Boston/New England Divers?

[Keith Sheridan]

Well there is a newly certified diver in town. I just got certified two weeks ago and I am slowly learning that there is diving to be had in driving distance. So I just wanted to say hey to anyone who is from the area and ask how the diving is. I have gone diving only in Florida and Hawaii so I have this wierd thought that I won't see anything in colder waters. What do you guys see around here besides lobsters? Thanks in advance.

[Brimarbio]

Lots of life to see round here, you've just got to be willing to take your time and be patient as much of it is hidden. Winter time's my fav. as that's round the time that the vis is the best and also when you start to see all sorts of "glow bugs" on night dives. Not sure bout stuff round Boston but there's plenty of shore dives to be had on Cape Ann (North Shore). I will say this thought, get yourself a good semi-dry wetsuit or dry suit if you plan to dive year round in these waters. When last I checked water temp was 40 and it's only going to go down ;)
Brian

[Mad Scientist]

There's great diving around here w/ lots of sealife to see including stripers, sharks, huge starfish, and really nice anenomes. There are also a TON of great wrecks including some nice one's at pretty shallow depths.

I've been diving year round for a few years now (drysuit, dry gloves) and I really love winter diving, under the right conditions (a nice west wind) you can count on vis over 50'. I was recenlty told by a charter boat captain that on an exceptional winter day divers could view the wreck of the Poling from the surface, 95' above her.

Bugs are great to catch in the summer for a meal, but, in the winter there are scallops (they are actually around all year, but, most of the good spots are in heavy boating lanes so dive boat sonly visit there the beds in the "off" season).

BTW, where did you get certified?

[Brimarbio]

Tut tut M.S. you can't always judge a diver from his training course, after all I learned on one of those 2 day intensive resourt courses. Now granted it took me a few more years of training on my own and with other far more experinaced divers, to get to a place where I can say I'm a decent diver but still ;) Hey, I've heard tell of that clear day on the Polling too (probably the same charter). Just out of curiosity you've listed you're a biologist, what do you do for work? I've been trying to break into that field since leaving university.
Brian

[RicksReefs]

yup,theres some pretty good diving
to be had,check out boston light,the
"hole" at georges island,nice shore dive
at the beginning of nantasket beach
& at the end of N.B.(look for the rocks
from shore).

kind of miss it,i'm stuck diving the reefs
of florida now:p :D

[Mad Scientist]

Hey Brian,

I was asking about his training because I have friend who lives in Medford who is just about to start his OW (w/ a referal for vacation open water dives), so I was wondering if it was the same shop ("Atlantic Divers").

I actually got a decent ammount out of my OW - I was certified at a great place in CT - Scuba Shack- but, I still had a lot to learn before I felt real confortable diving around here.

For my AOW and NITROX though I was luckly enough to have a 'famous' instrucotor and I really learned alot. Now I'm into the DIR thing and my training is based around getting ready to take one of their intensive courses.

I actually need to update my profile to student, as I'm now back in school, but untill recently, I worked at the Center For Cancer Research at MIT.

[Keith Sheridan]

Well thanks for all the replies. I was certified in Fort Lauderdale, at a shop called Pro Dive (http://www.prodiveusa.com/) Damn good shop, my instructer, Joe, was great, he was experienced and really knew his stuff.

As for diving here in the winter I am not sure if I am ready for that, I only have a 3mm suit and am not ready to jump to a dry suit. I'd like to try maybe in the late summer up here and see how it is. It is nice to find out that there are a good amount of divers in the area though.

I am surprised to hear that there a lot of anemones, I'd like to see that. How about eels? Octopuses? Tube worms? Sea Cukes?

[billsreef]

Plenty of eels, tubeworms and cukes if you look in the right spots. BTW you might want to invest in a heavier wetsuit even in summer. I use a 6mm suit that does me from spring through to December. Summer I can get by without the hood and gloves. The nice thing about diving in the Northeast is when you go south and don't need any wetsuit at all, kind of make those southern guys with thier 3mm skins look like whimps ;)

[Brimarbio]

Billsreef, 6 mill through Dec? I'm into polar bear clubs and stuff but that's a little much for MA, you must be talking bout diving in NY. For diving in the GOM (Gulf of Maine) I wouldn't go less than 7mm, unless you only want to dive for a month or so in late summer. If you go out on the outside of the cape waters tend to be warmer (gulf stream and all) but anyplace north of there I think you'll find cold if you're in just a 3mm suit for an hour dive JMHO.
MS, Just got my AOW this fall, and I'm looking to get my RD by the spring with DM in the near future but those DIR courses really do catch my eye, you'll have to let me know how the corse goes. As for schooling, that's where I'm heading soon too, the sciences are no place for an undergrad ;)
Brian

[Keith Sheridan]

Yeah I know 3mm might be a bit thin for most of the time up here, but it was a gift and I currently plan on diving mostly warm water, but I would like to go up here when it is warmer. I think a water temp in the mid to high 60's should be pretty comfortable in a 3mm for me, but maybe I am way off. Maybe it doesn't even get that warm here. If I start to dive up here more I would probably get a 7mm.
I always did the polar bear swims when I was a boy scout, it wasn't too bad. Although they weren't real polar bear swims it was just what they called them. Needed to be in the water at 5am, so it was pretty chilly even if it was june-august.

