Sea Lion Rookery
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Barbara is rookery for hordes of sea birds and marine mammals, including harbor seals, elephant seals, fur seals, and California sea lions. While marine mammals may be seen on all of the island’s dive sites, one of the best spots to view and photograph sea lions is at the southeast end of the island, a spot divers call the Sea Lion Rookery.
Santa Barbara is home to one of the largest colonies of California sea lions in the entire state. There are so many of these noisy mammals here that there is not enough beach to hold them, and many have to climb hundreds of feet up the bluff to get some peace and quiet. This Sea Lion Rookery can simply be located by the noise the sea lions make.
The inshore bottom around the rookery is mostly flat rock with massive rock piles jumbled about. The depth may be as little as 10 feet, and the shallow rock piles often break the surface. There is not much encrusting invertebrate life here, just some urchins and algae, yet this is one of the best shallow-water dives anywhere.
The rock piles are honeycombed with a maze of small passageways that are home to numerous spiny lobsters. A good light is needed even during the day since the holes are so deep.
In some spots lobsters are porch-sitting in plain view and others are way back in holes. Some of the holes have small entrances, too small for a diver to navigate, but large cathedral-sized crevices are farther back. Some of these are home to hundreds of lobsters. They look out at divers without fear, knowing full well they are safe.
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Large gorgonia and anemones dotting the surface in some places. In others there are huge caves and swim-throughs that are fun to explore. Take a light and look for lobsters back in the holes.
The real attraction here is not the lobsters but the sea lions. There are hundreds in the water and many choose to visit with and play with divers. The juveniles are particularly curious. They will slowly approach a diver, stare into the diver’s mask, or chew on fins or snorkels. Diving with this many curious and playful marine mammals is a joy to behold. It is a lot of fun watching them spin and turn, and those big brown eyes are breathtaking.
Remember it is illegal and unwise to chase marine mammals. The best photographs and experiences are obtained when they choose to come to you. And with this many sea lions in the water you don’t have to wait very long at the Sea Lion Rookery.
Dive Spot At - A - Glance
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Location: On the southeast side of Santa Barbara Island.
Access: Boat only, commercial dive boats frequent this site.
Depths: 10 to 80 feet.
Skill Level: Beginner or better.
Hunting: Good lobster in season.
Photography: Fair macro photography, for invertebrates and small fish, great spot to photograph sea lions.
Hazards: Watch for thick kelp, and boat traffic.
Suggested Dive Charter Boats Frequently Serving This Area:
Encore - (310) 541-1025
Sundiver - (800) 555-9446
Spectre - (805) 483-6612
Peace - (805) 984-2025
Truth/Conception/Vision - (805) 962-1127
Liberty - (805) 642-6655
Mr. C - (310) 521-9737
or see the California Scuba Calendar section of this issue for trips to Santa Barbara Island.
Bruce Watkins is a frequent contributor to California Diving News, as well as author of the books A Diver's Guide to Monterey County and the newly released A Diver's Guide to Northern California (both from Saint Brendan).