Boston diving .. how is it ?

[Gabriel90512]

:06:

I have wanted to learn how to dive for a long time. IM 27 and i went a signed up for my first PADI class at mass diving.

i have all my gear and im sooooooooo looking forward to getting my feet in the water... so my big question is

how is the diving in MA ? how is the water ? can you see much ? is there a lot of see life ? (other then lobstars)

are there sharks ? :11: i find my self watching the discovery chanial all the time and im so happy to start my own discovery. I want to go all the way and work up to the MASTER DIVER leval ... wish me luck


Gabriel
Waltham MA

 

[gfisher4792]

Welcome to the Board! Cape Anne is arguably the mecca for New England Diving! Just browse this forum and you'll see tons about it.

 

[Scuba65]

Welcome to the board Gabriel. Yes, the best diving is found in the Gloucester area. Where are you doing your OW??? Never seen a shark in that area and i've been diving for over 12 yrs. now. the only sharks i've ever seen have been in Costa Rica and Florida.

 

[MSilvia]

how is the diving in MA ?

It's great, but a bit more challenging than in the tropical vacation spots.

how is the water ?

Temperatures range from around 38 degrees to about 65, depending on the season. Visibility is typically about 15 to 20 feet, but sometimes much better or worse.

is there a lot of see life ?

Yeah... there are entire books devoted to the marine life of New England. Aside from lobsters, you're likely to see several types of crabs, anemonae, urchins, jellies, and sponges, and there are all kinds of fish... flounder, cod, cunner, bass, sculpin, wolf fish, skates, electric rays, etc. Sometimes you can even run into seals, or for the lucky few a whale.

In general, you'll find more life around structures like rocks and wrecks than you will on a sandy bottom.

are there sharks?

Yeah, but in inshore waters the only ones you're likely to see are spiny dogfish. They're about the size of your forearm, so they don't pose much threat. In deeper waters offshore, there are blue sharks, shortfin mako, threshers, basking sharks, and probably a few others from time to time.

I want to go all the way and work up to the MASTER DIVER leval ... wish me luck

Good luck, but remember to focus on building skill and experience. Afterall, the certification cards are just pieces of plastic, and it's how you dive that determines how good a diver you are.

Also, while Cape Ann has some great diving, and lots of advocates, there's diving that's every bit as good (or better) in other parts of the state as well. Don't hesitate to look around... it's a big ocean!

 

[RIOceanographer]

New England has plenty of diving to offer. Lots of cool life (too much to even try to list). Lots of nice rocky shores that make for some really interesting habitats. Plenty of wrecks too.

Aside from diving in MA (which is plenty to keep you busy for a while), A short drive to Southern RI, particularly in Jamestown (Ft Wetherill, Beavertail Point), Narragansett (Ocean Rd dive sites) and Newport will provide a lot of great shore dives.

About the sharks.... the only shark you are likely to see, as someone already said, is a dogfish (which are usually less than 3ft long) Not exactly a visious man eater. Vicious crustacean eater at most. But if some non-diver comes up to you and asks if you ever see sharks you can act all macho and say "Yeah, I got close enough to touch one!" and then just leave out that it was only 2 feet long.

 

[scubastew]

If you are that intent on seeing sharks you can get a charter off the maine coast to dive in a shark cage, typically blue sharks. As for me I'm happy if I NEVER see a shark.

Also, earler this year (march) off the coast of massachusetts, a drysuit diver testing out his new equipemnt had the experience of a lifetime when a whale (Beluga?) swam up to him and with him for two dives.

There are lots of dive activities too, other than lobsters, there's freediving for depth, spearfishing, snorkeling in the shallows, wreck diving, biological study participation, artifact hunting, freshwater diving, tropical fish watching (in RI) etc...(help me out here folks ther has to be more...)

Actually New England as a whole is pretty amazing, though not the 75ft+ visibility like the tropics. Each state has unique offerings. RI is a bit warmer and has some great off shore depths, and many pretty dives. Cape Cod is pretty shallow and somewhat sandy, while cape ann has a bit more depth, a smidge cooler waters and a rocky base that will hide plenty of life. NH and ME also have rocky bottoms.

If you stare long enough you will see more and more detail and life within every environment, whether is a baby flounder or a tiny jelli...

enjoy

 

[johlar]

:06:

I have wanted to learn how to dive for a long time. IM 27 and i went a signed up for my first PADI class at mass diving.

i have all my gear and im sooooooooo looking forward to getting my feet in the water... so my big question is

how is the diving in MA ? how is the water ? can you see much ? is there a lot of see life ? (other then lobstars)

are there sharks ? :11: i find my self watching the discovery chanial all the time and im so happy to start my own discovery. I want to go all the way and work up to the MASTER DIVER leval ... wish me luck


Gabriel
Waltham MA

I've only been at this for a year, with about 30 dives. Everytime I dive I see or experience something new. 2 weeks ago it was seeing my first dogfish, last week it was messing around with a curious flounder. It's always something different.

I've only been at this for a year, with about 30 dives. Everytime I dive I see or experience something new. 2 weeks ago it was seeing my first dogfish, last week it was messing around with a curious flounder. It's always something different.

 

[large_diver]

Welcome Gabriel. The diving is fun with plenty to see. Beautiful underwater topography, varied marine life, shore diving, charter boat diving, wrecks.......so much to dive and so little time.....

You're going to love it.

Good luck with the course.

 

[Gabriel90512]

Thanks for all the info guys .....
this helps a lot

 

[MSilvia]

While you're at Mass Diving, you might want to pick up a copy of "Beneath the Waters of Massachusetts Bay". It'll give you some info on what to expect from different sites in the area, as well as give you some general stuff.