Hen
RockI had dived the reefs near Hen Rock many times before, but it wasn't until snorkeling with one of my sons years ago that my eyes were opened to the beauty and extent of this reef.
We entered the water and swam over to the shallow sections near shore. All my previous dives had been there. It's a relatively shallow reef, 30 to 35 feet down, of boulders with lots of nooks and crannies, and a healthy growth of kelp. As we approached the outer fringes, a ball of silver life splintered out from the depths. Like arrows exploding from a hidden army of archers, long, thin Pacific barracuda were fleeing some unseen threat from below. They sought shelter in the kelp (and so did we). For 30 minutes my son and I delighted in the barracuda lounging in the safety of the aquatic forest. But I wanted to find out what was coming from below.
Returning several weeks later I had learned that there was an extensive reef system extending out from shore. The charter boat captain explained that barracuda are a favored food of the illusive giant black sea bass and that the big fish were appearing with greater frequency at this location.
Subsequent dives never did reveal a black sea bass. Just as good, however, was the fantastic reefs near Hen Rock. Near shore is thick healthy kelp punctuated by bright orange garibaldi. In and around the rocks are morays, blue-banned gobies and fair amount of good sized lobsters.
Extending
from the near shore rocks in random stepping-stone fashion are
additional reefs. Most of them are huge boulders, some the size of
small houses! Stretches of sand separate many of the rocks and,
depending on the visibility, may not be visible from a shallower
reef. The sand bottom around the outer reefs slopes in depths from 45
to 85 feet. Most of the huge boulders rise 15 to 20 feet from the
bottom, so they are easy to spot on a depth finder. The outermost
rock has a huge crack often full of moray eels.
Pretty stands of gorgonian are common atop the boulders and in the crevices. There are rock scallops but not enough or of large enough size to bother. Other highlights include rockfish, nudibranchs and, of course, if you're lucky, black sea bass.
Don't ignore the sloping sand bottom in your explorations. Sand dabs are common and, occasionally, you will come across a halibut or bat ray. For some reason, currents or boat traffic, there are a lot of bottles on the bottom here, many of them old. Also old, and sad, are accumulations of abalone shells, a reminder that this once was a prime abalone spot. It could be again. . . maybe there are still some abs lurking in the kelp. Remember, look, but don't touch!
A nice feature of diving here is the site can accommodate a wide range of experience levels. Snorkeling is good close to shore around Hen Rock and other surface rocks. The nearshore kelp provides opportunities for the novice scuba diver and more experienced divers can head into deeper water exploring the outer reefs. The reef is in the lee of Long Point; consequently, Hen Rock is often divable when points farther west are blown out. Visibility is consistently good, although not spectacular. Currents are generally only a consideration on the outer reefs. This is a popular area, however, so watch for boat traffic.
Dive
Spot At - A - Glance
Location: Just to the southeast of Long Point on the frontside of Catalina Island. GPS N 33°24.051', W 118°21.984' (GPS for reference only. Do not use as sole source of navigation.)
Access and Entry: Boat only.
Skill Level: All.
Depths: Inner reef 15 to 35 feet; sloping to 85 feet on the outer reefs.
Visibility: Very good, averaging 40 feet.
Snorkeling: Very good in shallow sections near shore and Hen Rock.
Photography: Good for wide-angle and macro with a variety of subjects and settings.
Hunting: Good for lobster, little else.
Hazards: Boat traffic.
Suggested 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- (619)
277-7823
Mr. C - (310) 521-9737
Garibaldi - (310) 510-2800
Cat Dive - (310) 510-0330
Old #7 - (310) 970-0803
Psalty - (310) 780-2530
or see the California Scuba Calendar of this issue for trips to Catalina Island.
Dale Sheckler is Editor and Publisher of California Diving News and co-author of the book Southern California's Best Beach Dives.
