Scuba diving in San Diego

San Diego compresses most of California diving into one county: walk-in kelp and sand dives at La Jolla, boat-served kelp beds off Point Loma, and a purpose-built collection of sunken ships in Wreck Alley off Mission Beach. The water is a touch warmer than points north, the season runs all year, and the animal calendar — leopard sharks in the shallows, sea lions everywhere, squid runs in winter — gives locals a reason to keep a tank filled in every month.

The signature dives

La Jolla Shores is the famous easy entry: a gentle sand slope into the marine reserve where summer gathers hundreds of harmless leopard sharks in chest-deep water, with the edge of La Jolla Canyon dropping off just beyond for deeper exploration. La Jolla Cove puts you in the kelp with garibaldi and sea lions. Wreck Alley's centerpiece is the HMCS Yukon, a 366 ft Canadian destroyer sunk in 2000 that lies on her side in about 100 ft — a big, current-swept, penetration-tempting wreck treated as an advanced dive — alongside the friendlier Ruby E and the remains of the NOSC tower. Point Loma's thick kelp beds round out the boat itinerary.

Conditions and season

Expect 55–60 °F water most of the year, warming toward 70 °F at the surface in late summer. A 7 mm suit is standard; many divers go dry in winter. Visibility averages 15–30 ft inshore and improves on the outer kelp and wrecks; fall is typically the clearest window. Surge and surf entries set the difficulty at the shore sites, while the Yukon adds depth and current.

Good to know

Charters run daily from Mission Bay to Wreck Alley, Point Loma, and — on longer schedules — the offshore banks. Lobster season (October through mid-March) fills boats with hunters, so book sightseeing spots ahead in fall. La Jolla is a protected reserve: no take of anything, which is exactly why the animals are so bold.