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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 depthBoat entry5mm 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 Giant kelp, California sea lion, and Garibaldi. Recent reports put the water around 22°C (71°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 11h ago
1.0 mwaves — about a meter expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 22°C · seasonal avg 19°C

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

Best: Sun
Tue7:00–21:00
Wed7:00–21:00
Thu7:00–20:00
Fri7:00–20:00
Sat7:00–20:00
Sun7:00–20:00
Mon—

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 5:38 · Sunrise 6:06 · Sunset 20:01

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 3.0 km from site · graded 11h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

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.

What Divers Say

Known for: Giant kelp, California sea lion, Garibaldi
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. Jan61%14°C1.1 m
  2. Feb54%14°C1.2 m
  3. Mar47%13°C1.1 m
  4. Apr74%14°C1.0 m
  5. May76%15°C0.9 m
  6. Jun86%17°C0.9 m
  7. Jul99%19°C0.8 m
  8. Aug92%20°C0.8 m
  9. Sep82%20°C0.8 m
  10. Oct78%19°C0.9 m
  11. Nov70%17°C0.9 m
  12. Dec63%16°C1.0 m

July hastypically 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

  • Giant kelpCommonly seen
  • California sea lionCommonly seen
  • GaribaldiCommonly seen
  • California sheepheadCommonly seen
  • Gorgonian sea fansCommonly seen
  • NudibranchsCommonly seen
  • Giant sea bassOccasionally seen
  • California spiny lobsterCommonly seen
  • Harbor sealOccasionally seen

  • 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

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. Know one? Add it to the map.

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)

Reviews

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