Underwater Arch
Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
Dived here today? How were conditions vs. what we showed?
About this site
Underwater Arch is a shallow reef dive site on the south side of East Anacapa Island, part of the Channel Islands group. The main attraction is a swim-through arch on the reef, and the site sits within the broader Anacapa Island system managed under federal jurisdiction.
The reef ranges in depth from 20 feet to 40 feet (6 to 12 metres), with a maximum depth of 12.2 metres. The terrain is a shallow rocky reef typical of the area, providing the structure that forms the arch feature divers come to explore.
Sea lions are the primary draw for divers at Underwater Arch, making it a reliably engaging site for encounters with these animals on the reef.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Red Sea UrchinMesocentrotus franciscanusReported here · unconfirmed
Pacific Purple Sea UrchinStrongylocentrotus purpuratusReported here · unconfirmed
California Golden GorgonianMuricea californicaReported here · unconfirmed
Bat StarPatiria miniataReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
No notes yet. Dived here? Be the first to leave a tip.
Share a write-up or a photo. Submissions are reviewed before they appear on the page.
Nearby dive sites
Shops that dive here
No shops have listed this site yet.