California shore diving is in itself a physically demanding activity more than most tropical locations because of lower visibility, colder water, higher surge, and a trickier entry and exit. The cove entry point specifically stands beneath a set of 50 stairs which will be required to walk up and down each dive to get to our entry and exit (in full gear). A 5-10 minute surface swim is required to swim to enough depth to begin our dive. Each dive last around 50 minutes. These are some of the reasons that La Jolla Cove is such a physically demanding dive site. We suggest doing a single tank or going on a boat tour if you are not in physical condition to do this shore dive. If you have any injuries, medical conditions or recent surgeries, you may want to consult your doctor to make sure that you are fit to dive.
If conditions are not safe or dive-able on the day of your reservation, you will have the option to reschedule or get a refund. We will do our best to give our best judgement to let you know what to expect and give you the best experience. Please respect the Instructors decision to call off a dive due to poor conditions, as it does commonly happen.
Historically, divers come to La Jolla Cove to see the Sea Lions and the Giant Kelp Forest. It's also not uncommon to see Garibaldi Fish (the vibrant orange California State Fish) in great abundance, Sheepshead bass, Horn Sharks, and Banded Guitarfish. We cannot guarantee that you will see any specific wildlife on any of our dives. Check out this video for more of an idea of what you can see on our Scuba Diving and Snorkel Tours.
Unfortunately not. If you are not a certified Scuba Diver by a reputable Scuba Organization, then we can not take you on the Scuba Tour of La Jolla Cove. The Cove can be a tricky dive site due to entry and exit and also is covered in wildlife which we cannot afford to get all banged up with tanks and fins of first time scuba divers. If you are not certified, go for our Discover Scuba Dive Tour of Mission Point Park or our Snorkel Tour of La Jolla Cove. Also.. Get Certified!!!
We can help you!! You will need your Open Water Scuba Certification to begin a lifetime of Scuba Adventures!! Simply go to our Book Now page and click the Open Water Scuba Course, read it over and start today with your first down payment of $285 to being the Academic portion of the course (elearning) in the comfort of your home today. We offer the Open Water Course including everything you'll need for $855, and we split it into 3 easy payments of $285. ( Elearning, Confined Water, and Open Water. )
After your elearning is finished, simply schedule your Confined Water dives (2nd payment of $285)
And after your Confined Water dives, simply schedule you Open Water dives (3rd payment of $285).
See the Book Now page for more info!
Yes. You are welcome to leave your personal belongings in our vehicle while we are on our dive. (We are not responsible for any lost or stolen items)
The max depth for the dives at La Jolla Cove is ~33fsw / ~10m. The majority of the cove dives are spent in 15-20fsw. The Night Dive at La Jolla Shores has a maximum depth of ~60fsw. The max depth for our Mission Point Discover Scuba Dives is ~24fsw / ~8m.
There are good and bad days every month in Southern California, although the dive season is most consistent in mid summer to fall. During these months, the swells tend to die down and water warms up.
Temperatures vary depending on the time of year you visit. Winter temps can drop to the low 50's, and summer / fall conditions can reach mid 70's. We highly suggest diving with a 7mm wetsuit, boots, hood, and gloves to be comfortable.
Yes. All divers that book a Guided tour through us must stay within view of the Guide at all times. If you get separated from the group, slowly start your ascent and reconvene with the group at the surface. Do not continue the dive alone without your Guide.
Absolutely. We will have tanks and weights included on each dive. Our tanks are all Yolk valve so please reach out before hand if you need us to bring a DIN adapter for you. You do not need the scuba gear rental if you use your own gear. (We are not responsible for any for your gear and have very limited tools to repair anything in the field; please come accordingly and have your gear checked before your dive, especially if you have not been diving for awhile). Discover Scuba Tours and Snorkel Tours come with full gear included in dive package. *
Yes we do!! We offer premium rental gear with several different package options available. We offer -
Full Scuba Gear Rental (everything you'll need - wetsuit / boots / hood / gloves / mask / snorkel / BCD / regulator / fins)
Full Neoprene setup (wetsuit / boots / hood / gloves
Just Wetsuit
Just BCD
Just regulator
And remember, tanks and weights are included for FREE on every dive you book with us!
Yes. You are welcome to bring your camera. We highly suggest you mark your camera with your name and phone number and have a securely tethered to your BCD/wrist.
Absolutely not. La Jolla Cove is part of one of the largest Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the United States. It is strictly prohibited to collect any marine animal or remove any archeological artifact from the cove. Please respect the wildlife and never touch the animals.
No. There is no required night dive certification to join us for a Night dive Scuba Tour of La Jolla Shores. A minimum Open Water Certification will suffice.
Sea Lions can be seen year round, although the pups get in the water in October and that is when they are the most interactive.
Peak season for sharks is Spring and Summer, although they are always there. Small Horn Sharks are the most common, but we do get Tope Sharks and Sevengill Sharks. Click here to see one of our videos of a Sevengill Shark encounter.
Yes. There is 3-hour Public Parking (starts at 8am) directly at La Jolla Cove. Parking during the summer months is very competitive, especially on weekends. We suggest you arrive early, or use one of the various Pay to Park garages near the area. (We are not responsible for parking tickets.)
Unfortunately not. Non-certified divers are limited to either the Discover Scuba Tour at Mission Point Park or the Snorkel Tour of La Jolla Cove.
The Night Dive Scuba Tours focus on going to La Jolla Canyon, where the gently sloping sandy beach bottom abruptly and steeply drops off. You are likely to spot Octopus, Nudibranchs, lots of Crustaceans, Horn Sharks, Stingrays, Banded Guitarfish and more.
There is no specific weight limit for diving with us. However we highly suggest a BMI no greater than 30, due to the physically strenuous Nature of shore diving in Southern California. Our Scuba gear rental wetsuit sizes max out at 250lbs.
The minimum age for any Scuba activity is 10 years old. The minimum age for Snorkel tours is 8 years old. Please call ahead if you have younger children, we may be able to facilitate if we can get extra Guides.