Bottle diving

[ericfine50]

anyone know of any good spots to look for old bottles?

Thanks
Eric

 

[MSilvia]

The Sara Long Bridge. If you're heading North on I-95 from Portsmouth, NH into Maine, it's the green bridge off to the right. It used to be a railroad bridge, and they'd discard broken or empty glassware as they passed over. Last time I dived there, I got a large bag so full of glass that I could hardly surface it. Consider bringing a lift bag.

Also, dive slack tide and watch for boats. You may want to go with a stationary flag outside of channel traffic, as the harbor patrol gets touchy about obstructing it. There's good access on the Maine side of the bridge.

I got a pre-prohibition Providence Brewing Company beer bottle, a 1906 J.F.Howard salad dressing bottle, and two cool antique 1 pint whiskey flasks among the "keepers". I left a few barnacle shells on each when I cleaned them, and they look good on the shelf.

 

[ericfine50]

Thanks Matt

I will have to take a look out there and try a dive this summer. I have a few bottles from when I lived in NY. They are fun to clean up and display.

Thanks again
Eric

 

[MSilvia]

No problem. Happy hunting!

Oh, and let me stress again that the currents there can be a bear. Dive at slack tide.

 

[lord1234]

what depths?

 

[MSilvia]

I'd have to check my log, but IF I remember right, that channel runs to about 40' there.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

You can also enter the Piscataqua at Prescott Park. I know someone who dives there frequently and has found some very valuable collectables.

I will re-emphasize the current. The "slack" time does not last for long. When full speed the Piscataqua is one of the fastest currents in the world. The river is shallower at low tide slack but the visibility tends to not be as good; the water has been flowing, usually laden with silt, from the Great Bay.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

You can also enter the Piscataqua at Prescott Park. I know someone who dives there frequently and has found some very valuable collectables.

I will re-emphasize the current. The "slack" time does not last for long. When full speed the Piscataqua is one of the fastest currents in the world. The river is shallower at low tide slack but the visibility tends to not be as good; the water has been flowing, usually laden with silt, from the Great Bay.

Sorry for the double post. :-(

 

[Diesel298]

off rose island is supposed to have alot
shallow water, but you will need a baot to get there, rose island is about 1/4 mile west of goat island

 

[MSilvia]

Also, in a more general sense, any body of freshwater that's been a popular fishing spot for a long time is likely to be full of beer bottles spanning the same period.