Exploring the Depths: A Diver’s Guide to California’s Channel Islands

The Channel Islands

The Channel Islands are an archipelago made up of eight islands that sit 160 miles (257 kilometers) off the coast of Southern California in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. Famous for their beautiful kelp forests and abundant marine life, diving the Channel Islands should be on every diver’s bucket list.

The islands are in a “transition zone” where multiple currents converge, bringing nutrients up to the surface from the deep ocean making these islands a rich marine environment. The islands are split into the Northern and the Southern Channel Islands. Five of the islands; Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara Island are part of Channel Islands National Park, a marine sanctuary.

Northern Channel Islands

The Northern Channel Islands consist of Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel. These islands are slightly colder as the current brings down cold water from Alaska. Anacapa and Santa Cruz are the most visited islands and are accessible on day trips. San Miguel is normally only accessed via an overnight trip due to its distance from the mainland.

Southern Channel Islands

The Southern Channel Islands consist of San Clemente, San Nicolas, Santa Barbara, and Santa Catalina. San Clemente and San Nicolas are used by the US Navy for testing and training and are closed to the public during these activities. All these islands, except for Santa Catalina, are only accessible via overnight trips due to their distance from the mainland. The Southern islands are slightly warmer as the current brings warm water up from Mexico. This is why you can find scythe butterflyfish as far north as Santa Catalina.

How to Get There

Diving the Channel Islands is done mostly from boats that depart from harbors in the greater Los Angeles area including San Pedro, Long Beach, Ventura, Oxnard, and Santa Barbara. There are numerous hotels near the harbors. Los Angeles (LAX) is the closest and largest international airport.

What You Can See

Diving the Channel Islands is an enchanting experience with colorful dive sites including kelp forests, rocky reefs, walls, sea grass, sandy flats, and several small wrecks. Kelp forests are home to an entire ecosystem of marine life including mammals such as harbor seals and sea lions. Various species of sharks including tope sharks, seven gill sharks, swell sharks, horn sharks, and yes, even great white sharks are out there, but a very rare sighting.  Fish come in all colors, shapes and sizes up to 700lbs (318 kilograms). Invertebrates such as jellyfish, octopus and many species of nudibranchs are frequently seen. Rocky reefs are covered with colorful algae, sea fans, gorgonians, abalone, urchins, starfish, anemones, and so much more. I always suggest diving at a very slow pace, otherwise you can miss an entire world.

Dive Conditions

Normal visibility ranges from 20–40 feet (6-12 meters) with 40-60 feet (12-18 meters) being great conditions and on rare occasions at particular sites can reach up to 100 feet (30 meters). Average max depths are generally between 40-80 feet (12-24 meters). There are several advanced sites up to 130 feet (40 meters) and deeper sites for technical divers. Diving in California is considered cold water diving. Water temperatures range from 60-70°F (15-21°C) in the summer and 55-65°F (13-18°C) in the winter. Most divers are comfortable in a full 7mm wetsuit, hood, and gloves, although drysuit diving is very popular as well.

When to Go

Diving the Channel Islands can be great diving year-round, but there are some things to consider when planning a trip. Winter can have poor conditions (in California standards) topside with lots of clouds and marine layers that can hang over the islands blocking out the sunshine. The past few years have brought California more intense rainstorms, but generally weather is mild and underwater conditions are average.

Spring can bring algae blooms which turns the water green, lowers visibility, and creates lots of particulate.

Summer is a wonderful time to visit, however it is the busiest time of year as well. The marine layer starts burning off in early July. Upwelling occurs from July to October which brings with it lots of activity. Often times migrating whales can be seen topside.

Fall is by far my favorite time of year. The summer crowds have mostly left, and “locals’ summer” has begun. This is when topside conditions are still warm with lots of sunshine for those beautiful light rays and the best underwater conditions in terms of water clarity, calmness, and a beautiful blue color.

During the fall months however, occasional Santa Ana winds can be so strong that only a few sites are accessible or at rare times, boats are cancelled. On these days, boats will stay at the same site or in a protected cove for all the dives.

Dive Challenges

Diving the Channel Islands can come with a few challenges at times. The first challenge most notice is the visibility. Even when visibility is good there can often still be a haze or lots of particulate in the water, which can result in backscatter for photographers. Surge can also be strong, especially around the shallower sites. If you are not careful, the surge can push you into the rocks, which normally have several urchins on them, so be careful with any reactive hand placement to not get poked by their sharp spines.

Kelp itself can also present a challenge, especially if it is a new environment for a diver. Kelp forests can be quite dense, putting divers at risk of entanglement as they traverse through the forest. Ensure your gear is properly streamlined to avoid entanglement. If this happens, you will feel resistance that prevents further forward movement. Do not turn around or spin to look for the source as this will result in further entanglement. Instead, signal to your buddy for assistance with removing the kelp strand. If needed, kelp is easy to snap by breaking it in half like uncooked spaghetti (apologies to my Italian friends for this horrid analogy). Do not attempt to pull it apart as kelp can stretch out just like a rubber band.  Do not attempt to cut kelp with a knife.

On days when the islands have a marine layer, fog, and/or clouds that blocks out the sun, kelp forests are very dark, especially when under the canopy. So much so that it can feel almost like a night dive. I always suggest diving with a torch in kelp forests, no matter the conditions, not only to make navigating and keeping track of your buddy easier, but it also illuminates all the vibrant colors and helps find those critters, such as octopus or swell sharks hiding in the cracks of structures and walls.

