Stearns Wharf - California
Stearns Wharf is a surprisingly good shore dive for its accessibility, right off the beach in Santa Barbara. The depth rarely pushes past 6 meters, making it a comfortable spot for newer divers or those looking for an easy entry. Beneath the pilings, you’ll find a bustling community of nudibranchs, small crabs scuttling amongst the anemones, and often octopuses tucked away in crevices. The light filtering through the pier structure creates some interesting visual effects, and we've spotted some surprisingly large sheephead cruising through the shadows. It’s a great spot for an afternoon critter hunt when you don't want to commit to a boat trip.
- Location
- California, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 34.410700, -119.686800
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 6m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Campus Point State Marine Conservation Area
Best Time to Dive in California
The warmest water temperatures in California occur in August, averaging 20.6°C (up to 24.0°C). The coolest conditions are in February at 14.0°C.
The calmest sea conditions are typically in July with average wave heights of 0.60m.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 14.4°C (air: 14.0°C)
- February: 14.0°C (air: 13.8°C)
- March: 14.2°C (air: 13.3°C)
- April: 14.9°C (air: 14.3°C)
- May: 16.6°C (air: 15.4°C)
- June: 18.9°C (air: 17.4°C)
- July: 20.4°C (air: 18.9°C)
- August: 20.6°C (air: 19.6°C)
- September: 20.4°C (air: 19.7°C)
- October: 18.8°C (air: 18.4°C)
- November: 16.3°C (air: 16.0°C)
- December: 15.6°C (air: 14.3°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in California
Nearest Dive Centres to Stearns Wharf
- Adventure Sports Unlimited - PADI
- Adventure West Scuba - PADI
- Aloha Scuba
- Anderson's SCUBA diving
- Any Water Dive Center - PADI, DAN
- Aquanautics Dive, Inc - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in California
Home to 10 recorded species including 8 reef fish, 1 other, 1 octopus & squid.
Notable Species
- Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi)
- Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) - Reef Fish
- Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) - Reef Fish
- Sea Trout (Salmo trutta) - Reef Fish
- Little post horn squid (Spirula spirula) - Octopus & Squid
- Prickly sculpin (Cottus asper) - Reef Fish
- cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) - Reef Fish
- Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) - Reef Fish
- brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) - Reef Fish
- Ribbonfish (Lepidopus caudatus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Stearns Wharf
Based on average water temperature of 17.1°C.
- Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 17°C water
- Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories