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Christmas Tree Cove - Palos Verdes Peninsula CA


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Christmas Tree Cove is a shore accessible salt water dive site, located at Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA. This dive site has an average rating of 3.29 out of 5 from 7 scuba divers.

For the divers who dug deep into their dive logs to recommend this site, we appreciate your effort! However, we would not recommend attempting this dive for the near to distant future. The cliff access is now a fresh landslide. Please let us know when the site has its trail rebuilt!
Located in the posh Palos Verdes area, grab your street map and follow along: From the Pacific Coast Highway, head South on Palos Verdes Blvd for 1.4 miles. Turn right on Palos Verdes Drive West. In 3.8 miles, turn right on Paseo Lunado which becomes Paseo Del Mar. You’ll see the park on your right.
To all those who actually went diving here, you’re incredible. I’m not sure if the trail was ’rebuilt,’ but it’s a perilous climb down. What’s worse is that there’s a private trail with stairs and hand rails just teasing you, leading down from some huge mansion that probably belongs to one of the Lakers. My wife and I just brought our fins and mask for some free diving and the climb was tough. I can’t imagine going down with all my gear, tank and weights. BUT, if you do decide to take the challenge, it’s a beautiful and remote spot. Parking is a breeze and we only saw a couple of other friendly hikers, other than that, it was private. After the descent, we climbed (hand and foot) over some rocks to get to our entry point (divers probably enter just to the north of the hike down). Vis was about 10-15, but among the rocks, there were some amazing sea urchin beds, numbering in the hundreds, plus starfish and other exotic plant life. I’m no pro when it comes to identifying fish, but there were thin green schools about 4 inches long, 6 inch blue fish, and something big that looked like a trout. I’d love to revisit to scuba, but the hike is just too perilous, or would require 3 trips up and down.


http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/USA_West/CalM/Christmas_Tree/index.htm

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Comments
Tromptista - 8/31/2012 2:46 PM
I went scuba diving here on 8/31/2012. Average viz: 21-25ft/6-8m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.
Great day for a dive at Christmas tree cove. The bigger than usual high tide at 10-30 / 11 AM. Low surf and warm day. The water in the cove looked murky as the hill side continues to slide down and into the water adding sandy particles. Visibility went from 6 ft to 30 ft in a few minutes as we headed 210 toward a pinnacle I dove last year. It was amazing and full of life the way honeymoon cove used to be. First saw a guitar fish, then 25 ft away spotted a blue shark cruising toward us. Lots of large sheep head and kelp bass great structure. Amazing dive with the guys from NBTT. Get out and dive with us! (http://www.nbttdiveclub.com)
Tromptista - 12/26/2011 8:43 PM
I went scuba diving here on 12/26/2011. Average viz: 16-20ft/5-6m. Water temp: 56-60°F/13-16°C.
Slightly better visibility than the Honeymoon side, calm seas, moderate to heavy surge, cool water around 57. Lobsters were active peeking out of their holes eager to mate. Almost nabbed a few. Great dive with guys from NBTT (No Beach Too Tough) and Hardcore Dive Team
Tromptista - 12/19/2011 2:51 PM
I went scuba diving here on 8/14/2011. Average viz: 36-40ft/11-12m. Water temp: 61-65°F/16-18°C.
Nice dive with guys from NBTT - [
http://www.divebuddy.com/club.aspx?ClubID=282 ] Easy dive entry at Honeymoon Cove (easier trail down) and then dove around the Honeymoon and Christmas Tree walls and exit at Christmas Tree where we were greeted by mermaids but we successfully avoided them and made the easier climb back up Christmas Tree trail.