Stillwater Cove (Sonoma)
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Stillwater Cove is protected within Stillwater Cove State Park. It is located at 38.566630, -123.330192
.https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/
Stillwater Cove is part of the Sonoma County Regional Park System.
Contents
Quick Info
| Coordinates | 38.547024, -123.297524 |
| Depth | |
| Skill Level | |
| Access Method | Shore |
Entry & Access
There's 10 minute parking for one or two cars for unloading purposes. After loading, park at the pullout on the bluff south of the cove. It is a three-minute return walk to the cove. It is a short walk from the picnic tables down some uneven stone steps to the beach. Prevailing wind and waves usually do not pose a problem here.
Attractions & Wildlife
"When I was diving here in July of 2018, I saw tons of purple urchins and not much kelp. I pulled up a bunch of them to eat with breakfast and the uni was big and fat so they must be eating pretty well. The abalone were clearly starving and coming up into the shallows for food. If the abalone moratorium hadn't been in place, these guys would have been cleaned out in an afternoon. Saw a couple greenling and a school of surf perches but didn't see too much else. The shallow reefs were pretty interesting and the cove was nice and protected which was great for visibility." -Andrew Middleton
Amenities
There are pit toilets. There are several picnic tables with areas to spread out your gear. It's also a good spot for a post dive snack. Additional amenities like flush toilets, showers and running water are found at the nearby campground.
Skill Level & Hazards
This is a fairly easy and straightforward shore dive for beginning divers. There is at least one rock formation, a large boulders with a large, 4 foot wide, urchin-filled, fissure that runs north-south that can flush you through if there is surge from a long-period south swell.
Many kayak fishers use this cove as a launch. Be aware that these kayaks occasionally have gas-powered motors.
Nearest Emergency Medical Facilities
Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital 30 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
EMS activation by boat: Notify Coast Guard boat crew on channel 16 or call 911. Coast Guard deployed from Bodega Bay 355 Doran Beach Rd (54.55 mi) Bodega Bay, California 94923
Notes
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