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IntermediateShore entry

Avalon Dive Park

California, United StatesDirections
Open Water suggested3–31 m (10–100 ft) depthShore entry3mm wetsuit typical

Avalon Dive Park at a glance

Avalon Dive Park is an intermediate shore dive site in California, United States with depths of 3–30.5 m (10–100 ft). Typically most favorable Jul–Aug · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see California moray eel, Horn shark, and Kelp bass (calico bass). Recent reports put the water around 24°C (75°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Favorable window now· until 19:00 · sunset 18:07

Forecast for this hour · 10:00 · run 12 h ago
0.8 m (2.7 ft)waves — under a meter expected (waves — about three feet expected)

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 24°C · seasonal avg 20°C ( · Forecast 75°F · seasonal avg 67°F)

Site hazards: Occasional moderate current flowing west to east along the outer kelp edge; depth drops quickly to 65-95+ ft at the outer buoys and the Suejac wreck, so watch your gauge; kelp entanglement; crowded entry/exit stairs on busy weekends; boat traffic outside the roped park boundary.

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Mon8:00–19:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 5 kn wind (3.0 ft waves · 5 kn wind)

Tue8:00–19:00 favorable

1.1 m waves · 7 kn wind (3.6 ft waves · 7 kn wind)

Wed8:00–19:00 favorable

1.0 m waves · 4 kn wind (3.2 ft waves · 4 kn wind)

Thu8:00–19:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 5 kn wind (2.9 ft waves · 5 kn wind)

Fri8:00–19:00 favorable

0.8 m waves · 6 kn wind (2.6 ft waves · 6 kn wind)

Sat8:00–19:00 favorable

0.8 m waves · 4 kn wind (2.6 ft waves · 4 kn wind)

SunNot in the forecast yet

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

Every forecast dive window each day, site-local time, from wave and wind forecasts. Numbers under each bar are daylight averages.

First light 6:41 · Sunrise 7:07 · Sunset 18:07 · some windows run past sunset

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 7.1 km from site · updated 25 Oct, 22:21 GMT-7

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Compare this weekend’s windows near Avalon Dive Park

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: California moray eel, Kelp bass (calico bass), Blue-banded goby
Best time: Year-round; nearly always calm. Arrive early to beat crowds and get staging space. Summer water runs 70-74F with big visibility days (up to 100 ft); late spring-summer brings giant sea bass to the outer kelp edge.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. January, 62% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 15°C (59°F), waves have typically been 1.6 m (5.1 ft), wind has typically been 11 knots
  2. February, 60% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 15°C (58°F), waves have typically been 1.6 m (5.2 ft), wind has typically been 12 knots
  3. March, 57% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 14°C (58°F), waves have typically been 1.6 m (5.2 ft), wind has typically been 13 knots
  4. April, 83% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 15°C (59°F), waves have typically been 1.3 m (4.2 ft), wind has typically been 11 knots
  5. May, 89% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 17°C (62°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (3.8 ft), wind has typically been 11 knots
  6. June, 98% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 19°C (66°F), waves have typically been 1.1 m (3.5 ft), wind has typically been 10 knots
  7. July, 100% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 21°C (69°F), waves have typically been 1.0 m (3.1 ft), wind has typically been 10 knots, historically most favorable
  8. August, 100% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 21°C (70°F), waves have typically been 1.0 m (3.1 ft), wind has typically been 10 knots, historically most favorable
  9. September, 99% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 21°C (70°F), waves have typically been 1.0 m (3.2 ft), wind has typically been 10 knots
  10. October, 87% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 20°C (67°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (3.8 ft), wind has typically been 10 knots
  11. November, 84% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 17°C (63°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (4.0 ft), wind has typically been 9 knots
  12. December, 72% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 16°C (61°F), waves have typically been 1.3 m (4.3 ft), wind has typically been 8 knots

July and August have typically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life recorded at this site, by month

Recorded observations — evidence of past sightings, not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Rough labels: “Commonly seen” usually means two or more recorded sightings near this site in public dive logs (GBIF), “Occasionally seen” one; “Seasonal” and “Rarely seen” come from dive-guide research. Not a measured rate.

  • Hypsypops rubicundus recorded here Jul–Oct (11 records)

    most recent 2013

  • Myliobatis californica recorded here Jun, Oct (5 records)

    most recent 2014

  • Panulirus interruptus recorded here Aug–Oct (3 records)

    most recent 2014

  • Giant Pacific octopus recorded here Sep–Oct (2 records)

    Enteroctopus dofleinimost recent 2013

  • Halichoeres semicinctus recorded here Oct (2 records)

    most recent 2011

  • Paralabrax clathratus recorded here Jul, Oct (2 records)

    most recent 2012

  • Semicossyphus pulcher recorded here Aug, Oct (2 records)

    most recent 2009

  • Stereolepis gigas recorded here Aug (2 records)

    most recent 2015

Newest record here: 2015. Counts are occurrence records near this site from public biodiversity datasets (GBIF), grouped by calendar month across all sampled years. Sightings vary — past records are context, not a prediction.

Fills & rentals nearby

Facts from OpenStreetMap, corrected by the community — listed by distance only. Details change; confirm with the shop.

Shop facts come from OpenStreetMap and community corrections, shown nearest first. PickADive lists facts and contacts only — no listing is sponsored or ranked.

Data updated June 2026

Site details

Casino Point Dive Park (Avalon Underwater Park) is a roughly 2-2.5 acre roped-off, no-take marine reserve beside the landmark Catalina Casino in Avalon, widely regarded as the best shore dive in California. Custom concrete stairs with handrails lead straight into a lush giant kelp forest over reefs, mini-walls and sand flats from 10 to 100 ft, with several small wrecks including the 54-ft sailboat Suejac (bow at ~95 ft), the Kismet, a glass-bottom boat and a sunken swim platform, plus an underwater Jacques Cousteau memorial plaque at about 35 ft. Established in the 1960s as the first non-profit underwater park in the country, its protected status makes the fish unusually bold and the site ideal for everyone from open-water students to photographers.

reefshorewallwreck

Occasional moderate current flowing west to east along the outer kelp edge; depth drops quickly to 65-95+ ft at the outer buoys and the Suejac wreck, so watch your gauge; kelp entanglement; crowded entry/exit stairs on busy weekends; boat traffic outside the roped park boundary.

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