Blue Water Hunter

Sixty years of Santa Barbara diving heritage, right on the harbor — where expert advice, top-tier gear, and access to the Channel Islands all meet under one roof.

Blue Water Hunter has anchored itself in Santa Barbara's harbor community since 1964, making it one of the longest-running dive and fishing outfitters on the California coast. The shop caters to freedivers, scuba divers, spearfishers, and anglers alike, stocking a broad selection of professional-grade gear from brands such as Riffe, Rob Allen, Cressi, and Seac — all well-suited to Southern California's cold, kelp-rich waters. Training is a cornerstone of the operation. Open Water Scuba courses run with a maximum of four students per class, flexible scheduling, and all essential gear provided including wetsuits, so students can focus entirely on learning rather than logistics. Freediving instruction is also available, guiding students toward safe breath-hold depths of up to 66 feet (20 meters), with an optional boat excursion to the Channel Islands for the open-water component. A private charter program extends the experience beyond the Santa Barbara shoreline to the Channel Islands — a premier California diving destination known for kelp forests, cold-water visibility, and diverse marine life. Whether you're stopping in for gear advice, earning a first scuba certification, or booking a passage out to the islands, Blue Water Hunter has served as the community's diving hub for more than six decades.

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