Catalina Island · United States · Pinnacle · Reef
Hen Rock
Swim-throughs and mini-walls on the outer pinnacles
Area photo: BavaroGirl2014 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hen Rock is a boat dive on Catalina's leeward shore, a reef and sand bottom that steps out to a set of outer pinnacles. Depths run from about 5 m inshore to 26 m on the pinnacles, and the rock itself is the interest: swim-throughs, mini-walls and overhangs, with gorgonians on it and schools of fish over the structure.
Where it is and how deep
33.4054° N, 118.3675° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The boat puts you in over the reef, which is rock and sand rather than one continuous wall, and the shallow end of the site sits at around 5 m. Work outward and the bottom steps down towards the pinnacles, which bottom out near 26 m. Calico bass hold over the rock in numbers, kelpfish sit in the growth on it, and rockfish tuck into the stone alongside them.
The outer pinnacles are the reason to come. They carry swim-throughs, short mini-walls and overhangs, and gorgonians grow on the rock. Schools of fish stack against the structure. In the cracks and under the overhangs, look for lobster, mantis shrimp and Spanish shawl nudibranchs, which are the easiest macro subjects here. The deepest pinnacles keep bottom time short, so take the deep part of the site first and finish on the shallow reef.
Marine life and season
- Macro critters
- Nudibranchs
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Catalina Island: Jul–Oct brings the warmest water and best visibility as the kelp thins; winter storms cut visibility and cool it to 13°C.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Hen Rock?+
The site runs from about 5 m on the inshore reef down to 26 m on the outer pinnacles, so most of the terrain is inside recreational limits and you choose your own maximum.
Can you dive Hen Rock from shore?+
No. Hen Rock is a boat dive, and both the shallow reef and the outer pinnacles are worked from the boat rather than from land.
Sources
- Hen Rock dive site — Scubago
More dive sites in Catalina Island
Kelp forest
Concrete steps into the first underwater park in the US
Kelp forest
A wreck, elk kelp and summer leopard sharks, all under 20 m
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