South
PointIn heavy weather, small boats often take shelter east of South Point, Santa Rosa Island in the area known as Johnson's Lee. Located about midway between Cluster Point and Ford Point on the back side of Santa Rosa, the expansive reef at South Point offers divers a wide range of depths, a fascinating maze of boulders, ledges, caves, and walls, and a large concentration of reef fish and invertebrates. Equally important to North Channel charter operators, South Point, though not as sheltered as Johnson's Lee, is often diveable when other outer island sites are not.
"South Point is a great area," said Captain Eric Bowman, owner-operator of the dive boat Peace, based in Ventura. "Lots of fish, good structure, easy access to multi-level dives. It's an excellent alternative when the front sides of the outer islands are inaccessible due to bad weather."
Topography, Conditions
The reef at South Point extends nearly a mile from east to west,
but the most interesting topography is at the eastern end. Because
the reef covers a wide area and varies so much in depth, South Point
is an ideal multiple-dive site. Near the east end, a wall rises
steeply from the sand from a depth of about 80 to about 60
feet.
For the first dive, a captain may drop anchor on top of this outer wall, giving divers a short swim down the anchor line to the reef, while the boat sits in 80 feet of water over the sand. On subsequent dives, the boat may move a few yards inshore into 50 or 60 feet of water over the reef. There are many high spots in the shallows, however, so it's not wise to come in too far.
A stiff current occasionally runs on the outside, and the surge is almost always churning near the beach, but the middle depths are usually calm enough for beginner-to-intermediate divers to safely explore South Point's amazingly complex structures and lush kelp stands. Visibility may extend to 50 feet on a good day. More often, it's between 10 and 30.
Photography, Game and
Sightseeing
Although the water is rarely clear enough for wide-angle shots, South Point's rocky structures provide habitat for plenty of invertebrate macro-photographic subjects. A word of warning: South Point is one of the coldest dive spots in the North Channel Islands. The water temperature ordinarily hovers around 55°F in summer and sometimes dips below 50°F in winter. Hunters and sightseers may be comfortable in 6.5mm or 7mm wetsuits, but photographers are well advised to wear a dry suit any time of the year.
South Point is a very fishy spot. Possibly due to the cold water, hefty copper and vermilion rockfish and lingcod are found as shallow as 40 or 50 feet. Look for them in the myriad of small caves and narrow channels. Large calico bass also lurk in holes and olive rockfish hide in the kelp. Lots of fair-sized scallops inhabit the rock walls. Now protected by law, a few red abalone live here, too. Time will tell whether enough remain to sustain a colony.
Although game and macro subjects are plentiful, it's not necessary to hunt or take photographs to enjoy this place. Especially for new divers, it's exciting just to explore the endless nooks and crannies of this lush, colorful reef: South Point, Santa Rosa Island.
Dive Spot At - A - Glance
Location: The southernmost projection of Santa Rosa Island, about four miles WSW of Ford Point or four miles SE of Cluster Point. The sheltered area to the NE of South Point is called Johnson's Lee.
GPS Coordinates (outside anchorage): W 33.55.31, N 120.06.71.(GPS for reference only. Do not use as sole source of navigation.)
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate.
Depth: 30 to 80 feet. Multiple-level site.
Visibility: Varies, mostly according to weather and depth. Usually churned-up at depths of 30 feet and less. At 30-50 feet, visibility of 15-30 feet is common, more than enough to navigate comfortably.
Temperature: Rarely above 55°F.
Currents: Occasionally very strong on the outside.
Game: Vermilion rockfish, copper rockfish, calico bass, lingcod. Some scallops.
Photography: Good macro subjects on rocky structures.
Suggested Boats Serving This Area:
Spectre - (805) 483-6612
Peace - (805)
984-2025
Truth/Conception/Vision
- (805) 962-1127
Liberty - (805)
642-6655
Explorer - (805) 646-0836
or see the California Scuba Calendar section for trips to Santa Rosa Island.
David Krival is a past contributor to California Diving News. An avid diver, he spends a large part of his leisure time exploring the Channel Islands aboard Southern California's dive charter boats.
