Local California Dive Sites
North Coast California

Russian Gulch State Park, Mendocino, CA

  Russian Gulch State Park is located 3 miles North of Mendocino and 10 miles south of Fort Bragg on Hwy 1. This is our favorite dive site in the Fort Bragg area. Parking is right at the beach. An easy trek across the sand and you are in the water. It's easy to launch an inflatable here to! There is an outdoor shower and enclosed bathrooms and the group campground is a short walk from the beach. The cove offers a unique variety of diving for beginning divers to very experienced divers. The center of the cove is sandy while the sides offer kelp beds, rocky ledges, and an abundance of marine life. Near the mouth are two large wash rocks which help protect the cove from large swells. Near the wash rocks are several underwater pinnacles averaging in depth from 45 feet at the bottom to 10 feet from the surface. There is an abundance of life on the pinnacles offering a great chance for photography.

  Out past the wash rocks the swell picks up. The bottom is rocky to about 60 feet then turns to large grain sand. We like to make our advanced deep dive out here to about 100 feet. It is not unusual for a sea lion or two to accompany us. Along the sides of the cove are various caves. It's a super kayaking spot. When the water is calm you can kayak through the cave system. We've even had the inflatable in some of the larger ones. The cove caters to a variety of marine life. Harbor seals, sea lions, otters, star fish, nudibranchs, abalone, sea anemones, crabs, cabezon, lingcod, sea perch, and rock fish are just some of inhabitants of the cove. We have actually seen an 18" octopus while doing an open-water class! Night dives are spectacular with life everywhere!

  For non-divers the Park offers nearly three miles of heavily forested canyon. A scenic bike path makes it easy to see the lower part of the canyon, and a hiking trail continues inland past a beautiful water fall and up onto the surrounding ridges. In a creekside setting well inside the forested area of the canyon there are 30 family campsites, each with table stove and food locker. Nearby are restrooms complete with hot showers and laundry tubs. Trailers up to 20 feet in length can be parked in some of the campsites, although trailer hookups are not available.

To learn more call PACIFIC REEF SCUBA Toll Free at: 888-Lets Dive 888-538-7348 or email us at

scuba@pacificreef.com

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