Before You Suit Up: Water Closures and Advisories to Know Right Now
- Bret Whitman
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
A dive plan is only as good as the water you actually get into. Right now a handful of spots on the California coast are posted, closed, or worth a hard second look before you commit - and a couple of them are the kind of closure you do not want to push through. Here is a quick rundown of what to know this week, plus how to check for yourself before you make the drive.
Lover's Point (Pacific Grove) - bacterial closure
As of this week, Lover's Point is closed on a health-safety advisory for high bacterial levels, and the beach is signposted. Divers on scene also noted a strong rotten-egg, sulfur smell in the parking area. County health testers cross-reported to the sewer authority, and a possible broken or leaking sewage line is under investigation as the source of both the bacteria and the smell. Skip Lover's Point and the surrounding Pacific Grove water near-term until the closure lifts and the source is confirmed. A bacterial closure is not a suggestion - sewage-linked contamination can put you in urgent care.
Monterey Breakwater / San Carlos Beach - sea lions
The Breakwater entry at San Carlos Beach has been closed due to hauled-out sea lions crowding the entry. Give the animals room, use an alternate entry, and do not try to thread through a posted closure. Sea lions are fast, territorial in a haul-out, and a lot bigger than they look from the boardwalk.
Orange County and Laguna Beach - watch for sewage-spill closures
Laguna is the Orange County spot to keep an eye on. The town's sewer mains run right along the coast, and force-main breaks and pump failures have repeatedly triggered ocean-contact closures - no swimming, surfing, or diving until follow-up testing clears the water. This summer a spill near Thalia Beach, around Anita Street, closed the water in early July, and larger force-main breaks have shut down the stretch from Treasure Island Beach to Table Rock at Aliso Beach. As of this update the county's live status shows no Orange County closures currently in effect - but a Laguna spill can post and clear within a day, which is exactly why you check before you drive.
For Orange County, the authoritative real-time source is the county's Ocean and Bay posting and closure line at (714) 433-6400 and OCBeachinfo.com. Do not rely on something you heard secondhand - a closure lifted yesterday can be back today, and vice versa. Confirm the status for your exact spot the day you plan to dive.
The Red Triangle - shark awareness up north
A reminder for anyone diving the Sonoma-to-Monterey stretch: the Red Triangle carries elevated white shark presence, and a diver was bitten at Fort Ross earlier this summer - he came out of it okay, but it is a real reminder. This is not a reason to stay dry. It is a reason to dive smart: bring a buddy, keep your dives efficient, and think twice about dawn and dusk sessions in seal-heavy zones.
How to check before you go
Check the county water-quality page. The health department for the nearest county posts beach advisories and closures - look before you load the truck.
Read the signage at the entry. A signposted closure is enforceable and it is there for a reason. If it is posted, pick another spot.
Trust your nose and eyes. A sulfur smell, discolored water, foam lines, or a fresh runoff event are all reasons to move on.
Wait out the rain. Urban runoff spikes bacteria - give it about 72 hours after a rain before you dive nearshore water.
Ask the local shop. Shops hear about closures and sketchy water before it hits any website.
Boundaries change the rules too
Closures are not only about health. Marine Protected Area boundaries decide where you can even take fish, and an out-of-date line in your head is a citation waiting to happen. Always verify current MPA boundaries and take regulations with CDFW before you hunt - the official numbers and maps are the only ones that count.
The ocean will still be there tomorrow. A posted closure, a possible sewage plume, or a shark-heavy dawn dive are all easy passes. Check the water first, then get wet.
Comments