Where: Coastal, Decker, and Nicholas Canyon
Depart from: Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard
When: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: Board at 7:00 am, depart at 7:30 am, with us getting back about 4:00 pm.
Cost: $240.00 includes three dives, hot lunch, water & air fills, including FREE nitrox. Limited to 6 divers
ALL TRIPS are weather-dependent
Triton dive boat requirement: Divers must have Dive Alert Network (DAN) or DiveAssure dive accident insurance to participate in any dive activities.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with Ken at
info@channelislandsdiveadventures.com or call (805) 469-7288
You will find Decker and Nicholas Canyon between Leo Carillo and Point Dume. Both areas are rarely visited by any boat due to the distance from the harbor and shore.
Because Decker Caynon is the furthest, this is where we will start our dive day. Decker’s is an excellent reef and is large enough to make several dives on it. This reef is more of a longer reef that runs east to west with a small wall going around part of it. The most significant part of the wall is towards the east end and runs around 55′ deep. Here you will find fish poking their heads into the crevices, and this is also a good place to look for lobsters when in season. Some of the ledges and crevices are quite big. The top of the reef is full of life with many sea fans, larger dorids, nudibranchs, and some other cool photo subjects.
The reef is about 1/2 to 3/4 miles offshore, 45′-60′ deep and has some dramatic rock structure that is about 8′-12′ tall. Decker’s is out from El Matador and La Piedra state beaches along Hwy 1. One of the main reasons Decker’s is so nice is that the access is not easy and is a long swim out.
After Deckers, we will move to outer Nicholas Canyon, which is another excellent dive. This area is about 3/4 to 1 mile offshore, sits in 45′-60′ of water, and is a large reef with a shallower and deeper part of the reef. The shallower part has thick kelp and some large rocks, and the outer deeper area drops down to a sandy bottom, leading to a rock rubble field with many cracks and crevices. Here, you can find a number of lobsters hiding out along with some large fish, including sheepshead, calico, barred sand bass, and halibut. If you are into photography, you will not be disappointed. Here you can find some great wide-angle shots or plenty of cool macro subjects. Large dorids, fish pictures, and invertebrates are something you will see often here, so don’t forget your camera!
Advanced certification (AOW) or equivalent California experience required. Dive conditions could include cold water, current, swell, possible limited visibility and deep water. Surface Marker Buoys (SMB) are required for all divers, due to the possibility of being caught down current.
The DV Triton is 40′ x 12′ in size and set up for only six divers. It’s a new-to-dive trips around the Channel Islands, local wrecks, and awesome coastal diving, and gives divers choices they never had before. The owner of the DV Triton, Danny Graham, has been diving for years as a recreational, Tech and rebreather diver. A few years back, he went from working for Nuvair to owning a boat doing commercial urchin diving and removing old nets and lobster cages. Mid 2023 Danny received his captain’s license and license to operate the boat for six divers. Now, Danny can operate the boat for a multitude of work and keep doing what he loves. If you are an Experienced Advanced Diver or above and are looking for something different than the usual diving, the DV Triton is for you.
Where the Triton lacks creature comforts, it makes up for it with speed, tank fills, and the ability to do things and dive locations you can not with other dive operators. For tank fills, there is a 3500 PSI compressor with banked 35% Nitrox and the ability to do custom Nitrox mixes and supply 100% 02. It is best to bring your tank full for the first dive, and then for the second and third dives, you can get Nitrox fills for free. Read more about the DV Triton HERE.
Divers must have Dive Alert Network (DAN) or DiveAssure dive accident insurance to participate in any dive activities.
3 Dives
Air and FREE NIitrox fills
Hot lunch, light snacks and water
Tips
No Equipment is Provided
