Posted by Northcoast_diver on August 03, 2004 at 09:42:11:
In Reply to: Monterey is not Northern... posted by Eric S on August 02, 2004 at 20:07:01:
I believe that the best easy diving in California is San Diego, particularly the artificial wrecks there (excepting the oil rigs and also Farnsworth).
If I were coming to California from the UK I would want to visit San Diego for scuba, more than anywhere else, for easy diving.
If I were going to divide the state, I too would divide it at the Golden Gate, for diving purposes. Anything south of that is easy diving (excepting Monastery on a bad day). Anything north, to the state line (of Oregon) is definitely more difficult overall, and would require and expert dive guide for someone from out of state, and therefore not recommended to a visitor.
For San Francisco, the easiest thing would be to call Aquarius (see Internet URL supra) in Monterey and reserve a guided shore dive or a boat dive with an assigned buddy. Aquarius rents everything needed.