Scuba diving in Southern California: Enchanted kelp forests, giant black sea bass and nudibranchs galore

Let’s go on an underwater journey and discover the dreamy scuba diving in Southern California.

Close your eyes, and imagine diving into an enchanted kelp forest. Friendly, bright orange Garibaldi greet you while you descend into the crisp water. As you swim, you spot a Giant Black Sea Bass resting among the kelp. You move away into a rocky reef, where a Moray Eel is sticking its head out of a hole, and an octopus camouflages among the rocks. Does this sound like a dream? It can be your reality – just come diving in Southern California!

The waters of Southern California may be chilly, but the scuba diving is epic. Read on to find out about the best areas to dive plus information on conditions and other recommendations for scuba diving in Southern California.

Photos by Douglas Klug

The best scuba diving in Southern California – Dive sites & how to get there

Southern California is full of amazing dive sites, with an incredible variety of environments. Whatever you’re looking for, SoCal probably has it (except warm, tropical reefs – you’ll have to travel elsewhere for that).

Catalina Island

One of the best and most popular places to dive is Catalina Island.  Catalina is one of California’s Southern Channel Islands, just 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles.

Casino Point Dive Park

The main town in Catalina is Avalon. It is home to the famous Casino Point Dive Park. The Park is a 2.5 acre marine protected area which prohibits any boats or motorized vehicles. The super easy entry into and exit from the water are done via cement stairs with handrails. This diving area is great for both beginner and advanced divers.

The Park has an amazing array of things to see, but is most famous for its beautiful kelp forests. I often liken kelp forests to the enchanted forests of fairy tales. The tall stalks of algae sway gently in the water, providing food and shelter to other marine plants and animals. You will wonder at the splendour as the sunlight shines through the kelp.

When you descend into the kelp forest, you will most likely be greeted by bright orange Garibaldi, California’s state marine fish. You will also commonly encounter California Sheepheads, Kelp Bass, and Opaleyes. Often, you’ll spot one of the resident Giant Black Sea Bass.  It is estimated that there are only 500 of these critically endangered fish. And 40-50 of them make Catalina their home. These giants – which can grow to more than seven feet long – love to lounge in the kelp forests and spy on the divers.

In addition to the kelp forests, the Park has rocky reefs, areas with sandy bottom, and several small wrecks. My favorite wreck is the Sujac, and seventy-foot schooner which sank in 1980 during a storm. The bottom of the wreck sits at about 90 feet.

Because the Park is located in Avalon, you can take the Catalina Express and then walk or taxi to the Park. If you need any equipment (including tanks and weights), there are a couple of places to rent at the Park.

Other dive sites at Catalina Island

In addition to Casino Point, Catalina has numerous other dive sites which you can reach by boat. On the front side of Catalina (facing the California coast), dive sites abound.  My favorites include Ship Rock, a large rock structure that looks like it could have been ancient ruins, surrounded by life of all kind; Sea Fan Grotto, a beautiful sea-fan filled cavern that will fan your Little Mermaid fan-tasies; and Starlight, the best kelp forest I’ve seen.

On the back side of Catalina is Farnsworth Bank.  Farnsworth is an advanced site due to the depth and strong currents.  But as one of the few places to see purple hydrocoral, Farnsworth is one of the most sought-after dive spots.

To reach these dive sites, there are dive boats which depart out of Los Angeles (San Pedro or Long Beach), or in Avalon. Make sure to book early because these dive trips are always popular!

The Channel Islands

While Catalina is one of the Southern Channel Islands, the Northern Channel Islands – which stretch up through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties – are also known for their world-class diving.  Santa Cruz and Anacapa islands are the two most commonly dived.

Both islands have beautiful dive sites, ranging from thick kelp forests to rocky reefs, walls, and pinnacles.  You are likely to see marine life similar to that found in Catalina. But in Santa Cruz and Anacapa you’re more likely to encounter chubby harbour seals (which, sadly, you must resist from hugging).

To get to Santa Cruz or Anacapa island, your best bet is going on a dive boat out of Ventura and Santa Barbara.

The Oil Rigs

California’s coast is dotted with offshore oil rigs.  However you may feel about the oil industry, the rigs provide an incredibly unique diving experience. In the LA area, the most commonly dived rigs are Eureka, Ellen and Elley, which can be reached by boat out of San Pedro or Long Beach harbors. Ellen and Elley are connected and lovingly called the “twins”.

