Leo Carrillo State Beach - California
Leo Carrillo State Beach, up in Malibu, is a decent spot for a casual California shore dive. With a maximum depth of around 8 meters, it’s a perfect training ground for newer divers or those looking to shake off some rust. We typically find bat rays cruising the sandy bottom and various rockfish tucked into the kelp stalks. Entry can be a bit of a shuffle over the cobblestones, especially at lower tides, so proper foot protection is a good idea. It's not going to blow your mind, but it’s a solid, accessible dive when you’re in the area and just want to get wet.
- Location
- California, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 34.045200, -118.931900
- Type
- shore
- Maximum Depth
- 8m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Point Dume State Marine Conservation Area
Best Time to Dive in California
The warmest water temperatures in California occur in August, averaging 20.6°C (up to 24.0°C). The coolest conditions are in February at 14.0°C.
The calmest sea conditions are typically in July with average wave heights of 0.60m.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 14.4°C (air: 14.0°C)
- February: 14.0°C (air: 13.8°C)
- March: 14.2°C (air: 13.3°C)
- April: 14.9°C (air: 14.3°C)
- May: 16.6°C (air: 15.4°C)
- June: 18.9°C (air: 17.4°C)
- July: 20.4°C (air: 18.9°C)
- August: 20.6°C (air: 19.6°C)
- September: 20.4°C (air: 19.7°C)
- October: 18.8°C (air: 18.4°C)
- November: 16.3°C (air: 16.0°C)
- December: 15.6°C (air: 14.3°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in California
Nearest Dive Centres to Leo Carrillo State Beach
- Adventure Sports Unlimited - PADI
- Adventure West Scuba - PADI
- Aloha Scuba
- Anderson's SCUBA diving
- Any Water Dive Center - PADI, DAN
- Aquanautics Dive, Inc - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in California
Home to 10 recorded species including 8 reef fish, 1 other, 1 octopus & squid.
Notable Species
- Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi)
- Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) - Reef Fish
- Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) - Reef Fish
- Sea Trout (Salmo trutta) - Reef Fish
- Little post horn squid (Spirula spirula) - Octopus & Squid
- Prickly sculpin (Cottus asper) - Reef Fish
- cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) - Reef Fish
- Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) - Reef Fish
- brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) - Reef Fish
- Ribbonfish (Lepidopus caudatus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Leo Carrillo State Beach
Based on average water temperature of 17.1°C.
- Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 17°C water
- Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories