Newbie Santa Barbara Island

[Derffie]

Hello
My daughter and I are newly minted OW divers. She lives in LA and her local dive shop is offering an overnight trip to Santa Barbara Island (mid Feb). Wondering about the conditions there. Certainly sounds like diving with the sea lions is a hoot. I'm a bit prone to sea sickness but will certainly pre- treat with meds.
thanks
Fred

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Great! I am also planning a trip there in March so I would love to hear about diving as well as other stuff to do on topside in Santa Barbara. Can anyone also tell me how long is the drive from LAX to Santa Barbara?

 

[AZTinman]

Santa Barbara Island is around thirty-eight miles west of LA. Santa Barbara, the city, is north of LA; drive time from LAX kinda depends on how busy the freeway happens to be.

-AZTinman

 

[MalibuJerry]

Right, topside at Santa Barbara Island is on the boat that took you there. The diving is quite nice as long as we don't have a winter storm or a big swell, though that goes without saying. There is some beach diving around Santa Barbara (the city) and you can also go out on charter boats to the oil rigs and the northern channel islands.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I am hoping to do the liveaboard to San Clemente. After the liveaboard I just wanted to hang around the LA coast and chill because it is such a great place man.

 

[Derffie]

So, I gather that Winter swells can be an issue, particularly for a small island such as Santa Barbara. Is Feb then not a good time for this? I would be flying in just for this weekend dive.
Thanks

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Many times during the winter the boat will avert to Catalina if the swells are too large. If you make it to SBI you will be treated to some excellent diving.

 

[lamarpaulski]

Like others said you may very well hit big swells...especially in Feb...that's what passes for winter and storms here in CA south....for 2 newbies I would simply go to Avalon and dive the park. Very easy and civilized. Pretty forgiving but excellent diving. Get some dives under your belt. Way less exposure to sea sickness and possibly difficult diving. Swells are 1 ft today at Avalon and 4 to 6 at SBI...according to wetsand...SBI is a great place tho..ESP sea lion action...shoot for Summer or Fall.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

How about the end of March? How is the sea swells and the vis at that time? Any sea lion action going on towards the end of March?

 

[drbill]

Predicting weather and water conditions two months in advance seems like playing the slots in Vegas. It can be absolutely beautiful (as it is today in January!) or you can have a horrible trip canceling storm... especially in March.