The sub-structure of the rigs has developed into an artificial reef, covered in invertebrates and home to a thriving eco-system. Both the vertical columns and horizontal cross-beams are home to mussels, scallops, barnacles, starfish, and anemones galore. You will see large, well-fed Garibaldi, and eerie salps floating around in the dark water. You may even get to play with some outgoing sea lions. They love to frolic under the water and then nap on the above-water part of the rigs.  

Diving the oil rigs is for advanced divers only, due to the “bottomless” depth (Eureka lies in 700 feet of water, so good buoyancy control is essential), sometimes volatile ocean conditions, and a live boat drop/pick-up.  

Shore diving in Southern California and local spots

I have a confession: I’m not a big fan of shore diving in Southern California.  The surf is a pain, viz is often bad, and all of your gear gets sandy. But there are plenty of people who love shore diving, so don’t let me discourage you! Some of the more popular spots include Point Dume (Malibu), Veteran’s Park (Redondo Beach), Malaga Cove (Palos Verdes Estates), Old Marineland (Rancho Palos Verdes), and Shaw’s Cove (Laguna Beach).

You can also take a boat to some great local spots near the coast in the LA area. If you enjoy viewing or photographing macro, there are several sites off Rancho Palos Verdes which are world-class nudibranch habitats. At Garden Spot and Arch, you will see dozens of orange and purple Spanish Shawls, Opalescent nudibranchs, yellow nudibranchs, and maybe even the rare Hopkin’s Rose nudibranch.  Be sure to bring your camera because the nudis love posing for pictures! 

Photos by Douglas Klug

Southern California diving conditions

The water in Southern California is definitely chilly. Water temperature (at depth) can range from the low fifties (Fahrenheit) during the coldest parts of the year, to the high sixties or low seventies during the warmest part of the year. The water temperature generally reaches its warmest around October, after it has been heated by the summer sun. The coldest months are January through March.  

The mild weather in Southern California allows us to dive year-round. Regardless of what time of year you go, a 7mm wetsuit is a must. Many people also wear a hood and gloves year-round. Drysuit diving is also very common, especially in the winter.  

Visibility varies widely based on conditions. On good days, you might have 50+ feet of visibility (viz tends to be better in winter). On bad days you may not be able to see two feet in front of you. Most of the time, you can expect visibility of 20-30 feet.   

Taking photos and videos with your smartphone

Bringing your smartphone underwater has never been easier and safer! DIVEVOLK has revolutionised the smartphone housing market with SeaTouch 4 Max case. The full-touchscreen membrane allows you to access all the apps on your phone, even while wearing dive gloves. The robust design makes the housing waterproof up to 60m/200ft. And best of all, it is compatible with virtually any smartphone brand and model. The only thing you need is an adapter, which holds your phone in position inside the housing. Thus, if you upgrade your phone, you can still use the same housing and only need to change the litte tray inside.

To delve deeper into the capabilities of this game-changing phone case and all its accessories, read our comprehensive review here!

What gear to bring

In addition to your normal scuba kit, there are a few things I recommend you bring on your dives in Southern California:

• A knife or cutting tool – Getting stuck in the kelp can happen! While you can often get untangled with help from a friend, a cutting tool is sometimes necessary.
• A surface marker buoy and reel – For both boat and shore diving, this definitely comes in handy.
• A light – Many dive sites are on the darker side, due to kelp or other cover blocking sunlight, so a light comes in handy. Even on shallow dives, a light is very useful for spotting tiny creatures (like nudibranchs) or creatures which may hide in holes or crevices.  

Who to scuba dive with in Southern California

There are several excellent dive shops in Southern California, but I recommend In2Deep Diving in Santa Monica, CA. Disclaimer: I’m a Divemaster with In2Deep. In2Deep has the best instructors and divemasters around, and the clients are like family. In addition to any courses you may want to take, In2Deep regularly has day trips to the Catalina dive park and boats going to the best dive sites. In non-COVID times, In2Deep also has a super fun monthly dive club, with great speakers and raffle prizes.

My favorite dive boat is the Giant Stride. This boat carries a maximum of six passengers, so you get personalized attention and don’t feel like you’re in a cattle boat. Captain Jim Simmerman is the best in the biz, knowing the best spots and making the ride as comfortable as possible.

Finally, if you’re in Avalon and need equipment at the dive park, Diving Catalina is the place to go. They’re located right in the dive park and will take care of all your needs!

About the author

Dina Richman is a Southern California native and a PADI Divemaster with In2Deep Diving. Her underwater adventures have taken her to Honduras, Hawaii, Mexico, Missouri, and Tonga, but her heart lies in the kelp forests of SoCal. Dina loves sharing her passion for scuba diving and helping others discover the incredible underwater world of Southern California.