I enjoy cruising the bluffs along the backside of Santa Cruz Island.
Dramatic bluffs plummet to the sea in a variety of colors. Popular
dive sites and anchorages are a testament to the rainbow of rocks and
sea. Spots like "Yellow Banks Anchorage," "Yellowbluff," and "Blue
Bank" describe colors in the rocks and waters. Red Bluff is another
of these locations. Ashore is red sandstone. Offshore are rock
pinnacles home to a huge variety and abundance of marine life.
Most of the pinnacles are small but all are tall, rising from a 55-foot bottom as much as 30 feet. All of the pinnacles are close together so several can be explored in one dive. Scattered rocks surround many of the pinnacles. The largest is the size of a big house and that's where I spent most of my dive.
Tucked neatly into many of the crevices were whole communities of animals. Corynactus anemones act as wall paper. In the nooks are rock scallops, a variety of interesting shrimp, and an occasional nudibranch.
This is a good dive for macro photographers. In addition to the nice little critters mentioned above, this is an exceptional site for brightly colored small fish. Look close for tiny blue-banded gobys. Juvenile treefish pose a worthy challenge to the macro photographer with dark black bands, bright yellow stripes and constant movement. Don't worry, there are other, more sedentary rockfish that will sit still for your strobes. If you're shooting macro, turn your lens to where the sand and rocks meet. There you will find baby flatfish, tube anemones and stars.
This not a particularly noteworthy spot for the underwater hunter. Lobsters are few and scallops are small. Halibut hunting is fair out across the sand. Move in toward the island in the spring.
Conditions here are variable but generally good, with visibility averaging 30 feet. Waters here are greener and a bit siltier than at Anacapa Island to the east or Gull Island to the west, but a prevailing current keeps things fairly clean. That prevailing current can be strong at times; keep a sharp eye out. Kelp is thin so there is often no way to judge current strength and direction.
Red
Bluff is close enough for most single day boats to reach on a good
day, yet far enough around the backside that it is not always
reached. With those circumstances, Red Bluff is a good dive site
choice for those looking for a Northern Channel Islands underwater
wilderness dive with a lot of animals to see.
Dive Spot At - A - Glance
Location: Backside of Santa Cruz Island. Look for reddish sandstone bluff ashore. GPS coordinates N 33°59.150', W119°35.956'(GPS for reference only; do not use as sole source of navigation).
Access: Boat only.
Skill Level: All levels.
Visibility: Good, averages 30 feet but days of 50 not unusual.
Depths: 20 to 60 feet.
Photography: Very good for macro with a wide variety of subjects. Fair wide angle on steep sided pinnacles.
Hunting: Fair to poor. Few lobsters and small scallops. Some halibut.
Snorkeling: Poor. Reefs too deep.
Suggested Boats Serving This Area:
Liberty - (805) 642-6655
Spectre - (805) 483-6612
Peace - (805) 984-2025
Truth/Conception/Vision -
(805) 962-1127
or see the California Scuba Calendar section of this issue for trips to Santa Cruz Island.
