I dove Carmel River state beach on June 24 using my DPV. Here is the dive report.
Very calm conditions. Good 40' vis the first dive on the outside of the reef. Highlights were seeing 20' tall rock "pinnacles" covered with healthy invertebrates and finding Macrocystis kelp, anchored on rock pinnacles at 50+', extending to the surface, well lit by the sun.
Vis deteriorated somewhat on the second dive.
Used my DPV on both dives, going to the far side of the reef and turning "right" heading up towards butterfly. No idea where I actually was on the coastline since I didn't surface :). I've been wanting to do this dpv dive for quite some time. It is possible to swim to the far side of the reef (I've done that dive), but it's a fairly long way, and that limits the time one gets there. (Although I suppose it isn't actually as far as the stillwater swim.) In the future, as I become more familiar with navigating underwater there, I want to work my way further up the coast (towards butterfly). Perhaps next time I will surface to find out where I am.
One takeaway is that you have to arrive early to get a decent parking spot on good weather days. Most of the "diving" spots were taken, some by divers, but more by (I believe) walkers/joggers. How dare they encroach on our parking!