How deep is McAbee Beach?

McAbee Beach has a depth range of 3–13.7 metres (10–45 feet). Check the dive site page for current conditions and any depth-specific guidance before planning your dive.

When is the best time to dive McAbee Beach?

The best time to dive McAbee Beach is typically High tide on calm days; fall for best visibility. Conditions vary, so check the latest reports and forecasts on the dive site page before your trip.

What will I see at McAbee Beach?

Divers at McAbee Beach in United States commonly report sightings of Sea otter, Harbor seal, Kelp rockfish, Monkeyface prickleback, and Hermissenda nudibranch. Marine life varies by season and conditions—check the site page for recent diver observations and photos.

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Shore entry

McAbee Beach

California, United States

Open Water suggested3–14 m depthShore entry7mm or semi-dry + hood typical

McAbee Beach at a glance

McAbee Beach is a shore dive site in California, United States with depths of 3–13.7 m (10–45 ft). Typically most favorable Aug · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Sea otter, Harbor seal, and Kelp rockfish. Recent reports put the water around 16°C (60°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 2h ago

1.5 mwaves — about a meter and a half expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 16°C · seasonal avg 14°C

Site hazards: Rusted rebar in the shallows on the El Torito (south) side of the beach, especially when sand is washed away; kelp entanglement; tourist boat traffic

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Sun

Sun7:00–21:00

Mon7:00–21:00

Tue7:00–17:00

Wed7:00–14:00

Thu7:00–9:00

Fri7:00–21:00

Sat—

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 5:40 · Sunrise 6:09 · Sunset 20:19

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 2.5 km from site · graded 2h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

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.

What Divers Say

Known for: Sea otter, Harbor seal, Kelp rockfish

Best time: High tide on calm days; fall for best visibility

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.

Jan8%13°C3.0 m
Feb1%13°C3.2 m
Mar4%12°C3.0 m
Apr19%12°C2.3 m
May14%12°C2.3 m
Jun18%13°C2.1 m
Jul56%14°C1.6 m
Aug71%14°C1.5 m
Sep38%16°C1.9 m
Oct22%16°C2.3 m
Nov12%14°C2.7 m
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 recorded at this site, by month

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

Species seen here

Sea otterCommonly seen
Harbor sealCommonly seen
Kelp rockfishCommonly seen
Monkeyface pricklebackOccasionally seen
Hermissenda nudibranchCommonly seen
Giant kelpCommonly seen
Pacific octopusRarely seen

Hexagrammos stelleri recorded here Jul (1 record)
most recent 2014
Phoca vitulina recorded here Jul (1 record)
most recent 2014

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.

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers0.2 km
Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa-Su 07:00-18:00 hours from OpenStreetMap — call ahead
Report a fix
Monterey Bay Scuba0.9 km
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.

Site details

A small pocket beach on Cannery Row next to the El Torito restaurant, diving over historic cannery debris and a healthy kelp forest. Lengths of old pipe run from near shore out to about 40 feet and serve as navigation aids, and McAbee Pinnacle lies offshore. An easy, protected entry popular for relaxed kelp dives close to downtown Monterey.

pinnaclereefshore

Rusted rebar in the shallows on the El Torito (south) side of the beach, especially when sand is washed away; kelp entanglement; tourist boat traffic

Reviews

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