California Diving

All California diving is self-guided. Each diver is expected to be responsible for themselves and their buddy including performing their own gear set up, pre-dive safety checks, dive planning, and navigation. On dive boats, a safety and dive briefing will be given at each site allowing divers to have the necessary information to form their own dive plan. There is no guide in the water, but a deck hand will assist divers getting in and out of the water and is ready to enter the water in the case of an emergency. Guides are available for hire for those who need a buddy or are more comfortable having a guide in the water. Crews depend heavily on customer tips and are greatly appreciated. $10-15 per tank or 10-20% of the cost of the trip is typically recommended.

Dive boats anchor at each site requiring divers to self-navigate back to the boat. Never conduct the entire dive in one direction. Surfacing far from the boat can put you in areas of high boat traffic or strong surface currents. Always dive with an SMB and deploy during your safety stop when surfacing away from the boat.

Crossings thru the channel can be quite a ride any time of year, so bring those medications if you are prone to sea sickness.

Day Trip Dive Boats

Day boat trips are normally 3 tanks and visit Anacapa and Santa Cruz or Catalina Island. Dives are usually capped at one hour, depending on the boat’s schedule. All boats have a standard head onboard. Tanks and weights are not always provided. Divers must bring their own personal gear or can rent gear directly from the boat or a local dive shop. Be sure to check with the operator when booking to determine exactly what is included or not.

Certain boats offer full meals, snacks, and beverages while other operators do not. Drinking water is always provided but check with each operator for exact details regarding if additional food and beverages are included.

Liveaboard Dive Boats

Liveaboard diving in California is not nearly as luxurious as it can be in other parts of world but is well worth it. Santa Miguel, Santa Barbara, and San Clemente Islands can only be reached from liveaboard but have some of the best dive sites. The density and abundance of life is noticeable at these islands and marine life is not as skittish here.

Most liveaboard trips are arranged on a charter basis so individual tickets are not offered directly from the operator. Charters are organized by local dive shops, clubs, or friend groups and usually are booked directly through the group’s coordinator. Operators will post their schedules online with the coordinator’s contact information to inquire about bookings.

Vessels are bunk style with no private rooms or bathrooms. Bunks are generally below deck and have a privacy curtain. Bathrooms and showers are communal and gender neutral.

In 2019 a liveaboard named The Conception caught fire and 34 lives were lost. This devastating event rocked the community and prompted new regulations for all overnight vessels. Dive boats are now required to have dedicated lithium-ion battery charging stations with an active fire suppressant system as well as a roving night watch.

Santa Catalina Island

Santa Catalina Island, or more commonly, Catalina, is a special place all on its own. It is the only island with a city and wild buffalo roam the fields. Renting a golf cart is a highly recommended way to see the sites topside. Catalina has multiple shore diving sites and several boat diving sites.

Casino Point Dive Park is in front of the old Catalina Casino that was converted into a movie theater. Catalina Island Divers Supply has a shop on site where you can rent gear and fill tanks. The dive site is a shore dive only, no boat diving is allowed here. The park is marked with buoys and stairs lead to the entry and exit point. When facing the water and looking down the stairs, the right side is for entering while the left is for exiting. The stairs can be a little tricky when the tide is low. A short kick out over the rocks will bring you to a buoy with a decent line. Much of the park is a kelp forest with depths up to 100 feet (30 meters). There are sandy areas as well as a few very small wrecks.

The park is home to the protected giant black sea bass, a fish that can be over 7 feet (2.1 meters) long and weigh over 700 lbs (318 kilograms). Often times you can see a group of GSBs hanging out in the kelp forest. An incredible experience to be face to face with a fish larger than you.

Gear can be set up on the benches or anywhere you find space around the parking lot. It can get very crowed and busy during peak summer season. Night diving is allowed and highly recommended.

Boat diving is in my opinion the best way to experience Catalina. There are many day trip boats that leave directly from the mainland and dive at sites around the front and backside of the island. Some of my favorite dive sites in the Channel Islands are around Catalina Island and include Bird Rock, Wild Wild West, Ship Rock, Rock Quarry, and of course, the famous Farnsworth Banks.

Farnsworth Banks is one of the few sites where purple hydro coral grows within recreational limits and is often surrounded by large bait balls. I have often seen large octopus out hunting during the day. It is an advanced dive on the backside of Catalina Island. Pinnacles begin at 60 feet (18 meters) going hundreds of feet down forming wonderful walls to explore. This site is in open water making it susceptible to strong currents and winds and therefore challenging to even get to at times. To dive Farnsworth Banks, a dive boat will need to be chartered. There are a few operators with a 6-passenger dive boat, which makes chartering these vessels easier than the standard ~18-22 passenger dive boats. Occasionally operators will schedule a day to dive Farnsworth Banks and will sell individual tickets directly.

Conclusion

Diving the Channel Islands is a unique experience and a great introduction to cold water diving if you have not done so previously. Year-round diving makes planning trips relatively easy. Even on days with lower visibility there is still so much life to see that no dive is ever a bad dive. Kelp forests will always be a special place to me, and I hope everyone gets to experience their beauty for themselves.

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