Catalina Season/Conditions Question?

[mohave_steve]

Hello All,

I have had the great pleasure of diving Catalina Island on a number of occasions and allways had the good fortune of great dive conditions.

I was thinking of making a trip down that way and wondering about seasonal changes in conditions. When I looked back at my dives there they have all been in November-January. I understand that when the water warms the kelp blooms but have no idea when or for how long? Or how predictable the bloom is?

Any suggestions on a May/June visit?

Thanks

Steve

 

[drbill]

Once temps exceed 68 F for any length of time, giant kelp actually begins to deteriorate. It does best in more nutrient rich waters of lower temperature.

May/June will be dependent on two other "seasons:" phytoplankton "season" and bat ray "season." Although we usually don't get the massive phytoplankton blooms seen in the generally shallower waters of the mainland where nutrients may be more abundant, we can get spotty green water. Bat ray "season" is when the bat rays are stirring things up by feeding in the shallows. It can look like an OW class of hundreds is active!

Of course diving Catalina is often better than the mainland thanks to greater vis and warmer waters (at least at the SE end of the leeward coast).