AOW in Central MA?

[rivers]

I am planning on doing my AOW this coming spring. My LDS has a course coming up in mid-April, and if I'm still in the area, I'm planning on taking the course through them. Thing is, I was certified in Cozumel this past summer and all of my dives over the past 6 months have been in Cozumel. Because of work, I know that a majority of my diving is going to be in the Caribbean and the Bahamas and not so much in the northeast (but is something I would like to do).
Since I have never even really set foot in the waters of New England, is it even wise for me to do my AOW here? Besides the vis and temperature, what are other challenges of diving in New England?
I probably will end up having a million more questions in the end, but thanks in advance.

 

[azchipka]

Diving in Boston Harbor is actually very nice. Granted it is a bit cold. Check out the Boston Harbor Dive Company. Another option is head up to VT and dive lake champlain. Water Front Diving in Burlington is a great shop. You could also head down to Dutch Springs just outside of NY.

Theres lots of good diving its all different types of experiences. Having diving experience in multiple environments is going to make a better diver in the long run and diving in your local area is always a plus. Diving is not just a activity for the tropics.

 

[rivers]

Diving in Boston Harbor is actually very nice. Granted it is a bit cold. Check out the Boston Harbor Dive Company. Another option is head up to VT and dive lake champlain. Water Front Diving in Burlington is a great shop. You could also head down to Dutch Springs just outside of NY.

Theres lots of good diving its all different types of experiences. Having diving experience in multiple environments is going to make a better diver in the long run and diving in your local area is always a plus. Diving is not just a activity for the tropics.

Thanks. I will definitely look into those two shops. The reason I dive in the tropics (and was certified there), is I spend most of my time there. I'm only ever in Central MA for a couple of months at a time at most. But, if I am in the area for any amount of time, where I have the opportunity to dive, I want to do it. Diving in Cozumel is fairly easy (roll in, descend, drift with the current), and I know that diving in NE is going to present me with new, and very different, challenges. Maybe I'll try to get a few dives in before I take the AOW course. Now, I just need to find a buddy...

 

[Damselfish]

Doing AOW in cold water could be a good way to get some experience in the local conditions, talk to the instructor. A couple dives locally before AOW with a DM or experienced local diver might be a good idea so you're not too task loaded just dealing with the cold water stuff for the first time.

The temperature is different sure, but with proper exposure protection you shouldn't be cold in the water (you're more likely to be hot or cold out of the water depending on the weather.) What will be a big difference though is the things that go along with heavier wetsuits or drysuits - the amount of weight you need to wear, more challenging buoyancy control, and less dexterity to do things with your hands.

 

[RIOceanographer]

Since I have never even really set foot in the waters of New England, is it even wise for me to do my AOW here? Besides the vis and temperature, what are other challenges of diving in New England?

If you have a decent instructor, an AOW class is a supervised way to get your feet wet in New England waters so a lack of prior experience in cold water shouldn't be a major problem. Just bring up your concerns up with the instructor before starting the course and they should see to it that you learn what you need to make the transition to cold water diving safely.

If you can do a skill well in cold water and poor visibility wearing a heavy cold water rig and a bulky exposure suit, you'll definitely be able to do the same skill in the tropics a lot more easily. Besides, there really are a lot of great dives in New England. I've been to Hawaii, Florida and the Caribbean and New England is still one of my favorite places to dive.

 

[DavidInNH]

The biggest challenges in cold-water diving are probably the reduced visibility, reduced dexterity and more difficult buoyancy control. All of these make it harder to dive here but mastering them will make you a better diver in all conditions. (I've seen some Florida divemasters who'd make me nervous to have as dive buddies up here.)

The hardest thing for me when I started diving here was to get over the feeling of constriction from the heavy, hot (out of the water) wet suit. Once I got more comfortable with that, I felt confident in the water.

Hope it comes easily to you and that you'll enjoy it as much as the rest of us.

 

[xroirat]

The differences between diving up here and in the Carribbean are considerable. The skills and equipment you need to competently dive up here are way different. If you are serious about diving here it's going to require a considerable investment in additional gear and a steeper learning curve. Not saying it isn't worth it, but if you're going to be a tropical diver then I'd advise doing your AOW in that climate.

 

[scubamountaingirl]

I have to agree with the above. Even if you come to Dutch in april > may you will need a drysuit
( that is a whole nother learning curve) the water is very cold and if you are taking a class, you wont be able to come out because your cold, it is an issue. Plan on investing in a drysuit or wait until the water gets warmer towards the summer and take it in a wet suit.

good luck with what ever you choose.
ww

 

[RIOceanographer]

If you are serious about diving here it's going to require a considerable investment in additional gear and a steeper learning curve. Not saying it isn't worth it, but if you're going to be a tropical diver then I'd advise doing your AOW in that climate.

If he sticks with it, then sure it is a major investment, but taking an AOW class here and trying out cold water diving doesn't require going full-in and investing in cold water gear. He can always rent gear for the class. I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to go out and invest in a drysuit before seeing if they like cold water diving first. I think a class is a nice controlled try out cold water diving for someone that is interested.

If you take the class and don't like cold water diving, you still get to walk away with a c-card that you can use on your trips and the next time you take a vacation, and you don't need to use your limited time in the tropics taking a course, you can just go straight to the diving. Better still, if it turns out that you like cold water diving then you've just opened up a whole new world to explore and enjoy right in your own back yard.

Also just to throw it out there, the water in RI is a lot warmer than MA in the summer. You can very comfortably dive a wetsuit in RI from July-Sept so you could always take a course down here during the summer if you don't want to plunge into the really cold stuff just yet.

 

[CapeUW]

I have a small dive shop on Cape Cod and have had experience with people doing colder water dives for the first time. For most divers most important change is the equipment, generally wearing a heavier, thicker suit, gloves, hood, and the corresponding extra weight needed for this amount of neoprene. Beyond the heavier suit and extra weight, manipulating your equipment wearing thicker gloves can take some getting used to. My recommendation to you would be to try to do an orientation dive before the course. This would allow you to develop a level of comfort with the equipment and focus on getting used to the gear and conditions without having to focus on other skills that may be required for the course. It will also put you on better footing with your fellow students who I am assuming dive the local environment more regularly. The visibility is another factor that you will have to adjust to, and again an orientation dive will help. The temperature is, of course, a factor, but with the proper exposure protection you will be fine and you may even start to love the variety of diving available here in New England.