dive sites in Cape Cod?

[lisa_j]

Hi everyone!
I am very new to this whole diving thing, my boyfriend and I just got our OW certs in May (I was VERY reluctant but ever so happy I did it!) We have since logged about 25 dives in these cold NE waters, and we're adding more every weekend. Most of our dives are in PTown, quite a haul from the house, which limits our diving to weekends.
Does anyone have any favorites dive spots along the Cape? I would LOVE to get a weeknight dive in to break things up and forget about the office! We've tried Corporation Beach in Dennis, but we were not impressed at all...maybe we missed something??
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I can't get enough!! Thanks in advance!

-Lisa J

 

[scubastew]

Search some prior posts. If I remeber correctly there's been a few posts about the limited cape cod shore diving and the abundance of charter boats.

Also there are two good books out there; one is "Exploring the Waters of Cape Cod and Beneath the Waters of Massachusetts Bay by Donald L. Ferris" and the other one I dont know the exact name but I think it's called "Shore Diving New England". For an additional resource try http://www.scuba-newengland.com

I am not sure if you are looking for Shore diving or Boat dives, but for shore dives you are pretty much limited too Corpration beach (N.Dennis) and Sandwich Town Beach (Sandwich). Both are aweful shallow (Corproration, especially, much better snorkel at low tide) Sandwich dive straight out from/behind the restrooms. Also you dont state were you dove at (what area or teh beach) Corporation Beach. But if you dive straight out over the other side of the jetty/breakwater it's a nice dive/snorkel. There was a small write-up in Scuba Diving Magazine in the November issue (or was it october?).

May I ask where you are diving in P-town? Boat? Charter? Shore?

 

[lisa_j]

Thanks for the info, I'll definitely check out those books and the site!
We dove Corporation Beach at full high tide, and we went to the other side of the breakwall, but the depth didn't get much past 7 ft!
It probably would be a great snorkel, but we were hoping to get a little deep. We'll have to check out Sandwich beach. I hear there's a picnic there this Sunday, so we might make our way down there to meet new people and explore the area.

I think we're spoiled in diving Ptown - we own our own boat and it's moored there. We dive from that (also run fishing charters!) and we have a very experienced bubble watcher above at all times. Makes for a very relaxing dive!

Certainly looking forward to exploring more of Cape Cod by means of shore dives, but from what I'm hearing, there's slim pickens!!

 

[reefguy05]

Check out http://www.scuba-newengland.com/DiveSiteList.asp?StateID=MA

 

[lisa_j]

Thanks reefguy - I've checked that out, but it doesn't seem to have much, if any, detailed information about the sites listed. Is this true, or am I looking in the wrong place?

 

[ScubaSarus]

In www.scubadiving.com there is a guy named CapeCod Diver you should seek out. He is a great Dive Leader. It appears the cape is sandy and shallow not allowing for spectacular shore diving. If you do find any places on the cape to shore dive pleae post a report.

 

[jchaplain]

Hi everyone!
I am very new to this whole diving thing, my boyfriend and I just got our OW certs in May (I was VERY reluctant but ever so happy I did it!) We have since logged about 25 dives in these cold NE waters, and we're adding more every weekend. Most of our dives are in PTown, quite a haul from the house, which limits our diving to weekends.
Does anyone have any favorites dive spots along the Cape? I would LOVE to get a weeknight dive in to break things up and forget about the office! We've tried Corporation Beach in Dennis, but we were not impressed at all...maybe we missed something??
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I can't get enough!! Thanks in advance!

-Lisa J

I hear the diving off the Elizabeth Islands ( Cuttyhunk, Naushon) is good....but you need a boat to get out there. And...I've heard that there are (big) sharks out there. Some like that....not me.. :11: That said I am hoping to make it out that way before the end of the summer to check it out.
John C.

 

[large_diver]

Nothing like diving in a spot where we KNOW there has been rather large GW during the poast 12 months...;-)

Lots of current in and around those islands, so if exploring, definitely do it with someone who knows that they are doing.

I hear the diving off the Elizabeth Islands ( Cuttyhunk, Naushon) is good....but you need a boat to get out there. And...I've heard that there are (big) sharks out there. Some like that....not me.. :11: That said I am hoping to make it out that way before the end of the summer to check it out.
John C.

 

[reefseal]

Welcome to the board. I hate to break it to you but diving off Cape is kind of lame. I've done Corporation, sesuit shore dives.. I'm curious where you dive off P-town from shore or boat and what diving is like. We should hook up. My wife and kids are at my in-laws place in Dennisport for August. My Co. has an office in Hyannis can work out of during summer. I would be up for post work dives too! one place anxious to try is woods hole. There is a neat shore dive at Garbage beach (don't be concerned of name.. it's just what it's called) Can get depth there and neat nudibranchs off the pier. One of these sites have to be careful to not go too far out and stay out of channel.

Regards,

Luis

I'm traveling next couple weeks but will PM you when I know I'll be there.

 

[Scubar]

Shore dives are limited. Sandwich Town Beach is nice for a night dive, you can pick up a few bugs there usually a lot of shorts. As far as a shore dive Garbage Beach in Woods Hole is the best on the Cape. It is the only shore dive you can hit 70'. The vis there is not very good in the summer if you get 10' your doing well. Typical in the summer 5-8' vis. In the winter the vis is nice, 40' but you get better get a dry suit. Garbage Beach has a lot of bottles, old bottles, there fun to find. If you to Garbage Beach be sure to bring a line cutter or knife you can easily access. There is a lot of fishing line out there.

There are a ton of wrecks around the Cape. These are not easy wreck dives, most of them involve current an low vis. I know Mike at the Cape Dive Locker in Hyannis trys to set up a charter every weekend during the Summer. He has had a few trips off of Monomoy Island to the Horatio Hall, Aransas and Pendleton.