Camping/Scuba Trip Scorpion Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island

[FrankPro1]

SpKelpDiver and I have planned a camping/scuba trip to Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island. This will be my third time camping / free diving there, but will be our first scuba expedition. I made a previous post on this, months back, asking about the wreck of the Peacock. It seems that there is very little known about this wreck, other then it is NW of Scorpion Rocks laying in 60ft.

I am wondering if there are any areas of interest for divers that is located close to Scorpion Anchorage? On my two free dive trips here, I found some shallow kelp beds and reefs located off the pier and over towards little Scorpion Anchorage "which is the closet mooring site". If worst comes to worst, I will just wing it and explore those surrounding areas. But if anyone has dove this area and knows of any particular site which is especially nice for scuba, please share.

One site which is described in a diving book I have is Southeast Scorpions. It mentions that there are a series of mini walls and ledges in about 25-65ft of water. Unfortunately there is no map to this specific site in the book and it only has a very vague description of its location. Any data, maps or experience for this area and any site in the general vicinity would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JMdiver]

Hi Frank,

As for the wreck try this site they my have some info on it:California Wreck Divers

John

 

[FrankPro1]

Hi Frank,

As for the wreck try this site they my have some info on it:California Wreck Divers

John

Thanks for the info John. I will probably not dive the wreck due to the prevalence of strong currents in that area. Also I will only be bringing two tanks "Island Packers only allows campers to bring 2 tanks person", so I don't want to waste 1 of the tanks searching the sands for a wreck I might not find. If you or anyone has any info on other points of interest in the Scorpion Anchorage area "within swim or short kayak trip" it would me much appreciated.

 

[covediver]

I made a previous post on this, months back, asking about the wreck of the Peacock. It seems that there is very little known about this wreck, other then it is NW of Scorpion Rocks laying in 60ft.

I dived on the Peacock aka Spirit of America in 1986 and again in the late 90s and was amazed at the deterioration that had taken place in that interval. Can't image what it would look like today except some scattered debris, but I could be wrong.

I started asking around about the minesweeper right after diving it the first time. People recall different stories about the minesweeper, and it was something of an enigma over which I periodically obsessed in talking with people about the islands until I read Michel Petersen's book, Once Upon an Island, which relates that three decommissioned minesweepers ended up off the east end of SCI. The first was the Spirit of America which was towed to Scorpion anchorage for salvage purposes by Alvin Kidman. When Kidman bought her salvage rights in Los Angeles she had been remodeled as a Playboy type club complete with red carpet. Some of the carpet and a bathtub ended up in use as Scorpion Ranch. The Spirit of America broke loose from her mooring and sank off little Scorpion. The Reaper was salvaged at Smugglers Cove, a story desribed at length in the book. A third minesweeper, the Prime, was pulled up onto the beach. An internal fire set to burn her out for salvaging non-ferrous metals burned her in half, and the bow and stern washed in and out of the bay until never seen again.

Peter Gherini (his family owned East Santa Cruz Island including Scorpion Ranch) wrote in his history of the island, Santa Cruz Island--A History of Conflict and Diversity--wrote "Another minesweeper called the Peacock, lies at the bottom of Scorpion Harbor in sixty feet of water. Peterson related that somone towed the vessel to Scorpion in the summer of 1979 and it broke loose from its moorings."

Mickey DeFazio, skipper of the long since retired diveboat the Sea Ventures, pretty much confirms the story as told above to me in 1986. He dived on the vessel shortly after it sank. The names Spirit of America and Peacock seem to have become intertwined and synonymous. While some of this is authoritative, none of it is conclusive.

Don't know if this is enough to correct the CWD site at http://www.cawreckdivers.org/Wrecks/Peacock.htm


I met Michel at a book signing in 1999. After talking to her about the search for the story, I thanked her for bringing it to light and laying it to rest. She inscribed the book "Mystery! That is the stuff that life is made of."

Peter Gherini writes "The Petersons toiled to mak the (sheep ranch) operation profitable, but the soon learned that nothing was simple about the island life which captivated them like so many others before them. Their island experiences with people, animals, and events left lasting impressions."

I hope your island experience results in the same favorable and lasting impression.

 

[FrankPro1]

Thanks Covediver for the historical backdrop of the Peacock. And Yes, my Santa Cruz island experience has resulted thus far in the same lasting impression. This will be my third summer trip to Scorpion Anchorage "3 years running" and I believe it will continue to be one of my annual camping trips. Santa Cruz is a glimpse into our states history, the way things used to be on our coastline. Though it has the modern accessibility of piers, running water, latrines... Its shoreline waters and cliff side trails are pristine. I've really enjoyed the time I've spent there kayaking, diving and hiking. There was a young volunteer who's job was to clean the campsite bathrooms which I saw on my first trip to Scorpion. When I first showed up, I wondered why he always had a huge smile on his face, even when doing such a unpleasant job. By the time my first camping trip was coming to an end, I knew why he was always smiling. On my second round at Scorpion, I saw him again. This time he moved up in ranks and was a full park ranger. Again he wore the same smile, from ear to ear. Santa Cruz seems to do that to a person.

 

[DwayneJ]

Is there overnight anchoring?

 

[FrankPro1]

Is there overnight anchoring?

Yes, there is. For both people mooring and campers.

 

[covediver]

Again he wore the same smile, from ear to ear. Santa Cruz seems to do that to a person.

It always does the same for me, both as a former employee and one time volunteer for CINP, except the biggest grin was when I would go out to Anacapa to work on the underwater video program at the landing cove (hence my screen name) or other programs. There is just something really magical about those islands. The friends, people I met, the diving, and the natural history of the islands. wow. makes me home sick.