jayaspock
Registered
I am really interested in diving the seal rookery at Santa Barbara Island. Does anyone know what time of year is the best to do so and any dive boats that routinely go there?
Diving with the Santa Barbara Seals
- Thread starter jayaspock
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
USCScubaboy
Contributor
Went out on a trip to SBI about a month ago on the Sand Dollar. The boat was chartered by Eco Dive Center. The next available one is in May of 2010 
The ride out there and back can be a little rough but the diving is great. Definitely a trip worth making.
I believe there is another rookery on Anacapa. Haven't been there yet but am planning on going sometime soon.
The ride out there and back can be a little rough but the diving is great. Definitely a trip worth making.I believe there is another rookery on Anacapa. Haven't been there yet but am planning on going sometime soon.
Just to nitpick: they're sea lions, not seals.
Fun time when you can get out there, but as USCScubaboy said, it can be rough and can stay rough while you're out there because it's a little dot of land with little shelter. The arch is a fun first dive, and I recall another dive there that was a bare reef at 50' or so with nothing but a gazillion brittle stars swarming around.
Fun time when you can get out there, but as USCScubaboy said, it can be rough and can stay rough while you're out there because it's a little dot of land with little shelter. The arch is a fun first dive, and I recall another dive there that was a bare reef at 50' or so with nothing but a gazillion brittle stars swarming around.
Ken Kurtis
Contributor
The next available one is in May of 2010
Do they have a time machine on-board? 2010?????
In all seriousness, my company (Reef Seekers - shameless plug alert) has the Great Escape booked for SBI for Novermber 20 this year. Bigger boat (80') and we only do limited loads (25 paid divers max) and no classes (so you don't get stuck diving shallow spots all day). And this time of the year is usually excellent for sea lion interaction. Thess are a pix from a previous November trip a couple of years ago:
Quality of the ride is always a crapshoot but this time of year it's generally pretty good. Roughest times are usualy January - March.
Fell free to contact me directly if you'd like book spots.
- Ken
Attachments
USCScubaboy
Contributor
Do they have a time machine on-board? 2010?????
Lol. I meant 2012. Must have been thinking about hot tubs on the Peace and Spectre and that led to thinking about the movie hot tub time machine.
fnfalman
Contributor
The rookery on Anacapa is also a crap shoot as well because it's on the exposed side of the island.
Went out in July on the Spectre out of Ventura to Anacapa and it was great at the arch!! Lots of sea lions, good food, and a HOT TUB!! Great trip~!
Tom Gire's Videos | Facebook
Tom Gire's Videos | Facebook
We went out on the Spectre this past Sunday to Anacapa (closest of the Channel Islands). Sea Lions on every dive, ranging from one or two at some spots to around 20. At one point they were playing with us and stirred up the bottom so much they ruined the 60 to 90 ft visibility. We finally got tired of playing with them and went off to explore more of the dive site. Calm water, incredibly clear and great conditions as well as lots of sea lions to play with. Lots more sea lions than I've seen diving at Santa Barbara, and a lot closer and more personal.
I don't think you can plan when to see lots of sea lions any more than you can order up calm seas and awesome visibility, but the "best" time to go is any time - way better than waiting for it to be perfect. It rained the day before with big seas, so we had no expectations, and it turned out to be the best Channel Island dive day we ever had. My wife even did all four dives on the boat, which she's never done before.
I don't think you can plan when to see lots of sea lions any more than you can order up calm seas and awesome visibility, but the "best" time to go is any time - way better than waiting for it to be perfect. It rained the day before with big seas, so we had no expectations, and it turned out to be the best Channel Island dive day we ever had. My wife even did all four dives on the boat, which she's never done before.
Similar threads
