Morro Bay & Port San Luis · United States · Reef · Kelp forest
Pecho Rock
Surface-breaking rock in kelp with lingcod and rockfish at 6–15 m
Area photo: jkirkhart35 · CC BY 2.0
Pecho Rock is a boat dive on the coast between Port San Luis and Morro Bay, with depths of about 6–15 m (20–50 ft). The rock breaks the surface and has plenty of structure and kelp around it, with lingcod, rockfish and invertebrates among the rock. The water is cold, at 7–13 °C (45–55 °F) depending on the time of year.
Where it is and how deep
35.1795° N, 120.8167° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Pecho Rock breaks the surface and has plenty of structure around it, at depths of about 6–15 m (20–50 ft). Kelp is plentiful, and the marine life includes invertebrates on the rock and fish such as lingcod and rockfish. The site is good for hunting and photography.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Morro Bay & Port San Luis: No month stands out; the water ranges 7–13 °C with the time of year, and fast-changing weather decides which days the boat sites can be dived.
Know before you go
- Water of 7–13 °C (45–55 °F) depending on the time of year; extra thermal protection might be needed.
- Weather along the Central Coast can change very quickly and should be a top concern.
- A large security zone surrounds the Diablo nuclear power plant on this coast; boats must stay out of it.
Dive videos
Cabezon of the Central Coast of California · Andrew Harmer on YouTube
Sources
- Coastal Dive Sites-Avila (Port San Luis) to Big Sur — Channel Islands Dive Adventures
More dive sites in Morro Bay & Port San Luis
Kelp forest
Thick kelp beds along Highway 1 just past Cayucos
Reef
A large rock topping out about 5 m under the surface
Pinnacle
Large pinnacles off Point Buchon, from 8 m to past 30 m
Pinnacle
Pinnacle rising from about 37 m to within 6 m of the surface
Pinnacle
A large field of jagged pinnacle tops at around 6 m
Reef
Rocky ground to 15 m with lingcod, cabezon and kelp bass
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