Monastery Beach Dive Video Scuba Diving

Monastery Beach, south of Monterey, California is a wonderful place to dive, but does have it's dangers, claiming numerous lives over the years. This video is a short snippet of the full dive video with local SF Bay Area divers sharing their views on diving Monastery Beach.
The full video will have our local divers sharing their various experiences with diving at Monastery Beach , California.
Stay tuned for the full video!
Doc Wong

[@gun45shy]

Doc, I've been watching you dives on line for years. I did my check- out dive at Monastery beach in 1965. The equipment was much more simple the...a J valve and only one hose. I'm a bit put off by the elaborate equipment and the expense now, but I just love to see these videos of that beach. Keep up the good work!!!

[@dvmartel1]

Thank you for posting this video. I nearly made the mistake of diving here with my two teenage sons. It would not have turned out well.

[@docwong]

Glad you got out unharmed. Yes, Monastery Beach demands a lot of respect.

[@docwong]

Thanks, yea the equipment is definitely more complicated, which is why I dive a backplate, but having an air pressure guage is so much better than the old J Valve. Back in the day I recall diving and running out of air and reached back to pull my J Valve only to find that it was mistakenly already in the down or reserve position and had no air. Good thing we practiced out of air ascents in my old NAUE class.

[@stephlmt123]

Great Video! I was born in Monterey, ca and now live in Reno NV. I used to go to Carmel a lot and to Monastery Beach it is an erie place and not being a diver one day when the water was calm I walked into the water and it had a almost an instant cliff drop. I never went in it again. I know why it's called Mortuary Beach.It's beautiful but deceiving.

[@Sasquatch2727]

I'm glad I saw this. Good job overall. I guess I would have liked to see "the roll" from a little closer to the action and maybe a couple of other divers negotiating that same obstacle.

[@docwong]

Yea, Monastery can be a tricky place to dive, but such a beautiful and varied site!

[@takhskampiwths9134]

Hi

[@divervince]

Was the full version ever released? If so where is it? Thanks for this video.

[@planetmarrs5239]

The sand is very course and the water can take it right out from underneath your feet and down you go. Crawling out is the best way to exit the water at this beach….

[@docwong]

That’s for sure! The unique quality about Monastery Beach is the sudden drop off just where the surf breaks near the beach. That’s where the inexperienced get sucked in by surprise

[@frankkolton1780]

Many deaths here over the years. Not a dive to make if you don't have lots of experience, tend to panic, not in good physical shape, or if conditions are too rough. Many prefer to enter and exit without fins on. Tighten down mask just a little more than usual.

[@DocWongScuba]

Depends on the diver's capabilities. I first dove there many, many years ago as a new diver and it was easy, even with the bigger waves. But being 20, young, dumb and athletic it was ok.

[@racoondiver]

Very good.

[@docwong]

I think that is a viable choice and has it's advantages. Not having your fins on gives you a lot of control in being able to walk out. Still, scrambling out on your hands and knees when I was thrown around was my only choice in that situation.

[@kimsiewers]

Enter with fins off, don fins in the water. Exit at far north end of the beach. If the swell picks up during the dive, you need to time exit between sets.

[@docwong]

That's definitely another option that was covered in our Monastery Beach Safety Conference years ago.

[@docwong]

You're welcome, but so far the time needed to edit all the footage has not come up to my other pressing priorities.

[@takhskampiwths9134]

Hi

[@arkyologist]

I find it hard to believe the scenery is worth the cold and hazardous entry and exit

[@DocWongScuba]

Oh, it's definitely worth it assuming you know how to get in and out safely.

[@hemming57]

Locals call it Mortuary Beach!

[@DocWongScuba]

Yea, but since we helped design and get the new signs up, the fatalities have fallen off.

[@mstashadafrolicker]

Hi there, I am a researcher for a BBC One production, Close Calls On Camera. The series features near-miss or potentially disastrous accidents and rescues. We interview those involved, those who came to their rescue and use photos and footage to forensically tell the story. We’re covering a story where two recreational divers discovered a bomb from WW2 at their local pier and helped the Navy find and safely set off the bomb so that no one was hurt. We're looking for some diving footage to add to the story, and wondered if you would be open to us using your footage. Faces etc wouldn't be recognisable or would be blurred out. You can get in touch with me at [e-mail]