Cluster Reefs - Alaska
Izu Peninsula diving often feels like a secret handshake among Japanese divers, and the 城ヶ島 Diving Center site is one of our favourite spots to feel truly immersed. The initial chill of the temperate water quickly gives way to a surprisingly active reef. We’ve found the schools of blacktip cardinalfish here particularly impressive, swirling so tightly they momentarily blot out the light. Keep an eye out for pufferfish poking from crevices, and the graceful movement of snipe eels in the sand. It's a site that rewards patience. Spend time looking closely at the sea fans and you might spot a Savigny's brittle star or a camouflaged blenny. We’ve even had a few encounters with Owston's dogfish lurking in the deeper sections, a real treat if you’re lucky. Current can pick up, so check with the centre, but generally, it’s a comfortable dive for those happy to drift a little and take their time exploring the nooks.
- Location
- Alaska, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 51.285133, -127.801050
Nearby Dive Sites in Alaska
- Alarm Rocks (wreck)
- Alert Rock
- Amethyst Rock
- Bar Rocks
- Benson Rock
- Bligh Reef (reef)
- Blow Reef (wreck)
- Bonson Rock (wreck)
- Boussole Rock
- Breaker Reef (reef)
- Carlo Rock (wreck)
- Celestial Reef (reef)
- Chanal Reef (reef)
- Client Reefs (wreck)
- Cohen Reef (reef)
Marine Life in Alaska
Home to 64 recorded species including 27 reef fish, 8 whales & dolphins, 7 crabs & lobsters, 5 sharks & rays, 3 other, 2 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei)
- Shortspine thornyhead (Sebastolobus alascanus) - Reef Fish
- Spiny Dogfish (Squalus suckleyi) - Sharks & Rays
- Calico salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) - Reef Fish
- Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) - Reef Fish
- Whiting (Merluccius productus) - Reef Fish
- coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) - Reef Fish
- Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) - Reef Fish
- Pacific Geoduck (Panopea generosa) - Clams & Mussels
- Slender Sole (Lyopsetta exilis) - Reef Fish
- red salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) - Reef Fish
- Red Rock Crab (Cancer productus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- California Spot Prawn (Pandalus platyceros) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Shiner Perch (Cymatogaster aggregata) - Reef Fish
- Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) - Seagrass & Algae
- Dungeness Crab (Metacarcinus magister) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Spawn (Gasterosteus aculeatus) - Reef Fish
- Sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) - Starfish
- Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) - Reef Fish