Anacapa Island, located just off the coast of California is a lovely dive spot for those seeking a VERY different experience than soft water or typical tropical diving. I had booked a three day charter to do 3-4 dives a day in frigid Pacific Ocean waters. That summer, the waters never really warmed-up and remained in the 53-54F “early spring” temperatures. Most of us were suited up in 7mm neoprene suits, though a lucky few were in dry suits (oh boy was I jealous). The cold took plenty of my energy, but even though the visibility was very poor because of rough waters in the week that preceded my arrival, I got in some wonderful dives with plenty of interesting underwater experiences.
For the charter, I booked with the CalBoat Diving crew. They were an awesome bunch of people – friendly, making great breakfasts and BBQs. I spent 3 nights on the boat sleeping in the depths of the Specter (so-named) boat – though cramped, was a great relief to sleep off those (what felt like) glacial dives. We ended the last dive with a dip in the onboard jacuzzi – getting back circulation in my extremities.
Anacapa is marine reserve that encompasses several islands and many different marine landscapes allowing for a very diverse diving experience. Some areas featured the renown 60+ ft kelp forests that appear to meander into the depths below, and some were near desert like with simply urchin by the bucket load scattered randomly across the seascape. On one dive we visited an area with thousands upon thousands of brittle stars – yellow starfish with very long bristled arms – truly an amazing sight.
On another dive I came across a handful of giant Sea Bass (at a depth of around 55 ft, 16.5 m) – these creatures can measure over 8′ (2.5 m) and a weight up to 560 lbs (255 kg) – quite memorable as they just appeared out of nowhere (again visibility was perhaps a generous 20 ft (6 m).
Finally, perhaps the most amazing thing of it all was my first encounter with an extremely small sea dweller, the nudibranch. This is a gastropod that is shell-less. There are over 3,000 species out there. What is remarkable is not only their tiny size (generally smaller than a human pinky finger) but their incredible coloration. They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Polka dots? Sure! Stripes” Yep! Squiggles? Uh huh, those too!
All-in-all, you should try to make some time to dive California, it will be an unforgettable experience.
Recent Comments