Redondo, Palos Verdes & San Pedro · United States · Sand slope · Night
Veteran's Park
Easy beach entry onto a canyon edge with a busy night community
Veteran's Park is a shore dive just south of Redondo Beach Pier, entering over sand onto an underwater canyon. Minimal current and an easy entry make it popular with beginner and advanced beach divers, and the sand holds octopus, scorpionfish, pipefish and baby horn sharks by day and bat rays and eels at night.
Also known as Vets Park.
Where it is and how deep
33.8374° N, 118.3893° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Walk down the stairs from the parking lot and across the sand south of Redondo Beach Pier, then enter from the beach and swim out with a float, flag and descent line, which are required here. The bottom slopes into the underwater canyon, and the recommended range is 9–18 m (30–60 ft); anything deeper is used for training rather than sightseeing.
On the sand look for octopus, sarcastic fringeheads, scorpionfish, pipefish, giant starfish, baby horn sharks and beds of sand dollars. The canyon gets cold below a thermocline around 12 m (40 ft). After dark an entirely different community comes out: shrimp, crabs, nudibranchs, bat rays, rockfish and eels.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Eagle rays
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows Redondo, Palos Verdes & San Pedro: The squid run at Veteran's Park, mid-December to early March, falls in the coldest water of the year; August is the warmest month at about 19 °C.
Know before you go
- A thermocline around 12 m (40 ft) chills the canyon; dress for the colder water below it.
- The climb up the stairs and walk through the sand can be strenuous in full gear; a steady pace helps.
- Avoid diving in high surf.
Dive videos
Finding the Monument - scuba diving vets park · Road on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Veteran's Park in Redondo Beach?+
The recommended range is 9–18 m (30–60 ft); deeper water in the canyon is used for training.
Is Veteran's Park good for beginners?+
Yes. Minimal current and an easy entry make it popular with beginner and advanced beach divers, though the stairs and sand walk can be strenuous.
Sources
- Vet's Park Redondo Beach — Eco Dive Center
- Veterans Park, Redondo Beach — OpenStreetMap
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Wreck
Stripped Liberty ship hull with its deck at 35 m (115 ft)
Similar dives elsewhere
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