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How to dive Cardiff Reef

You won't see any spaces to swim around the kelp canopy

Cardiff beach with shower. The surface swim is quite long (800–1200 ft.)
Cardiff beach with shower. The surface swim is quite long (800–1200 ft.)

The following comes from DiveBums.com

Getting Wet: Head to the north end of the parking lot and enter the water where the lagoon flows into the ocean. You'll most likely see surfers to the south and north of this area. Try to stay between the two sets of surfers. The bottom here, like the whole dive area, is a rocky reef with lots of dips and high points. You may be up to your knees in water at one point and then take a step and be over your head, so be careful walking out.

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Head to the north end of the parking lot.

The Lineup: The surface swim is quite long (800–1200 ft.) You need to swim out in a west-northwest direction, putting yourself just north of the lagoon outlet. Get yourself out to where the kelp canopy gets thick. You may run into a spot of kelp on the way, but go around it and keep swimming out. You'll know when you get to the spot because you won't see any spaces to swim around the canopy.

Drop Down: You'll drop down into about 25–40 ft. of water. You can go west through the "paths" between the kelp until you get to the end of the kelp forest and then return east. The bottom here is uneven, with lots of nooks and crannies. Expect to see lots of lobsters, surf perch, urchins, and the rest of the usual kelp forest fare. Visibility is generally fairly poor (8–20 ft.) due to the shallowness of the site.

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Cardiff beach with shower. The surface swim is quite long (800–1200 ft.)
Cardiff beach with shower. The surface swim is quite long (800–1200 ft.)

The following comes from DiveBums.com

Getting Wet: Head to the north end of the parking lot and enter the water where the lagoon flows into the ocean. You'll most likely see surfers to the south and north of this area. Try to stay between the two sets of surfers. The bottom here, like the whole dive area, is a rocky reef with lots of dips and high points. You may be up to your knees in water at one point and then take a step and be over your head, so be careful walking out.

Sponsored
Sponsored
Head to the north end of the parking lot.

The Lineup: The surface swim is quite long (800–1200 ft.) You need to swim out in a west-northwest direction, putting yourself just north of the lagoon outlet. Get yourself out to where the kelp canopy gets thick. You may run into a spot of kelp on the way, but go around it and keep swimming out. You'll know when you get to the spot because you won't see any spaces to swim around the canopy.

Drop Down: You'll drop down into about 25–40 ft. of water. You can go west through the "paths" between the kelp until you get to the end of the kelp forest and then return east. The bottom here is uneven, with lots of nooks and crannies. Expect to see lots of lobsters, surf perch, urchins, and the rest of the usual kelp forest fare. Visibility is generally fairly poor (8–20 ft.) due to the shallowness of the site.

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