Brace Cove - Gloucester

[abouttime]

Dove Brace Cove yesterday with two buddies off my boat. This was the prettiest dive I've done in New England. The bugs were a bonus.

We anchored up for the first dive on the West end of the cove, near the school. Were were in 30' of water and you could see the anchor. Lots of small rocky formations and some kelp leading up to the shallows. Some small bugs and a few eggers but also saw a school of bass and some flounder. Nice easy shallow dive with great vis.

The second dive was at the east end of the cove. We anchored up a few hundred yards off shore in 40' of water. Vis was about 40'. As soon as we hit the bottom there were lobsters everywhere. There were a few granite pinnacles, pink, with what looked like white coral growing on them. There were a ton of nooks and crannies with lobsters peeking out. Lots of vegetation flowing in the current. This was a beautiful dive.

Got nine bugs in all.

Interesting side note. We were flagged down by a lobster boat while getting suited up for the first dive. He wanted us to check his prop shaft because it was vibrating and he figured he had some line wrapped on it.

After reading some of the threads in here, I was reluctant to get under a lobsterman's boat with his engine running. Could end up as bait in a lobster trap. Anyway, we had him shut down his engines and my buddy went in cut off a few miles of line wrapped around his prop. He was greatful and told us how great diving was.

All in all, a great day in/on/under the water.

 

[Tall Tails]

Not to start another lobsterman thread, but that is similiar to every interaction I have ever had with a lobsterman. Not all ask me to cut line off, but some do. I have never had a bad experience and I dive 6-12 times /month.

Please dont reply with LM bashing, this is just my experiences!

Jon

 

[MadisonK]

What was the average size of the lobsters you were catching? I've been getting my limit on one tank several times this summer but they are all just legal. I've decided to stop taking lobsters home unless they are 1-1/2 to 2 pound or more. It just seems wasteful to have to eat 3 of the little ones when a 2 pounder is a good meal. The problem is in finding the 2 pounders That was a round about way of explaining why I'm asking about the sizes.

Also, I have never seen as many people diving as I did yesterday. I cruised from Beverly to Rockport and back and I must have seen 30 sets of divers from boats, shore and kayaks even. I guess the visibility is incredible right now. I wouldn't know as I smashed my ribs on the boat last week and I haven't been back in since.

 

[abouttime]

What was the average size of the lobsters you were catching? I've been getting my limit on one tank several times this summer but they are all just legal. I've decided to stop taking lobsters home unless they are 1-1/2 to 2 pound or more. It just seems wasteful to have to eat 3 of the little ones when a 2 pounder is a good meal. The problem is in finding the 2 pounders That was a round about way of explaining why I'm asking about the sizes.

Also, I have never seen as many people diving as I did yesterday. I cruised from Beverly to Rockport and back and I must have seen 30 sets of divers from boats, shore and kayaks even. I guess the visibility is incredible right now. I wouldn't know as I smashed my ribs on the boat last week and I haven't been back in since.

It was a spectacular day to be out on the water. Warm, calm seas and little wind. We hit the top of the tide so there wasn't much current, just a little surge.

Most of the lobsters we've been getting are on the small (but legal) side, with the occasional 2lber. The larger ones seem to be females with eggs.