Nubble Lighthouse Tragedy.

[johndiver999]

It's not necessarily a hard dive at all. If you don't swim around the island, try to get in and out around high tide and go when it is calm. It provides a shallow and protected cove area. A very simple dive compared to many locations around there.

However, swimming completely around the island can be challenging with the the potential for significant currents and waves and you can't really get out of the water on most sides of the island because it is steep and I don't think you are allowed to trespass on the island. It is a long swim around the island and in a wetsuit you could get cold, tired and if you run out of air, snorkeling the remainder can be tough. Plus the current can rip from the south to the north there, so it is easier to crawl and pull and glide on the bottom.

 

[Damselfish]

We've never gone around the island, given the long swim and potential of currents. (We were newbies back when we were diving Nubble.) Nice dive without doing that and has the advantage of fairly easy parking, which is always a nice feature around here. Definitely need to be aware of tides and conditions. It's been a long time but I remember several occasions we drove up there intending to dive, took a look and said nope. Trick with conditions is of course they can change not only before you get there, but while you're in the water. At least one of those times we went there and decided against diving, we wound up helping divers out of the water. The slippery rocks sure don't help anything.

 

[Boston Breakwater]

@Boston Breakwater ... Thank you for the detail regarding the dive site. Definitely looks like an advanced site for sure.

Given that the fatality happened after the dive is it possible that he fell trying to exit? Became exhausted and had a medical incident and drowned? There just isn't much detail in the reports but that is typical for how reporters cover diving fatalities anywhere.

I can't really speculate. I used to "Ice Dive." with one of the Captains of the Gloucester Fire Department.
What I do know is.......The number of divers that died at "Cathedral Rocks." is fairly high. The number of actual reports is fairly low. As, you said "There just isn't much detail in the reports but that is typical for how reporters cover diving fatalities anywhere."
Cheers.

 

[Damselfish]

The part of AOW we didn't do at Nubble, we did at Cathedral Rocks. Class included an educational visit to a little memorial someone had made among the rocks...

 

[wgw04024]

Hello, everyone. Hey, Jim. (Long Answer.) Perspective is sometimes different from person to person. I consider this to be an "Advanced." dive. When, I used to dive here, I would do a "Giant Stride." where the red arrow is pointing. (I have not seen anyone else do this.) People would say, I was crazy, or stupid, and my route was generally the "Red Line." A majority of divers walk down to where the "Green Arrows." are for entry, and exit. This area is approx. 60 Yards long, and 20 Yards wide. The rocks are "Always." very slick, and some areas have permanent seaweed that make it even worse. Being New England the rocks are very jagged. If, you look at Google maps, and zoom out the Lighthouse is far enough out making the waves constant. Even at "Slack Tide." it is never really calm. If, I remember correctly, the tide differential is approx 8 - 10 Ft.
Speaking of which....comparatively. It's like "Blue Heron Bridge." as far as a window. An hour before, and after high tide. In winter, on the East side the visibility can be in excess of 70 Ft. The schools of giant Cod, and Haddock are amazing, (Blue fish when the season is in) and Lobsters abound. Humpback whales can often be seen, along with an occasional "Great White."
The dive itself is extra ordinary. (Very beautiful.) Some of the White sea anemone are huge, sea urchins, crabs, the walls are full of life. Some of the "Huge." Granite rock formations are awesome.
The depth is approx 0 to 80 Ft. There is always surge here.
I put this dive right up next to "Cathedral Rocks." in Rockport, Mass. as being a dangerous shore dive. Numerous divers have died there trying to climb down the rocks.
Again, "Perspective." I would classify both of these dives as "Boat Dives."
Cheers.
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How much gas are you bringing to make the loop around the lighthouse? I've dove this a handful of times myself, but never all the way around one way. Very cool!

 

[Boston Breakwater]

How much gas are you bringing to make the loop around the lighthouse? I've dove this a handful of times myself, but never all the way around one way. Very cool!

Hello. I typically, used 138 Cubics. (Approx.) I actually lived in Portland for two years. You're right down the street from Fort Williams. I always enjoyed diving Portland Head. Very pretty dive with great entry points.
Cheers.

 

[Jay Adams]

Me too...

2 Hours from me, my favorite place on the east coast to dive (Salt water) My prayers are with the divers family. I have been on a dive with a fatality. Something you do not forget

 

[DreadnoughtNH]

I live minutes from Nubble, and have yet to actually dive there personally, but I do take my boat there frequently, fish in the area almost every weekend, and have put divers in off the boat. It's a tricky place to enter for a shore dive for the reasons Boston Breakwater points out; many tourists injure their ankles and legs every year just walking out for a photo. Additionally, the surge and currents can be very strong so timing your dive plan and the weather conditions is very important.

That being said, when the conditions are optimal the folks I dropped for boat dives claim it's gorgeous: lots of fish both schooling and hiding in the crevasses, crustaceans, anemones, and even a few diving birds (cormorants).

I know I'm a little overly cautious, but unless I had a chase boat monitoring, I would never in a million years attempt to circle the island myself. Too many drunk lunatics in boats fishing or trolling close to the island (I frequently have my lines sucked into props of unobservant boaters). Additionally, the current and surge can be fierce, particularly along the east face of the island.

This all being said, its not clear what happened. According to reporting, the deceased's buddy surfaced with him but they became separated. Given his age, a lot of theories. I'd be interested in the autopsy results.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The rocks there can be very slippery to climb on at low tide. It would be very possible to slip and hit your head. I know a couple of times my kids would crawl out of the water if it was rough and slippery. The dive site is not all that challenging in terms of currents and such. It is used for open water dive classes for dive shops in NH.

 

[TrimixToo]

I love that dive off the cove. It's beautiful with lots of variety. A torpedo ray used to hang out there; it scared the crap out of me when I saw it! Sorry to friends and family.