Morro Bay & Port San Luis · United States · Reef · Kelp forest
White Rock
Rocky ground to 15 m with lingcod, cabezon and kelp bass
Area photo: jkirkhart35 · CC BY 2.0
White Rock is a boat dive on the coast between Port San Luis and Morro Bay, with plenty of rocky structure spread around the site down to about 15 m (50 ft). Lingcod, cabezon and kelp bass live on the rock along with invertebrates, and kelp beds ring it. The water runs 7–13 °C (45–55 °F).
Where it is and how deep
35.1636° N, 120.7096° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
White Rock is a large rock that breaks the surface, with kelp beds all around it and rocky structure spread across the area down to about 15 m (50 ft). Lingcod, cabezon and kelp bass hold on and around it, along with some invertebrates.
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.
Sources
- Coastal Dive Sites-Avila (Port San Luis) to Big Sur — Channel Islands Dive Adventures
- White Rock (OpenStreetMap) — OpenStreetMap contributors
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
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Surface-breaking rock in kelp with lingcod and rockfish at 6–15 m
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
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