Van Damme State Park
A spacious parking area, free of charge, provides convenient access to the beach for divers. A short stroll across the sandy shore leads to an effortless entry into the water. This dive site offers excellent protection against the prevailing swell direction, ensuring a tranquil diving experience. Directly ahead, divers will discover a couple of remarkable pinnacles, while towards the north, an exciting wall formation extends from the headland.
Underneath the water's surface, divers will encounter an array of fascinating marine life. The rocks nestled in the sand harbor numerous crabs and abalone, creating a captivating sight for underwater explorers. As divers venture towards the rocks, the presence of urchins and rockfish becomes more apparent, adding to the diversity of the dive site.
Location details: Van Damme State Park, Shoreline Highway, Little River, Mendocino County, California, 95456, United States.
Dive Site Specifications:
- Visibility: 4 meters
- Maximum Depth: 9 meters
- Recommended Diver Levels: beginner, advanced, expert
- Country: United States
Discover an unforgettable diving experience at this extraordinary dive site within close proximity to Van Damme State Park in California.
Underneath the water's surface, divers will encounter an array of fascinating marine life. The rocks nestled in the sand harbor numerous crabs and abalone, creating a captivating sight for underwater explorers. As divers venture towards the rocks, the presence of urchins and rockfish becomes more apparent, adding to the diversity of the dive site.
Location details: Van Damme State Park, Shoreline Highway, Little River, Mendocino County, California, 95456, United States.
Dive Site Specifications:
- Visibility: 4 meters
- Maximum Depth: 9 meters
- Recommended Diver Levels: beginner, advanced, expert
- Country: United States
Discover an unforgettable diving experience at this extraordinary dive site within close proximity to Van Damme State Park in California.
Diving Conditions Score for Van Damme State Park
4.4
Below AverageChallenging conditions, for experienced divers only.
The score is based on a calculation of the current weather and sea conditions.
Dive Site Overview for Van Damme State Park
Depth
9m
Visibility
4m
Experience Level
beginner
advanced
expert
Weather Conditions for Van Damme State Park
Wave Height
1.94m
Wind Speed
6.4 m/s
Water Temp
14.6°C
Visibility
14.4km
Cloud Cover
100%
Wave Period
10.55s
Air Temperature
12.7°C
Precipitation
0 mm
Detailed 7-Day Diving Forecast for Van Damme State Park
Alpha
Dive Score Chart for Van Damme State Park
Best time to dive: 12:00 with score 5.78/10. Water conditions: Waves 1.94m, Wind 5.5 m/s.Best night dive time: 5:00 with score 4.943333333333333/10.
Chart showing hourly dive conditions including wave height, wind speed, water temperature, and visibility throughout the day.
Sunrise at Van Damme State Park: 06:00
Sunset at Van Damme State Park: 18:00
Optimal diving conditions at Van Damme State Park are affected by daylight hours. Sunrise occurs at 06:00 and sunset at 18:00, which impacts visibility and water temperature for scuba diving and snorkeling.
Best Overall
12:00Score: 5.8/10
Waves: 1.94m (10.55s), Wind: 5.5 m/s
Best Night
5:00Score: 4.9/10
Waves: 1.98m, Wind: 8 m/s
Seasonal Analysis for Van Damme State ParkAlpha
Historical patterns and best seasons for diving at Van Damme State Park
The dive score combines all factors to rate overall diving conditions throughout the year. Higher scores indicate better diving conditions.
Monthly Dive Score Analysis - Seasonal Diving Conditions
Higher values indicate better diving conditions
Seasonal DiveScore Chart
This chart displays monthly diveScore data throughout the year, showing seasonal patterns. The data is presented as a bar chart with an overlaid line graph.Dive scores range from 1 to 10, with 10 being optimal conditions.
Higher values indicate better diving conditions
Best Season for Van Damme State Park
Winter
Avg. Score: 8.9/10
Winter offers the best overall diving conditions with calmer seas and better visibility, despite cooler temperatures.
Best Months for Van Damme State Park
January
Score: 9.2
February
Score: 9.0
December
Score: 8.6
Ideal Conditions for Van Damme State Park
Water Temp
15.3°C / 59.5°F
August
Visibility
17.8m / 58.4ft
January
Wave Height
0.3m / 1.0ft
February
Wave Period
8.0s
January
Seasonal Insights for Van Damme State Park
Van Damme State Park shows typical northern hemisphere patterns with August being the warmest month (15.3°C) and December the coldest (4.5°C). The calmest conditions typically occur in February with average wave heights of 0.3m and wave periods of 8.0s. The most comfortable wave conditions are in February with a low wave steepness ratio, creating gentler swells. January offers the longest wave periods (8.0s), creating more comfortable and predictable conditions for boat entries and exits. Ocean currents are slowest in January (0.5m/s) and strongest in January (0.5m/s). January is usually the driest month with 0.0mm of precipitation. For beginners, the best time to visit would be during February to April, when ocean conditions are calmer with long-period waves and currents are typically weaker. Experienced divers might enjoy the challenges and potentially better visibility during the shoulder seasons, with moderate currents that can improve marine life encounters.
Last updated: 1 min. ago - Jun 18, 2026
Note: This dive site is not a verified dive site. Please dive with caution. This dive site might have incorrect information by the community.
1 Dive sites near Van Damme State Park in
Got feedback?
Help us improve this dive site by giving us feedback.