Page 137 - California Diving and Surfing

Santa Barbara Island

T he smallest Channel Island is noted for its huge sea and often exceeds 80 feet. In addition to kelp forests,
lion rookery on the east side. The island is small, there are white sandy bottoms, caves, pinnacles, drop-
but the undersea adventure is big. Gregarious, curi- offs, and a half-mile off Webster Point there is a huge
ous, playful sea lions entertain themselves by hanging underwater arch at 70 feet depth. The waters are rich in
around divers, swooping, blowing bubbles, and even reef fishes, lobsters, nudibranchs, abalone, bat rays, and
tugging on divers’ fins. Santa Barbara Island has abun- halibut. The island appears desolate as it receives only
dant kelp forests and warmer water than the Northern nine inches of rain per year. It has steep cliffs and only
Channel Islands. Water visibility is usually over 30 feet, one sandy beach.