THE EXPEDITION

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED - ADVANCED OPEN WATER LEVEL WITH 50 DIVES MIN

This expedition venture’s to the west coast of America, and to one of the most famous states, California. Just off the coast of Los Angeles lies the Channel islands. A unique and diverse chain of islands running north to south. We concentrate our expeditions mainly in the southern islands from Santa Barbara to Catalina Island.

Diving in Southern California offers a lot of diversity in marine life and photography opportunities, with the main highlights looking for giant sea bass as you swim through the majestic forests of giant kelp. Besides being one of the most beautiful place’s to enjoy sunsets, the coastline of California features many exciting destinations for scuba divers and snorkelers. Marine life enthusiasts and underwater photographers can interact with seals, large schools of fish, nudibranchs with high chances of dolphins or humpback whales in the right season from a distance.

CALIFORNIA AND CHANNEL ISLAND DIVING

Giant Kelp forests are everywhere around the island rising up from 25ft-65ft on the bottom up to the surface. Current can often be gauged by looked down at the kelp from a boat. Large Bat rays are often sitting in the sand near the kelp. Giant sea bass are most often seen east of Two Harbors on the frontside of the island, at 40-70ft deep. Angel sharks are found in the sand, near where the kelp/reef ends - often at 90-100ft deep

Mantis shrimp - live in large holes in the sand, 50-80ft deep. Near Little Gibraltar is a good place. Octopus can be found in many crevices at 20-40ft deep. Moray Eels are in cracks and crevices 30-45ft deep, especially on the frontside. Horn sharks & Leopard sharks are often seen. Sea fans & Anemones adorn many dive sites, and Farnsworth Banks has purple hydrocoral. Harbor Seals can be found in shallow water in the kelp, and Garibaldi & Sheephead are found everywhere, as arae Blue-banded Gobies. Zebra gobies are harder to find and a rare treat. Spanish shawl Nudibranchs are found on most rocky reefs, and other nudibranchs are more seasonal

SPECTRE DIVE BOAT

The Spectre Dive Boat is widely regarded as one of the premier dive vessels operating out of Ventura and a favorite among experienced California divers. Purpose-built for scuba diving, Spectre offers a stable, comfortable platform ideal for trips to the Channel Islands, including Anacapa and Santa Cruz.

The boat is well laid out with ample deck space, easy water entry and exits, hot showers, and comfortable indoor seating — all big pluses after cold-water dives in kelp forests.

What really sets Spectre apart is the crew.

The captains and deckhands are highly experienced, professional, and genuinely passionate about diving the Channel Islands. They know the sites intimately and consistently choose locations based on conditions to maximize safety, visibility, and marine life encounters. From thick kelp forests and playful sea lions to dramatic reefs and excellent surface intervals, diving with Spectre is efficient, relaxed, and very well run.

It’s an excellent choice for divers who want reliable operations, great logistics, and outstanding Channel Islands diving.

ACCOMMODATION

Staying at the Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Harbor Resort is a fantastic choice for guests diving the Channel Islands with Spectre or other local charter operators. Located right on Ventura Harbor, this hotel puts you just minutes from dive boat departures, making early mornings and gear logistics easy.

The rooms are comfortable and well-appointed, with modern amenities like free Wi-Fi, a fitness center, and a pool — perfect for relaxing between dives. After a day on the water, guests can stroll the waterfront boardwalk, enjoy fresh seafood at nearby restaurants, or watch the sunset over the harbor from the hotel’s outdoor spaces. Its convenient location, good service, and relaxed harbor atmosphere make the Four Points a practical and welcoming base for your diving adventure in Southern California.

ITINERARY

5-Day Channel Islands Diving – Anacapa & Santa Cruz

• Day One – Arrival & Check-In (Ventura)

• Guests arrive in Ventura and check into their hotel near the harbor. The afternoon is free to assemble gear, relax, and enjoy dinner locally before an early start the following morning.

• Day Two – Anacapa Island Diving

• We board the Spectre early for a full day of diving at Anacapa Island, known for dramatic kelp forests, sea lion encounters, and excellent visibility. Expect 2–3 dives depending on conditions, with plenty of time to enjoy surface intervals and lunch onboard.

• Day Three – Santa Cruz Island Diving

• Today we head to Santa Cruz Island, offering varied dive sites with thick kelp, rocky reefs, schooling fish, and frequent sightings of seals and sea lions. The Spectre crew selects sites based on conditions, maximizing both safety and dive quality.

• Day Four – Anacapa or Santa Cruz (Best of the Conditions)

• A flexible day allowing the captain and crew to return to the island offering the best conditions. This gives us the chance to revisit favorite sites or explore new areas based on swell, wind, and visibility.

• Day Five – Final Dive Day & Departure

• Our final dive day focuses on relaxed, scenic diving with no rush, allowing guests to fully enjoy the Channel Islands experience. After returning to Ventura in the afternoon, guests can depart or stay on for an additional night.

EXCLUDES

• International & Domestic Flight

• Meals other than Lunch

• Gratuities

• Rental and Dive Gears

CHANNEL ISLANDS

DIVE SITE INFORMATION

WATER TEMPERATURE - 22c / 65F

WETSUIT - 7mm / Drysuit

SOUTHERN CHANNEL ISLANDS

CATALINA ISLAND is a popular location for underwater photography and diving in the Southern Channel Islands, in Southern California. Beautiful giant kelp forests surround the island, and large black sea bass frequent the waters. California marine life is very prolific here. There is also the popular Catalina Dive Park. Scuba diving Catalina Island is a wonderful experience you will never forget.

• Farnsworth Banks - This seamount comes up to 55ft at the surface, and it lies on the backside of catalina. Beautiful purple hydrocoral lies all over this dive site, lots of fish, and torpedo rays frequent the area. Advanced divers only.

