Pebbly
BeachThe West End of Catalina Island is more open to prevailing northwest weather. Tuck in behind the promontory known as Arrow Point, however, and you stand a pretty good chance of escaping the most adverse effects of wind and waves. A boat can actually approach quite close to the point and still be protected. Bordering this shoreline is a thin strip of kelp and reefs that hold a myriad of diving opportunities. From the surface it is mostly a series of cliffs that drop steeply to the sea. The bottom drops away at a steep angle as well. There are, however, occasional landmarks that indicate dive and anchorage sites. One such landmark is a tiny cobble beach known by charter boat skippers as Pebbly Beach.
Out from the small cobble stone beach is a moderately sloping sand and gravel bottom. This bottom provides good anchorage in an area where anchorage is not always easy because of the steep, rocky slopes. While the reefs and kelp beckon the divers to explore, take the time to take a good look at this sand environment. Some of the more obvious inhabitants here include bat rays, halibut and, deeper, angel sharks.
Looking a bit closer will reveal more interesting animals. Mantis shrimp can be found here. I saw three on one dive in a relatively small area. These are thought to be the most intelligent crustaceans in the ocean world. Their multifaceted eyes sit on stalks and rotate independently, forever scanning their world. Mantis shrimps measure in at 6 to 10 inches and are quite colorful. They are shy and reclusive during the day, preferring the shelter of their burrows that can be over six feet deep. Never handle a mantis shrimp as their claws tear flesh in the blink of an eye. Their burrows are easy to spot as you cruise across the bottom. Simply look for a pile of debris, one or two feet across, dug up from deep under the sand, gravel and broken shells. Many of these piles hold a shrimp burrow. Dawn is the best time to observe shrimp in their activities of hunting and clearing their burrows.
Kelp and rocks can be found to the east and west of the sloping sand.
I especially enjoyed the large boulders in shallow water closer to
the cliffs. Lobsters are abundant, likely due to the fact that from
Arrow Point to Lionhead is an invertebrate preserve. Lobsters, crabs,
urchins or any invertebrates cannot be taken from this area.
Below 25 feet, garibaldi are now setting up their nests for the summer. Nesting is abundant here. Male garibaldi will groom a spot on a rock, cultivating it to grow only red algae. Any intruder is confronted and driven away with a lowered head position and throat pops. The red algae patch attracts the female to lay eggs in the patch. Once the eggs are laid and fertilized, the male chases the female and then continues to aggressively guard the nest until the small fry hatch. The entire cycle and behavior is always excellent material for the underwater photographer and videographer. As always, the bright orange garibaldi framed against the blue and amber-green of the kelp forest can make for striking photos. Add in a few nice stands of gold gorgonian and a nice, steep rocky reef (all available here), and you have the components for an award-winning photo.
Other fish here good for cameras include sheephead (lots of juveniles and small fish, few big), Catalina Blues (also known as Halfmoons), and abundant but small calico bass. A number of small rockfish may indicate a recovering population here. This is not a particularly good area for spearfishing, although closer to Arrow Point will offer passing schools of yellowtail or an occasional white sea bass.
Because of the site's proximity to Arrow Point, it gains benefits of clean open ocean current. Rocky cliffs offer little rain run-off. Consequently, visibility is always good here, averaging 40 to 50 feet with days of over 60 not unusual. There is a steady current, usually west to east, but it stays offshore and will usually not affect divers unless they venture into deep waters.
Arrow Point itself offers advanced diving with steep drop-offs, fast currents and sometimes rough seas. Fortunately, you can tuck in close and even beginners can experience a sample of what this West End wonder has to offer.
Location:
Marked ashore by a small cobblestone beach southeast of Arrow Point.
GPS: N33°28.495', W118°32.027' (GPS for reference only. Do
not use as sole source of navigation.)
Access: Boat only.
Skill Level: All close to the island. More experienced out deeper.
Visibility: Excellent, averaging 50 feet, often better.
Depths: Reefs in shallow to 60 feet. Deeper mostly sand.
Photography: Very good wide angle with lush kelp and abundant colorful fish. Macro fair for a moderate selection of invertebrates.
Hunting: Poor. Most fish are small. Site lies within the invertebrate preserve so no lobster, scallops or urchins may be taken.
Snorkeling: Some good shallow areas near bluffs.
Suggested Dive Charter Boats Serving This Area:
Pacific
Dream- (562) 592-1154
Encore
- (310) 541-1025
Great Escape - (714)
828-9157
King/Prince
Neptune - (800) 262-3483
Sundiver - (800)
555-9446
Horizon/Ocean
Odyssey - (619) 277-7823
Garibaldi -
(310) 510-2800
Cat Dive - (310) 510-0330
or see the California Scuba
Calendar section of this issue for trips to Catalina.