[RicksReefs]

Originally posted by billsreef
The nice thing about diving in the Northeast is when you go south and don't need any wetsuit at all, kind of make those southern guys with thier 3mm skins look like whimps ;)

how true;) ,i did a beach dive on dec. 24 & there was a
cert class going on & they all looked at me like i was nuts.
i've been here 4 yrs. now & i just use trunks & a t-shirt year round.:D

[nano]

i have used a 3mm up to november in new york and now i use a 7mm

[billsreef]

Originally posted by nano
i have used a 3mm up to november in new york

OK, now I feel like a whimp :eek2:

The Gulf Stream can warm us up pretty good for late summer and early fall, but I've never felt like I could have used less wet suit in October or November ;)

[Brimarbio]

What temps are you guys seeing down there? 60's???

[LittleMatt]

What type of money am I looking at spending to get into diving? I plan on just renting equipment because I am only 18. I know that I'll need my own mask, fins, and other things though. What is a good place to go to in Massachusetts? It would be great to do some underwater exploring in the summer.

[Mad Scientist]

Hi matt,

An average cost of rental is around $50 for a weekend. You are looking at around $300 to get your C-card (class and dives).

Expense for mask and fins could be about another $200 (www.leisurepro.com has really good prices).


That said this is not a cheap sport. I got into it to catch lobsters, 3 years later, and, I have a thousands of dollars worth of wreck diving gear. For some people it's very addictive.


I live on the SS and there's lots of great diving here, but, I spend alot of time up on Cape Ann doing charter or shore dives.

[cephalopoder]

Most of my diving in night diving. Back beach, cathedral rocks, folly cove, plum cove.... If cathedral rocks conditionds are perfect, it is a awesome night dive. You do require a few people on the rocks with a couple of lanterns and a full moon helps. Its not a dive for most, but for experienced seasoned divers it is very cool.
Most of the life forms you see in New England are on the small side. It is not uncommon to see northern pipe fish, lump fish, nudis, spiny lumpsuckers, tons of brittlestars, skulpfins, and lots of inverts. Sometimes you get to see a torpedo ray and I even had a cormoran swim in front of me down at 30 ft at cathedral. The islands are nice too from a boat. Kettle has some nice grass beds on one side and you can find lots of loligo pealei squid eggs masses. At night if your lucky you will see squids. The biolumenessense is awesome during summer nights.
I do recommend rescue diver certification if you are going to be doing alot of NewEnglad diving . Vis can go from 0-40 feet. On average it is 10-20. Night diving rocks!

[RicksReefs]

Originally posted by Brimarbio
What temps are you guys seeing down there? 60's???

i was going to jump in today,but inshore viz was down to
less than 10' & the air temp. was in the 60's,stiff
east wind brought the wind chill into the 50's,BRRRRR,
augh! i'm turnin' into a fla. wimp.:( .water temp.
is still low 70's tho' so if the wind dies i'm gonna try again
tomorrow:) .still managed to pickup a bunch of cerinth's
in a foot of water:cool:

[Mad Scientist]

Ya Catheral is a great spot, I've never dove there at night, but, I'm sure it's a killer.

I want to do the Poling at night this year too.....

[Brimarbio]

You none Cape Ann people need to stop corwding our dive spots!!! Go find your own dives ;) Just messing with ya, I realize Cape Ann's got some of the best shore diving round. Hey, Mad Sci... That wasn't one of your group on the polling yesterday was it? Just heard bout the incident on the raido this AM. Always reminds you how dangerous this sport can be when you hear bout that sort of thing.
Brian

[Mad Scientist]

No, I wasn't on that Poling trip, although I've spoken with a few people who were. I guess the guy's reg freeflowed and he drown (diving solo with a single). I hope the captain is not taking it too hard.


What can be said, it's tragic. 4th MA diver to die this year.

DIVE SAFE

[Brimarbio]

Glad to her you're ok. It's crazy to think about all these deaths round here this year. We all have to keep in mind that diving can be dangerous and keep our witts about us...

