La Jolla Shores
Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
Dived here today? How were conditions vs. what we showed?
About this site
La Jolla Shores, also known as Shores Main Wall or Vallecitos Point, is a sandy beach dive site in La Jolla, San Diego, California, where the seafloor drops away along the edge of the La Jolla Submarine Canyon. The site suits Open Water divers in the shallower sections and advanced divers willing to follow the canyon deeper; most points of interest lie between 20 ft (6 m) and 60 ft (18 m), and depth should not exceed 75 ft (23 m). The bottom is sand, and the formation transitions from shallow sandy flats into canyon terrain.
Marine life at La Jolla Shores is varied and unpredictable: Angel Sharks, Halibut, Bat Rays, Guitarfish, Sheep Crabs, Pipefish, and Horn Sharks are regularly found in the shallows between 20 ft and 40 ft. Deeper, between 40 ft and 60 ft, divers encounter Fringeheads, Nudibranchs, Cabezon, Cusk Eels, Octopus, Gobies, Lobsters, Clams, Sheephead, and Rockfish. Squid appear in winter, and Sea Lions occasionally visit divers throughout the year. The site is highlighted as particularly good for night diving.
Entry and exit are from the sandy beach at Vallecitos Street, requiring a long walk across the beach followed by a substantial surface swim to reach the dive area. A float, flag, anchor, and descent line are required for beach diving here. Parking on Vallecitos Street is free but fills quickly on summer weekends.
Read the full guideShow less
La Jolla Shores is fairly protected against all but the largest northern swells and can be dived year-round. Visibility runs 20–35 ft (6–10 m) and can drop depending on conditions. Water temperature stays in the 53–58 °F (12–14 °C) range throughout the year, dropping as cold as 49 °F (9 °C) at depth in late winter and early spring, making a drysuit or thermal layer worth considering. The combination of a long beach walk and a lengthy surface swim in full gear can be tiring, and an environmental assessment before gearing up is strongly recommended.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Opalescent NudibranchHermissenda opalescensReported here · unconfirmed
California Spiny LobsterPanulirus interruptusReported here · unconfirmed
PipefishPipefishReported here · unconfirmed
NudibranchNudibranchConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
OctopusOctopusConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
SquidSquidReported here · unconfirmed
California Sea LionZalophus californianusReported here · unconfirmed
Kelp BassParalabrax clathratusReported here · unconfirmed
Sunburst AnemoneAnthopleura solaReported here · unconfirmed
Striped Shore CrabPachygrapsus crassipesReported here · unconfirmed
Leopard / zebra sharkLeopard / zebra sharkConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
GuitarfishGuitarfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
No notes yet. Dived here? Be the first to leave a tip.
Share a write-up or a photo. Submissions are reviewed before they appear on the page.
Nearby dive sites
Shops that dive here
No shops have listed this site yet.