark attacks are incredibly rare in San Diego, specially for scuba divers
  • Season: scuba diving in the Kelp Forests for sevengill sharks (spring), snorkeling at La Jolla Shores for leopard sharks (summer), looking under rocks and inside crevices on most dive sites for horn and swell sharks (year-round)

If you're interested in shark diving, see our San Diego Shark Diving guide.

san-diego-shark-diving

Photo by Charles Hobson

shark-diving-san-diego

Photo by Charles Hobson

Lobster diving

Here is what you need to know about lobster diving in San Diego:

  • Season: October through March (specific dates here)
  • Required Gear: Lobster game bag, gauge, dive light
  • Lobster Limit: Seven lobsters per person, per dive
  • Licenses: Lobster Report Card and Fishing License (buy them here)
  • Legal Size: 3 ¼ inch carapace (measured like this)
  • Location: Anywhere you don't see red (or some blue) on this map
  • Best Spots: Point Loma Kelp Beds & Mission Bay
lobster-diving-san-diego

Photo by Michael Wimmer

California Spiny Lobster

Photo by Michael Wimmer

Night diving

Here is what you need to know about night diving in San Diego:

  • Season: year-round
  • Gear: dive light, SMB, reel
  • Species: shrimps, octupus, crabs, horn sharks, guitar fishes, halibuts
  • Best Spots: Mission Bay & La Jolla Shores (from shore), Scripps Canyon & HMCS Yukon (by boat)

San Diego Dive Shops

Waterhorse Charters

Ocean Enterprises

  • Dive Shop
  • Dive Courses
  • Dive Travel
  • Guided Shore Diving

Beyond Land Adventures

  • Dive Shop
  • Dive Courses
  • Dive Travel
  • Guided Shore Diving

Zach Scuba Shack

  • Scuba Courses
  • Guided Shore Dives

North County Scuba Center

  • Dive Shop
  • Dive Courses

San Diego Divers

  • Dive Shop
  • Dive Courses

Scuba San Diego

  • Scuba Courses
  • Guided Shore Dives

House of Scuba

  • Dive Shop
  • Dive Courses
  • Dive Travel

Marissa Charters

  • Boat Diving

Odyssea by Fletcher

  • Dive Courses
  • Boat Diving (6-pack)
  • Guided Shore Diving

San Diego Scuba Guide

  • Scuba Courses
  • Guided Shore Dives

La Jolla Dive

  • Scuba Courses
  • Guided Shore Dives

scuba diver girls

  • Guided Shore Dives

Weekly trips on two dive boats
Friendly crew and creature comforts

Paul Laybourn
Paul Laybourn
My dive guide, Shane was knowledgeable, resourceful and personable. My daughter and I had two awesome dives at the Old Ingraham Bridge site and Yucon Wreck capturing several nice pictures. I highly recommend Waterhorse Charters for San Diego boat and shore diving.
Katie Deodat
Katie Deodat
Waterhorse is our favorite scuba dive charter company in San Diego! My family and I have booked with them several times over the years and they consistently have friendly and professional staff, safe and clean boats, and always provide a comfortable and fun experience all around! I highly recommend Waterhorse to any local or visiting divers to San Diego!
Stetson Davis
Stetson Davis
Once again whaterhorse charters put together a fantastic trip to dive the HMCS Yukon! Very helpful getting in and out of the water, hits and tricks to find cool things, and a huge supply of snacks on boat! i will ALWAYS use Waterhorse Charters when diving out of Mission Beach!
Darrin Kloostra
Darrin Kloostra
Loved the dives. The crew is very knowledgeable about all the dives sites and does a greaet predive briefing to maximize your dive.
Flo Li
Flo Li
My mono-fin free diving buddy found Waterhorse Charters when I told him I wanted to free-dive the Point Loma Kelp Forest. I have since gone several times with this charter and each time I'm so grateful for the level of service and attention to details they provide. I feel safe and taken care of from booking, to check-in, loading, putting on my gear, feeling safe in the water to come back getting my camera soaked in the fresh water bucket, hot shower on board, and hot coffee/cocoa/soup they provide. Truly exceptional. Highly recommend for Scuba and Free-diving.
Ariana Silva
Ariana Silva
I had an absolutely fantastic experience with Waterhorse Charters on Sunday, February 2nd, for a scuba diving trip to the Yukon with Bernard. From start to finish, everything was smooth, professional, and well-organized. The nitrox tanks were prepared and ready for analysis upon arrival, making the process seamless. Brendon and Brandon were an incredible crew—knowledgeable, friendly, and super helpful. They provided an excellent briefing on the wreck, the marine life we’d encounter, and the best way to navigate the dive. Their passion for diving and customer service really stood out. They were also more than willing to assist with gear whenever needed, making the experience even more enjoyable. The highlight of the dive was the fantastic visibility—20 to 30 feet on the Yukon! It made exploring the wreck even more exciting, allowing for some amazing underwater views. Overall, this was an outstanding trip, and I highly recommend Waterhorse Charters to anyone looking for a top-tier dive experience in San Diego. Can’t wait to book my next trip with them!
Zachary Hupp
Zachary Hupp
My first time diving in California, and the crew at Waterhorse made is so great! So much so, that I booked TWO days of diving with them during my trip to San Diego. Zach made sure we had everything we needed before and during the dives. We had hot soup waiting for us during our surface intervals, with a lot of other snacks for the taking. I will absolutely be booking more charters with Waterhorse the next time I get back to San Diego!
John George
John George
This is the best dive company in San Diego hands down. I have been diving with Waterhorse charters for almost three years now and every trip it never ceases to amaze me how helpful, kind, and attentive the crew is. Zack helped out last week to get lobster season rolling and I came home with four of them! Don’t look anywhere else if you are wanting to dive in San Diego. Update: Just had another great trip with out to the Ruby E and Yukon with Capt. Zach and Capt. Brandon. Everything was discussed prior to entering the water which made for safe and fantastic diving! Always recommend diving with Waterhorse over any other company out there.
Markus Sturkey
Markus Sturkey
Waterhorse Charters truly exceeded my expectations and provided the best dive charter experience I’ve ever had. From the owners to the crew, everyone is top-tier. I had the pleasure of meeting Zach, one of the owners, at the Scuba Show, and I corresponded with his wife Karina over email to make changes. The entire booking process was seamless and professional. My spouse, who often accompanies me on dive trips, mentioned that Captain Charles was the nicest captain she’s ever met. The divemasters I had, Brandon and Jon, are probably the best dive guides I’ve ever had. I can confidently say they gave me my favorite dives of all time so far. I had heard nothing but good things from multiple people, so my expectations were high—and they met or exceeded every one of them. If you’re looking to dive in the San Diego area, Waterhorse Charters is the way to go.