Top Dive Sites

Anacapa Island

Description: Anacapa Island is a paradise for divers. It has the best creation of underwater landscape with towering sea stacks, spreading kelp forests, and intricate sea caves. Of all the Channel Islands, Anacapa is the closest to mainland California, making it relatively easy to get to. The island has still kept the wild, unspoiled beauty that characterizes all these types of islands.

Marine Life: Anacapa is famous for the healthy marine life that is present, from the vibrant Garibaldi to California sheephead and spiny lobsters. Playful sea lions are sure to be seen that will brighten up any dive.

Specialty Diving: One of the distinctive diver experiences at Anacapa Island is the underwater arches and caves. Cathedral Cove is the hallmark ethereal dive site, where sunlight filters through the water, providing illumination to the inside of this cavern. Night dives around Anacapa reveal the nocturnal behaviors of marine life, such as hunting lobsters and an eerie glow from bioluminescent organisms.

Photography: This alone would be enough to whet any underwater photographer’s appetite for the array of different subjects available in Anacapa to be photographed. You can snap these kelp forests and arches up with those wide-angle lenses, then switch back to your macro for nudibranchs and other small sea critters in a close-up shot. Many times the water clarity at Anacapa is very good, so your pictures will turn out very colorful.

Suitability: Anacapa Island has dive sites that are appropriate for any level of SCUBA experience. While shallow kelp forests introduce the area to beginners, the deep sea caves and arches let advanced divers explore more challenging conditions. The presence of mild currents renders it ideal for divers desiring the best of both leisure and a bit of adventure.

Santa Cruz Island

About: Of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz is the largest and offers the most in terms of the number of dive locations. The views differ underwater all over the island’s topography: from kelp lines in the shallows to deep pinnacles and walls. With an extended coastline, the island thus furnishes something for everyone’s diving desires.

Marine Life: Here there can always be found large numbers of giant kelpfish, bat rays, and the anticipation of coming across some of the islands’ more secretive creatures such as the Pacific seahorse. Other species of sharks and rays will also be seen in the water around the island, gracefully swimming under the kelp.

Other Highlights: Painted Cave is one of the largest marine caves in the world, with many divers coming just for the opportunity to see this cave. The experience of diving it is just mind-blowing as you meander through miles of dark passageways and see the unbelievable colors on the walls where marine life clings. You can also have a look at some of the pelagic species, which reside in deeper waters.

Photography: Varied marine habitats and clear water create a mecca for photographers who like to shoot underwater. Ideal subjects for wide-angle include views of kelp-forest grandeur and the underwater landscape of rock formations. Don’t forget your macro lens to shoot a million or so of the bright nudibranchs and other small creatures.

Suitability: From sites for unprofessional divers—coastal inlets, bays, and havens near Santa Cruz Island—to those considered advanced, with tidal currents that sweep frequently, yet having seabeds with great depths—conditions on the island are such that one can be sure to progress in skill level while being treated to novel underwater landscapes.

Santa Barbara Island

About: The underwater landscape here is probably the most dramatic and challenging of all the Channel Islands. With steep cliffs, rocky reefs, and thick kelp forests, it offers excellent scuba diving. Very remote and less visited compared to other islands, it therefore provides a much more secluded and peaceful dive experience.

Marine Life: The waters around Santa Barbara Island possess great aquatic biodiversity, with the presence of massive shoals of fish like sardines and mackerel. The island is famous for interaction with the local California sea lion populations prolific in its waters.

Unique Encounters: Most common and easily recognizable animals are otters and California sea lions. Their dives will be both exciting and cute. Horn sharks are common. Invertebrates are colorful and abundant, including sea cucumbers, echinoderms and much more.

Photography: Photographers are going to enjoy capturing the lively encounters with sea lions. Its clear waters offer the most adequate photographic moments, from wide-angle to macros, because of abundant marine life. The unique underwater terrain offers a photo composition that is rich and exciting.

Suitability: Here, most of the dive sites are definitely for the intermediate and advanced diver, as there can be some strong currents at times, and the area is quite remote. But the abundant life and interesting underwater terrain make it a great reward for divers who enjoy unusual dives.

Considerations for Each Dive Site

Water Temperature: Water temperature in and around the Channel Islands varies seasonally from a low of about 13°C (55°F) during the cooler winter mid-seasons to a high of around 20°C (68°F) in the warmer summer months. Divers may wish to use thicker wetsuits, or even a dry suit, at that time.

Visibility: The visibility in the water surrounding the Channel Islands typically ranges from about 10 to 30 meters (33 to 100 feet), but it can be highly variable. Conditions are clearer in the summer and fall; however, even then, conditions can change rather quickly.

Currents and Tides: The bathymetry of the Channel Islands means that the tidal flow patterns are complex and that currents may be very different from those an a superficial glance at a chart would suggest. Most notorious currents are those that sweep around points and flow through narrow passageway, like the current carving out Painted Cave on Santa Cruz Island. It is important therefore to plan dives according to the tide tables and current predictions, and always dive with a surface support when diving in areas known for strong currents.

Safety Tips: As safety is the first and foremost issue, conditions may vary from site to site. Dive with a buddy at all times, and ensure your plan is well-communicated. Always carry a surface marker buoy and an audible signaling device because some of the islands are quite remote. Remember to know your limits and to always have a contingency plan. Due to the kelp forests, they must be able to control their buoyancy, so they will not get entangled in the kelp, and should be taught techniques that relate to the safe management of any entanglements in kelp.

Regulations: The Channel Islands are heavily regulated with Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary oversight. The majority of the Park and Sanctuary completely restrict fishing and taking of marine life. Always learn and follow the regulations of a location before traveling to it. Always follow the “leave no trace” principles, and adhere to guidelines on marine protected areas to help conserve the marine biodiversity for future generations to enjoy.

Wrap Up

Diving in the Channel Islands of California provides an unparalleled underwater experience. Though the undersea terrain is different, the marine life remains the same, with uncountable diving options in every qualified category. Be it the kelp forests surrounding Anacapa Island or the immense sea caves just off Santa Cruz Island, or playing with the sea lions at Santa Barbara Island, there is always something unforgettable after any dive.

Varied conditions, ranging from temperatures to visibility and currents, will make virtually every dive different. By following safety protocols and local guidelines, one can pretty much ensure a safe and enjoyable dive while further contributing towards the preservation of such natural, untouched marine habitats.

The Channel Islands are much more than a place; they are an experience of discovery and theuliscenic of nature. I hope you packed your dive gear; you’re about to head on the adventure of a lifetime.