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Refugio State Beach
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Refugio is a very popular destination for beach-goers. With over 100 campsites (mostly reserved from early on in the vacation season), the beach can be very crowded. But once underwater you won't have to worry about those crowds! Just a short distance off shore you'll find kelp beds and reef, and, for the more adventurous, a rocky point to explore to the West.
Directions: Found 19 miles West of Santa Barbara, take the Refugio exit of Highway 101, and follow the signs to the beach.
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Diver
Reviews: (Please share your
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here!)
03/24/2008 Chad from Chico (Avg: 3.62 Review) - There's barely any current here, and you can see pretty well. There's plenty of plant and animal life.
09/05/2007 Jonathan Weinman (Avg: 3.27 Review) - I dove this site with 3 other friends. Easy parking and very easy shore entry. Great kelp beds on the Southern side. Very little current or surge when we were there. Busy campsite but worth the trip. Vis on this day was between 5-7 and depths about 20ft with lots of starfish and kelp fish around.
12/24/2006 K from Goleta (Avg: 2.67 Review) - This site has great visibility and the entry is the easiest one around. The site only gets about 30 feet deep which is good for beginners. It is somewhat boring for the experienced diver but it is well worth a try and definitely worth the $8/day use charge to park 100 feet from the water and gear up.
03/04/2006 Rickster (Avg: 3.77 Review) - This site is a great spot to dive. We went to the left, almost straight out and to the east of the campground. There are shelves and ledges that make up a most fantastic reef system. We saw numerous fish (bass, senoritas, skates, lingcod) crabs, an octopus, seahares, and nudis. This dive is well worth doing!
05/25/2005 Kendall Roberg (Avg: 4.01 Review) - This is a great dive for all levels. On the north side of the beach are a few nice kelp beds. Unfortunately, some of these kelps beds have been destroyed or reduced by sea urchins (they eat the bottom of the kelp and clear the forest; all the kelp forest animals leave, too). There is still plenty to see though! A surfer also told me the south side has a nice crevasse to dive in, but I have not yet confirmed this. A fun dive. Even saw a Thornback Ray. Also, saw a few dozen dolphins, right off shore, as I was gearing up!
09/09/2002 TJ (Avg: 3.40 Review) - Refugio Beach is an excellent place to dive overall. The top-side facilities far out weigh just about any place I've been too! No the diving is not always the best for photographers or advance divers seeking a thrill, but Refugio always provides a safe environment with good diving and marine life. Just be sure to get there when they open "8:00 a.m." during the summer to avoid the crowds and get good parking. This is a very easy entry, surface swim straight out from the beach "approx" 75 yards and drop down. A few lobster have been known to frequent here as well as bat rays and even 2 sea lions on one occasion. This is also an excellent place to take family, friends along and BBQ.
07/24/2002 Ben (Avg: 4.45 Review) - It's a beautiful place to dive!
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Site Photos
Maps
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Photo
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| Entrance
Map
Sat
GPS: CM0901
N34°27.8508'
W120°03.9903'
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A well-groomed entrance greets you!
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| Parking
Map
Sat
GPS: CM0902
N34°27.7829'
W120°04.2366'
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After winding your way down to the beach, you'll find ample parking.
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| Overview
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This is a huge expanse of sand, just yards from the parking area.
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| Entry
Map
Sat
GPS: CM0904
N34°27.7429'
W120°04.3584'
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The rocky point is in the background.
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Last Verification: July, 2001
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5.00
3.29
3.00
4.43
3.86