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Rocky headland and a long stone breakwater reaching into blue sea, seen over coastal scrub — Morro Bay & Port San Luis

Morro Bay & Port San Luis · United States · Pinnacle · Reef

Westdhal Rock

A large field of jagged pinnacle tops at around 6 m

Area photo: jkirkhart35 · CC BY 2.0

Westdhal Rock is a broad site of jagged pinnacles on the coast between Port San Luis and Morro Bay. The pinnacle tops sit around 6 m (20 ft) deep and the outer area drops to about 21 m (70 ft), so a dive can stay high on the tops or work the deeper edges. It is a boat dive from either harbour.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Westdhal Rock: typical dive to 21 m (to 70 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit21 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

35.1477° N, 120.7830° WPublished position for this site.

The dive

Westdhal Rock covers a large area rather than a single rock. A series of jagged pinnacles rises from the seabed with their tops around 6 m (20 ft) deep, and the outer area goes to about 21 m (70 ft). Some fish and lots of invertebrates live on the rock, which makes it good for photography when the weather permits.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Westdhal Rock
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFair

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.

Sources

  1. Coastal Dive Sites-Avila (Port San Luis) to Big Sur — Channel Islands Dive Adventures
  2. NOAA ENC Direct to GIS — charted rocks — NOAA Office of Coast Survey

More dive sites in Morro Bay & Port San Luis

Kelp forest

Cayucos Kelp Beds

Thick kelp beds along Highway 1 just past Cayucos

to 9 mintermediate

Reef

Howell Rock

A large rock topping out about 5 m under the surface

to 15 mintermediate

Reef

Pecho Rock

Surface-breaking rock in kelp with lingcod and rockfish at 6–15 m

to 15 mintermediate

Pinnacle

Souza Rock

Pinnacle rising from about 37 m to within 6 m of the surface

6–37 madvanced

Reef

White Rock

Rocky ground to 15 m with lingcod, cabezon and kelp bass

to 15 mintermediate

Similar dives elsewhere

Pinnacle

Aumentos Pinnacle

Monterey Bay · United States

Granite pinnacle at 12 m (40 ft) with a vertical wall on its offshore face

12–17 m · max 26 mintermediate

Pinnacle

Anacapa Island — Arch Rock

Channel Islands · United States

A 12 m natural bridge marking the edge of a no-take marine reserve

15–37 madvanced

Pinnacle

Hen Rock

Catalina Island · United States

Swim-throughs and mini-walls on the outer pinnacles

5–26 mintermediate

Pinnacle

La Reina

Sea of Cortez · Mexico

A lighthouse islet with sea lions and passing mantas

8–30 madvanced