Sea lion diving in LA – advice needed!!!!!

[muha]

Dear LA divers,

I am going to visit LA in May and want to fulfill my old dream - diving with sea lions! I would be very grateful if you help me with several issues:

1. Where is the best place to dive with sea lions near LA (boat or shore)?
2. What is my chance to dive with sea lions during regular weekend dive charter in Santa Catalina?
3. What about sea lion diving in Santa Barbara or Anacapa or etc?
4. Any suggestions about charter operators in context of sea lion diving?

Many thanks in advance!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

Dive safely!!!!!

 

[muddiver]

I see more sea lions when I go on boat charters to the local oil rigs off of Long Beach and Huntington Beach. Check with Sundiver Express for schedules. Dive Boat Sundiver

Some times, but not often sea lions can be found in the kelp beds near the shore off the Palos Verdes panisula or off Laguna Beach, but there is no garantee.

I have never encountered sea lions in the water around Catalina Island. I have see them a night when the flying fish were attracted to our research vessel and the sea lions were chasing them all over. The sea lions like to chase the fish toward the boat because the fish would jump to fly and smack into the side of the boat. Then the sea lion justs gobbles them up.

Good luck.

 

[ligersandtions]

Check out the Spectre. I've been on a couple trips with them when they took us out to the "sea lion spot" on Anacapa. I don't really know what the site is called, but we had probably 20 of them just playing around us for an hour long dive. It was a really fun dive and we all came out talking about it for the rest of the day (plus, we had three other great dives as well!).

 

[merxlin]

"The Rookery" at Santa Barbara Island. Almost guaranteed to have sea lion interaction. Bring a spare snorkel.

 

[scjoe]

The rookery on Santa Barbara Island is the best place to be be sure of seeing sea lions. However, the boats do not always make it out there because of weather.

 

[avlena]

"The Rookery" at Santa Barbara Island. Almost guaranteed to have sea lion interaction. Bring a spare snorkel.

ditto... We went on the Sand Dollar to Santa Barbara Island, and they took us to the Rookery, as well as an amazing underwater arch. We were completely surrounded by sea lions during the rookery dive, and at one point, they far outnumbered the divers. They were very playful; one even stole my camera (I got it back after some frantic chasing, thankfully). The entire trip was amazing, and definitely worth it!

The island is east of Catalina, so you board the boat the night before, and in the morning when you arrive, you can jump right in and get started.

I've heard that you can see sea lions at Anacapa Island too, but when we went we only saw one or two, nothing like Santa Barbara.

 

[Capt. Kyaa]

Hi Muha,

We'll be running lots of boats in May and will definitely have our faaaast Express boat configured for outer island runs. May is often a good bet to actually make Barbara. Muddiver is also right on the money about the sea lion populations close to our dock at the oil rigs. Rigs & wrecks are another great dive alternative out here. We don't have our May schedule up yet, but I've provided the link to our website for more information. If you drop me a pm with your specific visit dates, I can probably give you more specific info as well. :blinking:

Cheers and Happy New Year!
Captain Kyaa
Sundiver International
800-555-9446

 

[Mo2vation]

I shot this on a January trip out with the Spectre.




You want a Sea Lion lock? Call the Spectre. Capt Ted loves to take people to this spot. TONS of pups, that will play with you until your gas supply is out.

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Ken



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[fnfalman]

The sea lion spot on Anacapa Island is on the west side of the island. Depends on the wind and the current, it could get rough there. Anyway, Anacapa is a lot easier to get to than Santa Barbara Island. The oil rigs also have sea lions out there, but the few times I've been to the oil rigs, the sea lions were too busy sun tanning than playing with us.

Now and then, depending on the spot, a lone sea lion or two would come and check the divers out but not necessarily play with the divers. The pups will for sure but you gotta get close to a rookerie in order to get next to a bunch of playful pups. Usually the water is no deeper than 30-ft because they like to stay fairly close to the beach and they'd swarm you in all sorts of manners. They'd like it even more if the diver were to return some of the acrobatic movements.

 

[Jim Ernst]

I shot this on a January trip out with the Spectre.




You want a Sea Lion lock? Call the Spectre. Capt Ted loves to take people to this spot. TONS of pups, that will play with you until your gas supply is out.

---
Ken



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What a cool shot, I have several from the same place!!
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