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Map of Carmel River Beach
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IntermediateShore entry

Carmel River Beach

California, United StatesDirections
Open Water suggested6–18 m depthShore entry5mm wetsuit typical

Carmel River Beach at a glance

Carmel River Beach is an intermediate shore dive site in California, United States with depths of 6.1–18.3 m (20–60 ft). Typically most favorable Aug · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Sea otter, Lingcod, and Giant kelp. Recent reports put the water around 18°C (64°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 1h ago
1.3 mwaves — about a meter and a half expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 18°C · seasonal avg 16°C

Site hazards: Open-ocean surf (much gentler than Monastery but still a real surf entry), very thick kelp canopy in summer/fall requiring underwater navigation, rip currents near the river mouth

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Thu
Fri11:00–20:00
Sat7:00–20:00
Sun7:00–20:00
Mon—
Tue16:00–20:00
Wed7:00–20:00
Thu8:00–20:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 6:21 · Sunrise 6:47 · Sunset 19:21

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 4.7 km from site · graded 1h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

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: Sea otter, Giant kelp, Painted greenling
Best time: Calm mornings, fall and winter; avoid large west swells

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. Jan8%13°C3.0 m
  2. Feb1%13°C3.2 m
  3. Mar4%12°C3.0 m
  4. Apr19%12°C2.3 m
  5. May14%12°C2.3 m
  6. Jun18%13°C2.1 m
  7. Jul56%14°C1.6 m
  8. Aug71%14°C1.5 m
  9. Sep38%16°C1.9 m
  10. Oct22%16°C2.3 m
  11. Nov12%14°C2.7 m
  12. Dec9%14°C2.8 m

August hastypically 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 seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Fills & rentals nearby

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

  • Monterey Bay Scuba8.3 km

    Report a fix

  • Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers8.6 km

    Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa-Su 07:00-18:00 hours from OpenStreetMap — call ahead

    Report a fix

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

A long, gently sloped beach at Carmel River State Beach, far more forgiving than neighboring Monastery Beach. The bottom drops in rocky steps from 20 to 30 to 40 feet and then slopes past 60 feet, beneath one of the healthiest kelp beds in Carmel Bay — often too thick to surface-swim through in summer and fall. Enter and exit at the very north end near the Scenic Road stairs.

reefshore

Open-ocean surf (much gentler than Monastery but still a real surf entry), very thick kelp canopy in summer/fall requiring underwater navigation, rip currents near the river mouth

Reviews

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