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Map of Cathedral Cove (Anacapa Island)
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Boat entry

Cathedral Cove (Anacapa Island)

California, United States
Open Water suggested6–21 m (20–70 ft) depthBoat entry3mm wetsuit typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

Cathedral Cove (Anacapa Island) at a glance

Cathedral Cove (Anacapa Island) is a boat dive site in California, United States with depths of 6.1–21.3 m (20–70 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see California sheephead, California spiny lobster, and Nudibranch. Recent reports put the water around 23°C (73°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Next window today· 8:00–19:00 · favorable · sunset 18:10

Forecast for this hour · 3:00 · run 4 h ago
0.7 m (2.3 ft)waves — under a meter expected (waves — about two feet expected)

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 23°C · seasonal avg 19°C ( · Forecast 73°F · seasonal avg 65°F)

Site hazards: Kelp canopy entanglement, occasional surge near the arches, cooler water than the mainland (frequently 55-65 F)

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Mon8:00–19:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 17 kn wind (2.9 ft waves · 17 kn wind)

Tue8:00–19:00 favorable

0.8 m waves · 4 kn wind (2.5 ft waves · 4 kn wind)

Wed8:00–19:00 favorable

0.7 m waves · 6 kn wind (2.4 ft waves · 6 kn wind)

Thu8:00–19:00 favorable

0.6 m waves · 6 kn wind (2.1 ft waves · 6 kn wind)

Fri8:00–19:00 favorable

0.6 m waves · 6 kn wind (2.1 ft waves · 6 kn wind)

Sat8:00–19:00 favorable

0.7 m waves · 5 kn wind (2.2 ft waves · 5 kn wind)

SunNot in the forecast yet

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

Every forecast dive window each day, site-local time, from wave and wind forecasts. Numbers under each bar are daylight averages.

First light 6:46 · Sunrise 7:12 · Sunset 18:10 · some windows run past sunset

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 3.0 km from site · updated 25 Oct, 22:23 GMT-7

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Compare this weekend’s windows near Cathedral Cove (Anacapa Island)

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: California sheephead, California spiny lobster, Nudibranch
Best time: Late summer through fall for the best visibility and calmest crossings

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. January, 61% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 14°C (58°F), waves have typically been 1.1 m (3.5 ft), wind has typically been 17 knots
  2. February, 54% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 14°C (57°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (3.8 ft), wind has typically been 19 knots
  3. March, 47% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 13°C (56°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (3.8 ft), wind has typically been 20 knots
  4. April, 74% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 14°C (57°F), waves have typically been 1.0 m (3.1 ft), wind has typically been 17 knots
  5. May, 76% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 15°C (60°F), waves have typically been 0.9 m (3.1 ft), wind has typically been 16 knots
  6. June, 86% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 17°C (63°F), waves have typically been 0.9 m (2.9 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  7. July, 99% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 19°C (67°F), waves have typically been 0.8 m (2.7 ft), wind has typically been 13 knots, historically most favorable
  8. August, 92% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 20°C (68°F), waves have typically been 0.8 m (2.8 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  9. September, 82% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 20°C (68°F), waves have typically been 0.9 m (2.8 ft), wind has typically been 15 knots
  10. October, 78% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 19°C (65°F), waves have typically been 0.9 m (3.0 ft), wind has typically been 16 knots
  11. November, 70% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 17°C (62°F), waves have typically been 0.9 m (3.0 ft), wind has typically been 15 knots
  12. December, 63% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 16°C (61°F), waves have typically been 1.0 m (3.2 ft), wind has typically been 16 knots

July has typically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life recorded at this site, by month

Recorded observations — evidence of past sightings, not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Rough labels: “Commonly seen” usually means two or more recorded sightings near this site in public dive logs (GBIF), “Occasionally seen” one; “Seasonal” and “Rarely seen” come from dive-guide research. Not a measured rate.

  • Semicossyphus pulcher recorded here Apr, Jun, Nov (3 records)

    most recent 2014

  • Zalophus californianus recorded here May–Jun, Nov (3 records)

    most recent 2015

  • Anas acuta recorded here Jun (1 record)

    most recent 2014

  • Cephaloscyllium ventriosum recorded here May (1 record)

    most recent 2015

  • Girella nigricans recorded here Apr (1 record)

    most recent 2014

  • Hypsypops rubicundus recorded here Nov (1 record)

    most recent 2012

  • Rhinogobiops nicholsii recorded here Apr (1 record)

    most recent 2014

  • Sebastes dallii recorded here Apr (1 record)

    most recent 2014

Newest record here: 2015. Counts are occurrence records near this site from public biodiversity datasets (GBIF), grouped by calendar month across all sampled years. Sightings vary — past records are context, not a prediction.

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km (16 mi). Know one? Add it to the map.

Data updated July 2026

Site details

One of the best-known dive sites in Channel Islands National Park, on the sheltered north side of East Anacapa Island about 1-1.5 hours by boat from Ventura. Reef structures top out around 20 ft and drop to 70+ ft sand channels, draped in giant kelp with arches and cavern-like formations, abundant gorgonians and a nearby sea lion rookery. The site lies inside a long-established no-take marine reserve, so fish life is dense and giant sea bass are seen with some regularity.

boatreef

Kelp canopy entanglement, occasional surge near the arches, cooler water than the mainland (frequently 55-65 F)

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