• Ship Rock - Ship Rock rises from 120-200ft in the sand to above the surface. Schools of fish fill it's kelp forests, angel sharks are found in the sand, and nudibranchs lie on the deeper rocks in the spring. Nearby Bird Rock is also a nice large site with plenty of kelp and small walls.

• Two Harbors area - besides Ship Rock, dive sites near Two Harbors, like Sea Fan Grotto, Blue Cavern, Lion's Head, Bird Rock and Eagle Reef all have giant kelp forests and are good for wide-angle underwater and fish photography. Go slowly in the 30-50ft range and look into cracks and crevices.

• West end cove - Clear blue water is often found here, filled with schooling jack mackeral and a few shy harbor seals. There's good diving here from 100ft deep to the surface. I've seen yellowtail and mola-mola here, and there's good macro at all depths. Beware of currents.

• Italian gardens - The areas around Italian gardens on the east side of catalina get frequented by Giant black sea bass from July to October, mostly around 40-70ft deep where the kelp meets the sand. Best for wide-angle shots.

• Rock quarry - Scythe butterfly fish flutter in and out of rocks. Angel sharks lie in the sand deep, and the kelp forests to the east are very lush and healthy at 20-30ft deep.

• Long point - A wall with sea fans drops from 60ft down to 110ft deep. The kelp forest to the west is large, tall and filled with schooling fish and nice structure, and the water here is usually quite clear.

• Eagle Rock - on the west end of Catalina, right around the corner on the back side. Spectacular sea fans around the entire rock at 40-80ft depth make this one of the best wide-angle dive sites in the area.

• Blue Cavern Point - beautiful wall dive with some sea fans, just east of Two Harbors, with many caves and caverns in shallow water. Excellent visibility, must be done as a drift dive. Drops down past 130ft deep.

THE CASINO POINT dive park, in Avalon on Catalina Island, is a special place. Also known as the Catalina Dive Park, divers shore dive here, getting air fills nearby. Two deep wrecks called the SueJac and the Valiant are excellent underwater photography subjects. Octopus, giant kelpfish, moray eels, garibaldi, bat rays and schooling fish all frequent the dive park. Here is a map of the dive park.

•  To get to the dive park, take a ferry from Long Beach or San Pedro, and then take a taxi to Casino point.

• Black sea bass are often found where the kelp meets the sand, especially in the summer.

• The Valiant wreck, at 70-100ft depth just outside of the park, is a decent size shipwreck great for macro and wide-angle underwater photography. Look for nudibranchs on the bow (the deeper end).

• The swim platform at 55ft depth, in the far left corner of the park, has many macro subjects on it such as light-bulb tunicates.

SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND has the best kelp, clearest warmest water, and great structure, San Clemente is an excellent destination for wide-angle underwater photography. Unfortunately the Navy often closes a large portion of the island, so it is not always dive able. The southeast corner is dove the most, due to the rest being frequently closed for Navy practice.

• Pyramid Cove - large dive site with beautiful kelp, sea fans and structure

• Castle Rock - nice kelp forest and shallow caves

• Nine Fathoms - also known as Arch rock. A deep offshore reef with purple hydro coral on the northwest end. 60 feet depth at the top.

• Little Flower -  beautiful large reef in a protected cove, great for wide-angle underwater photography. Sometimes you'll find soup fin sharks here.

SANTA BARBARA ISLAND is a popular overnight trip because of its sea lion rookery. Many playful sea lions will come and visit you in a sandy dive site on the southeast corner of Santa Barbara island. This is considered the best place in Southern California to photograph sea lions. The island is very exposed, and the other excellent dive sites are often not dive able.

• Sea Lion Rookery - shallow diving, sheltered, lots of sea lions in clear water

• Archway - rich in marine life, purple hydrocoral

• Black Cavern - a deep site with many caves and caverns

• Sutil - a large offshore rock, with beautiful kelp forests

• Brittle Star Reef - millions of brittle stars carpet the floor at 60-75ft depth, with a nice rocky reef and kelp
  

NORTHERN CHANNEL ISLANDS

ANACAPA ISLAND is a short boat trip from Ventura and Oxnard, and day trips run often. This is one of my favorite islands for diving. Visibility is usually 30-50ft, the island is quite protected, and the reefs have more marine life than Catalina, although the water temps are a little cooler. Best diving is usually on the east & west ends, and on the south side. Dives sites are usually a little more shallow at Anacapa, and I usually don't need Nitrox, unless I am focusing on macro. Diving Anacapa island is always a treat.

• Cathedral cove - Giant Kelp forest and a sea lion rookery make this Anacapa dive site excellent for wide-angle photography.

• Landings cove - I always find great macro opportunities, including nudibranchs here, between 30-60ft depth. There is a large underwater arch here that you can easily swim though, with excellent fish and macro subjects on both sides of the arch.

• Coral reef - sometimes currents can be strong here, but excellent macro and good wide-angle photography are good here, and there are usually millions of brittle stars forming a brittle star carpet from 60-80ft depth.

• Channels - beautiful shallow area that is excellent for wide-angle photography, usually with Harbor Seals. It's very near a good macro site called Underwater Island, which is simply in deeper water

• Rat Rock - the very west end of Anacapa has very good overall diving when conditions allow diving here. Great for wide-angle or macro.

• Portuguese Rock - there are some interesting critters in the sand that will interest the underwater macro photographer. It's on the edge of the Pelican reserve. 15-40ft depth.

• Pelican reserve -great for macro, juvenile fish and uncommon critters. However, this area can only be dove in November, it's closed the rest of the year.

• Cat Rock - a solid site on the south side, with healthy kelp, good structure and brittle stars deeper.

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