{"id":2116,"date":"2021-10-09T11:33:24","date_gmt":"2021-10-09T11:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/divingcorner.com\/?p=2116"},"modified":"2022-03-08T18:33:40","modified_gmt":"2022-03-08T18:33:40","slug":"california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/divingcorner.com\/california\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 19 Best Diving Sites In California (With Pictures)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Though it may come as a surprise to many, the coast of California offers some of the most amazing diving in the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many may be put off by the idea of the colder water, but the California coast is at the edge of a tectonic plate, making it a rocky winter wonderland full of majestic kelp forests and utterly unique topography and wildlife. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

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The California diving community is full of tough, dedicated, and highly skilled individuals. Even during the warmest months, conditions can be difficult, and the amount of gear necessary to keep warm is cumbersome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, on the days where conditions cooperate and the visibility is pristine, California diving is magical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s more, a diver trained in California for their open water certification will be one of the more knowledgeable and capable divers out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dive sites in California are often accessed from shore, but there are a number of islands off of the coast (accessed by boat) that attract divers, as well, because they can offer better visibility or denser wildlife. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, shore diving is a way of life in California, and reaching a dive site can often be as much work as the dive itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some spots have stairs down into the water, and some spots have a rope dangling down a cliff face to rappel with your gear to the shore! No matter the site, the California diver is a different breed, so it goes without saying that the diving is unique, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For divers that have yet to venture into California waters, it can be overwhelming to decide where to dive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following must-see dive locations are broken down by region, but there are hundreds of dive sites within each area that can be discovered through local dive shops and charter boats (very few are mentioned here). Get ready to explore!<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t

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  1. Northern California (NorCal)<\/a>