Diver Reviews:    (Please share your own experiences by clicking here!)

07/19/2007 Annona Diver (Avg: 3.23 Review) - I've dove this site several times, but never seem to get good viz. But I'm told that when it's good, it's really good. There are lots of kelp patches, eel grass, and rock reefs with lots of fish and other life to see, when you can… BUT DON'T BE TEMPTED TO ENTER OVER THE ROCKS! That entry sucks as the bottom has such a gentle slope to it that you'll be standing and wobbling while fighting the waves and waiting to take your next lunging slippery step forward through yet more slick rocks until finally, 30' out, you get into chest deep water. Just make the extra hike to the sand beach entry and fin back out. Trust me, your knees and shins will thank you. Sand entry is good for beginner divers on up. Lots to see, shallow.

04/17/2006 Kendall Roberg (Avg: 3.64 Review) - Great place to dive. The beach entry is the way to go and we found a reef right off the beach with a few lobster and swell shark. Some crazy guy on the shore started telling us about government conspiracies, but other than that it was a great dive. Great spot for people new to diving.

08/10/2005 Leif (Avg: 3.53 Review) - Snorkeled the cove and the one Just north of it. Great visibility now. So much red tide this summer down south, it was nice to find this place.

04/04/2005 John in LA (Avg: 4.23 Review) - My buddy and I snorkeled Malaga at 9:30am on April 3, 2005. All I can say is "WOW!" We entered at the first point to the west, just past the small (but fun looking) surf break with two surfers out. About ten minutes amongst the shallow (10-15') kelp, we were approached by a curious harbor seal. The seal allowed us to stroke it, sniffed our fists, and was generally very puppylike in its activity. He hung about for 2 or 3 minutes before returning a few minutes later to playfully chew on my fin. Later during the snorkel, we found 3 or 4 juvenile horn sharks sitting amongst rocks. As we paddled towards shore, visibility got worse and no more sharks were spotted, although we did find a large sheep crab. Fantastic!

09/19/2004 Chris Albertson (Avg: 3.63 Review) - This is a very large shallow reef system. The rocks that make up the reefs are long, straight and all run parallel so navigation is easy. Just swim along parallel to the system to your turn around point. Many fish and bottom dwelling critters are here, too. Kelp over the rocks with eelgrass in the shallow water. The water remains 40ft or less to 1/2 mile off shore. Vis is 25+ on a good day This would be excellent night diving but the parking is closed at 9:00pm so you can only night dive in winter. Before taking the gear out of your car check the conditions from the gazebo. If the surf is up, this is not a fun dive. Shoulder high breakers will push you into the rocks, and it is a wide surf zone. But many times the cove is lake-like. Exiting on the sandy beach is easy and recommended even if it does means a longer walk back. If the surf is up at Malaga go to Long Point (a.k.a Old Marinaland) as that beach faces the other direction and will likely be calm and has similar reefs

09/06/2004 Dan Fox (Avg: 3.65 Review) - Went to Malaga Cove with Southcoast divers due to a storm off the coast of Baja. This group usually dives Laguna area. I personally entered and exited over the rocks but a few chose to go to the beach and enter and exit. The viz was 10 to 25 feet depending on the bottom. The kelp beds were great and full of life schools of fish. octopus and lobster. It is not deep about 25 to 30 so bottom times were hour plus. The day was great and a good dive was had by all. The hill is doable but take your time.

08/20/2003 Adam (Avg: 4.27 Review) - I've made 50+ scuba dives here, 40 as a beginner. Excellent site for beginners to drop down to 15' for an hour. Garibaldi everywhere, calico bass, sand bass, kelp bass, senorita fish, opal eye...lots of fish! Lobsters too! Kelp a little further out, and that's neat to swim thru. No sea stars tho', few anemones too. It's a hike back up the lifeguard road. Easy access from the beach and novice rocky entry area for practice. I've lost 1 flashlight, 1 knife, and 1 watch there (got the watch back tho'). Found 1 weight belt. Rocks meet sand here. No sharks ever. It's absolutely amazing here. Haggerty's entrance is STEEP and just West. Great there too. Sea-D-Sea is the local dive shop (in Hollywood Rivera). They are nice. 5 minutes away too. Great spot for new girl divers, exits are easy @ beach. Save some air @ end of dive and surface under kids surfing in the cove-scare the heck out of 'em! Ha! ;)

07/24/2003 Anonymous (Avg: 3.02 Review) - We went snorkeling in the early afternoon, and the vis was pretty poor - but we heard some sharks had been seen earlier. Easy entry; very light surf. If the dive is a bust, it's a nice beach to hang out on and play in the water (if you don't mind dodging kids learning to surf!)

09/10/2002 DivingCat (Avg: 3.66 Review) - Summer, temp up to 73F - almost too warm!

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