Shaws Cove
★★★★☆
(908)
Shaws Cove is one of the most popular dive sites in Orange County, California. It’s an excellent shore diving site, easily accessible from Fairview Street and Cliff Drive. The stairway off of Cliff Drive is the easiest way to access the beach but use the handrails, the sand on the stairs can get very slippery.
Sea urchins are everywhere, along with lobsters, eels, rays, octopus, garibaldi, calico bass, Kellet’s welks, tree fish, small sheepshead, bat stars. Sometimes dolphins can be spotted.
Dive Activity & Environmental Conditions
Top Wildlife Sightings
Most frequently spotted marine life based on dive logs
#1
Garibaldi Damselfish
178
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
#2
Lobster
63
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
#3
Stingrays
51
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
#4
Spiny Lobster
45
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
#5
Octopus
37
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
#6
Nudibranch
29
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
#7
Moray Eel
23
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
#8
Flounder
23
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
#9
Crab
15
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
#10
Grouper/Basslets
12
Total Sightings
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