Hey, any ideas where I can pick up the general DIR course round here? I've found one in Ontario but I'd much prefer to do it down here and in the ocean.
Brian

[Mad Scientist]

Hi Brian,


There is still hope for a local DIR-F this spring, but, nothing is set in stone. Some guys out of SS Divers in Weymouyh are trying to put one together. I guess it's about $400 per diver. Last year some guys put toghter a course and did the diving down on the cape. I'll be sure to post when/if I learn of a course, and, defiantley let me know if you hear of a local one.

[Brimarbio]

Hey, you going to SeaRovers this year? I'm hoping they'll have some DIR reps there that I can talk to about getting a course taught on cape ann this spring... Hmm maybe I could convince one of the dive shops to try and get one going...
Brian

[Mad Scientist]

Yup, I'm going to Sea Rovers. Last year there was a Halycon both there.


Myself and my 3 buddies are very interested in the course and as we all dive dry, anytime this spring would be great.

The fundamental class is supposed to be an incredible and humbling experince that makes one such as better diver, and where I have a bunch of halycon gear and I love the whole DIR philosophy, I'm very motivated to take class.

You might want to email GUE (www.gue.com) too.

[Brimarbio]

My big thing with taking the DIR corse is that they seem to have that, "if it isn't DIR it's crap" mentality and I'm happy with the gear I got, why get new stuff, ya know? I really do like a lot of what they teach though...

[Mad Scientist]

I know what you mean, although I've heard alot of that mentality is from people that don't really understand DIR and that the instroutors themselves are pretty good guys that are not going to be trashing somone's gear for no reason.


I guess the only thing you have to have for the course is a long primary hose and a bungeed backup reg under your chin. Other gear like split fins, jacket style BCDs, are acceptable, but, you will be asked to explain why you have choosen each piece of gear you dive with.

[Brimarbio]

True... Well I got the Seaquest Black dimond for a BC which isn't a back plate with wings but it's darn close to it so that should be ok (I hope) gotta rework the reg setup though

[Mad Scientist]

That's a nice BCD, it should be fine.

I just went to a 7' hose a little while ago, it makes sharing air alot easier and is must for single file sharing (in an overhead env) and I've finally gotten rid on my secondary on my inflator hose, it's pretty scary making a long ascent breathing off a reg attached to the hose that is controlling your ascent, right below the chin is the way to go.

[Brimarbio]

Ha, ya that 2nd stage on the BC is always trouble... Loked like a great idea but I've never heard of one that didn't have problems.
As for the 7' hose, it sounds like a great idea except for the fact that it's wraped around my neck, I think I'd worry bout snagging it on something and choking or worse still someone panicking and grabing it and choking me... Probably foolish fear, guess I'll learn to get around it in time.
Brian

[Mad Scientist]

Nope, don't worry about the hose, it fits like a dream and the way it's wrapped you just drop your head and it is easily delployed. Of course you can't dive with a snorkle with a long hose.....speaking of which i say a picture recenlty of some ice divers with snorkles....smart thinking. Leave the snorkle at home it's trouble.

Brian, if you don't already own it pick up the DIR book "Doing it right: The fundamentals of Better Diving." by Jarrod Jablonski off amazon or gue.com, it's a good read.

[Brimarbio]

I'm gonna do that now, thanks for the tip.
Brian

[Cap'n Crunch]

I actually got a decent ammount out of my OW - I was certified at a great place in CT - Scuba Shack- but, I still had a lot to learn before I felt real confortable diving around here.


Hey, I teach there! Thanks for the compliment! :)


Who was your instructor? I'll tell him (unless it was Rocky or Sue) You said Hello. :D


Paul
MSDT168341

[Mad Scientist]

Hey Captain, it was Bill, real nice guy.

At the time I was going to school in CT and just wanted to get my C-card to do some lobster hunting back home in MASS, and somehow I've gotten real caught up in the wreck thing and now I'm saving pennies roward get my MIX cert at some point.


SS is a great shop, they get tons of compiments of scubaboard.com

[peege]

I got certified at Central Sales in CT. Me and a buddy took a private course.

We dive the local waters often and frequently visit the stops in RI like Ft Wetherill and Kings Beach. Actually caught a ton of tropicals up there too.

Water got into the low 60's. Wet suits suck, take forever to get into and uncomfortable so we dive without them over there. We stopped diving this past season round October. The looks people give us as we park the car, put our BC on and walk right into the water is priceless. But nothing beats walking out of water, taking off your BC and getting in the car to leave. Once this past year we got there while those bioluminescent jellies were spawning...that was freaking gross. Millions of those buggers touching my skin, getting into my boxers....not fun.

Dove Lake George as well and that was incredible. One of my favorite dives in the northeast by far so far.

HTH