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Santa Barbara Diving

USA Santa Barbara dive guide
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Scuba diving in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Island is one of the Channel Islands group. It was formed by volcanic activity and it is an attractive tourist's destination due to its warm and breathtaking nature. Its beautiful beaches offer a wide variety of dive sites. Santa Barbara dive sites are home to many kinds of sea life. Its untouched natural beauty helps the growth of many kinds of underwater species such as seals and sea lions, whales and sharks. The clear visibility is great for underwater photography.

Always dive according to your level of training.
Never enter the water without checking with Santa Barbara dive centers for safety, additional information, level required for each dive site and without being accompanied by a professional.
All the information provided is purely informative for our readers and shouldn't be used as is to plan your immersion.

Average annual temperature: Between 18°C and 23°C (65° F and 75° F).
Average Water surface temperature: From 22° C to 24° C (72°F to 75°F).
Visibility often averaging: Visibility is between 30 and 80 feet and can get to100 feet (9 and 24 meters / 30 meters).
Coldest time: December
Warmest time: August
Possible to dive all year round.

Santa Barbara is the smallest island of the Channel Islands group. The great diversity of Santa Barbara's dive sites offers you the chance to polish your diving experience. Santa Barbara beaches are famous for the huge numbers of mammals living on it. It has more than five species of seals and sea lions, more than any other beaches on the North Pacific. Snorkelers will enjoy its beautiful beaches for it's full of colorful and attractive underwater creatures. You can see sea stars, spiny sea urchins and orange garibaldi. Grey, humpback and blue whales are common in the area as well as dolphins and many kinds of fish. If you are looking for new adventure you definitely will have it, for the area is home to blue sharks, mako sharks and leopard sharks; don't forget to bring the right equipment for underwater photography so you don't miss this opportunity to take memorable photos.

Some of Santa Barbara dive sites.

Sutil Pass is a great dive site that suits snorkelers and divers of all levels of expertise. It is at a depth of 20 to 70 feet (6 to 21 meters). The beautiful kelp forests in the area are great for underwater photography. With the clear visibility here you can watch sea lions swimming by your side. The mating season of the bat rays, which can be spotted here is during summer. Blacksmith fish, rockfish with many colors, sea stars, urchins and lobster are common in the area.

Sea Lion Rookery; as its name may indicate is the best spot to view and photograph sea lions. It is at a depth of 10 to 80 feet (3 to 24 meters). Rock piles break the water surface with urchins and algae covering it, the holes in these rocks are home to spiny lobsters. There is a rock wall runs off the south end of the island, it begins at a depth of 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 meters) then drops off to 80 to 90 feet (24 to 27 meters).

Shag Rock is at a depth rage of 30 to 70 feet (9 to 21 meters). Its rocky reefs are the main habitat for halibut. Beautiful kelp forests also grow on this bottom and has become home to may small fish that seek shelter. Although halibut is the main attraction in this site, you can also get to see some other marine species like lobsters, bat rays and leopard shark.

Black Cavern is one of the most favorable dive sites in Santa Barbara. It is an advanced dive site at a depth ranging from 60 to 100 feet (18 to 30 meters). The site is famous for its caves and caverns with plenty of room between the floor and the ceiling. Watch the lobsters hiding between the cracks of the caverns. You can spot some sea fans, gorgonians, starfish and colorful sponges. This is an interesting dive site with a great view and which is popular with underwater photographers.
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