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COAST DIVERS . COM
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MOONLIGHT STATE
BEACH
Encinitas, CA
Location:
Moonlight Beach
is found off of Encinitas Blvd. From both North and the South,
take the Interstate 5 freeway to Encinitas Blvd and head towards the beach.
You will quickly pass Vulcan where Encinitas Blvd meets the 101 highway.
Make a left on the 101 highway heading south and then make your first right.
There will be a large parking lot to your left where you can park for free.
Be advised however that the parking lot closes at sunset.
Skill Level:
All Levels
Attraction: Underwater
Photography, DPV (Diver Propulsion
Vehicle), Night Diving, Kayak Diving, Fish
ID, Hunting, great for practicing your
navigation!
Permits/Licenses: None required.
Map:
This
map is not an attempt to make an exact replication of the dive spot.
Instead this map is intended to give some perspective on over all
features of the dive spot. The
best way to get to know a dive spot is to explore it yourself.
Before you make your dive please check out the Diving Information on
this dive destination below.
Entry/Exit:
The best diving can be found to the right of the beach volleyball courts. When water is colder look for the large kelp patties 50 yards off the coast in front of the houses on the hills. When making an entry, place your fins around your wrist, wear your mask around your neck, and with a little air in your BC walk until you are in waist deep water and then put your fins on. The entry is often made easier by timing your entry and looking for a channel between wave peaks.
Visibility:
Visibility varies with the seasons. Typically the best visibility occurs during the summer time when surf is small and surface currents are subdued. During summer the sandy bottom is not as susceptable to the churning action of the waves and visibility can vary from 10-20 feet during slack tide. During winter time visibility may range from 0-15 feet at best although conditions are usually between 3-10 feet.
Bottom Composition:
Moonlight Beach is dominated by a sand bottom composition with large
reef structures running perpendicular to the beach.
Dangers:
Surf can be large in this area in winter time and rip tides are not
uncommon. Entry and exit to the beach
are relatively easy unless surf is high. Sea cliffs are also prone to
collapse in this area so be sure to walk only on designated paths.
Wildlife
Abundance:
Once we have logged at least 25 dives at a particular location, a tab
is taken
from each dive and the relative abundance of each species is noted.
From this raw data I have come
up with a numbering system which will give you some insight on the relative
abundance and your chances of seeing each species at any particular time.
5- Garuanteed to
see this species at this dive sight
4- Very likely to
see this species at this dive sight.
3- Abundance may
vary or may be specific to a particular location within a dive spot; you have
a 50/50 chance of seeing this species on your dive at specific locations
2- Species may be
seasonal or hard to find at this dive spot.
Sightings have occurred but are few and far between
1- May have seen
this species or have heard from feed back this species can be found here
seasonally
Fish: 4-
Calico Bass (Paralabrax clathratus),
4-
Barred
Sand Bass (Paralabrax nebulifer),
3-
Tree Fish (Sebastes serriceps),
2-
Grass Rockfish (Sebastes rastrelliger),
2- Cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus), 2-
California Scorpion Fish (Scorpaena guttata),
4-
Giant Kelpfish (Heterostichus rostratus),
3-
Black Eye Goby (Coryphopterus nicholsi),
3- California Halibut (Paralichthys californicus), 3-
California Sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher),
3- Senorita (Oxyjulis californica), 3- Garibaldi (Hypsypops
rubicundus), 3- White Seaperch (Phanerodon furcatus), 3- Opaleye (Girella
nigricans), 3- Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata), 3- Horn Shark (Heterodontus francisci),
3- Shovelnose Guitarfish (Rhinobatos productus), 4- Thornback (Platyrhinoidis
triseriata), 2-
Spotted Kelpfish (Gibbonsia elegans)
Arthropods: 3-
Sheep Crab (Loxorhynchus grandis),
2- Decorator Crab, 4-
California Spiny Lobster (Panulirus interruptus)
Facilities:
There are
public restrooms and showers at Moonlight Beach
as well as pay phones in the area. Air fills can be found on Encinitas
Blvd. in the shopping center before the freeway.
Diving Information:
The best dives can be found between the three palm trees at the top of the bluffs on the right side of the beach when facing the ocean. Kick out between the two palms on your far right to about 30 yards and drop down. At this point you will be in 15-18 feet of water. If you head straight out you will run into one small reef. If you continue out you will eventually run into a second much larger reef. Life is abundant on the outer reef and even while swimming from reef structure to reef structure keep your eyes open for any of the very large sand dollar beds found at this beach. Because this is a sandy bottom beach you can easily navigate the site by remembering that ripples in the sand run parallel to the beach. This should help you navigate parallel to the beach to get from reef to reef. You can also use this tip to find your way back in. If you head perpendicular to the lines in the sand and you are getting deeper chances are you are heading out to see. If you end up getting shallower you are probably head back to the beach.
The wild life at Moonlight Beach is surprising. For a beach which can be so easy to enter and exit there is a great deal of exotic coraline algae, sea fans, and nudibranchs on both the inner and outer reefs. The reef complexes themselves are short in height but can be very wide. Typically the reef stretches out for 10 to 20 yards and has many different layers of rocks extending up from the sand. On your way back in keep your eyes open for the smooth reef structures which often hide lobster and around these structures halibut, skates, and rays can be found with some frequency.
Important Numbers:
-
Lifeguard: (760) 633-2750
-
Non-Emergency : (858) 756-3006 -
Surf Report : (760) 633-2880 -
In case of an emergency dial: 911
If you have any additional information or tips on diving deer creek
please post your information or e-mail it to myself at matt@calcoastdivers.com.
Thank you for your input and support!
Copyrighted by Ryan Jaeger & Matthew J. Wahlrab 2002 - 2004