diving on the North Shore - please humor me!

[blondey]

I started diving this year, as, well, I live in Florida and how can you not!
(My repressed childhood years were in Beverly, Mass so I still find myself in the area once in a while, visiting parents, friends,etc.)
Childhood friend thinks it would be a great idea for me to dive in Beverly Harbor, where I think if the boat traffic didn't take me out the toxic waste from the Salem power plant would do me in.
So I have been wondering where people dive on the North Shore?
Is it pretty much always dry-suit season or could I sneak in a dive in my warmest 5 mil wetsuit in the middle of summer?

And anyone ever hear of anyone diving in the Beverly harbor (recreationally I should add)?

 

[reefseal]

There are so many sites near Beverly that don't have to dive harbor. I doubt someone accustomed to warm water would feel comfortable diving in 5mm mid summer.. Probably could if kept dive to real shallow. The warmer water for 5mm diving is closer to RI, Cape Cod.

Diving beverly harbor I'm sure you need to contend with currents as well. There is probably a lot of junk/artifacts to be found.

Would be interested in knowing diving you do in Miami. Are there any places worth diving from shore (Besides schlepping down to keys)

 

[matt_unique]

I started diving this year, as, well, I live in Florida and how can you not!
(My repressed childhood years were in Beverly, Mass so I still find myself in the area once in a while, visiting parents, friends,etc.)
Childhood friend thinks it would be a great idea for me to dive in Beverly Harbor, where I think if the boat traffic didn't take me out the toxic waste from the Salem power plant would do me in.
So I have been wondering where people dive on the North Shore?
Is it pretty much always dry-suit season or could I sneak in a dive in my warmest 5 mil wetsuit in the middle of summer?

And anyone ever hear of anyone diving in the Beverly harbor (recreationally I should add)?

I never dive in Beverly or Salem Harbor, basically nothing to see and especially in Salem Harbor it's nothing but black mud (coal) from the powerplant. A short boat ride will get you some great spots.

Especially as a warm water diver, you will freeze in a double layer 7mm let alone a single layer 5. Others may chime in who are hot blooded or something but in my opinion you need a drysuit to comfortably dive up here.

--Matt

 

[MSilvia]

I'll bite. I used to dive wet year round up here, and didn't have a problem with it. Even my girlfriend, who's extremely sensitive to cold recently did a wet dive in Rockport and said she was fine in the water but got cold fast changing out of it afterward. That was in early october. In early August, I've done dives around here in a 1.5 warm water suit and been okay. I think you'd be okay in 5mm in the summer.

 

[blondey]

There is probably a lot of junk/artifacts to be found.

Would be interested in knowing diving you do in Miami. Are there any places worth diving from shore (Besides schlepping down to keys)

The junk/artifacts is what intrigues me.
Are drysuits available for rental in the area? I think I may need to check out what the North Shore has to offer next time I'm in town.

I've really taken to the beach diving with the Florida Conch Divers in Southeast Florida, Fort Lauderdale has some of the best beach diving in the country, and the price can't be beat (cost of air and the parking meters). Check the Fl Conch Divers for more info.

 

[MadisonK]

I keep my boat in Beverly harbour. I dropped a knife this summer next to the boat and one of my freinds dove for it. He has 800 + dives and he said it was really scary. We have talked about trying it again in the winter when there is better visibility.

I dive dry but I see no reason you couldn't give it a shot in the middle of the summer provided the surface temp was in the upper 60's. At depth you will get cold but you'll be fine once you come up.

Beverly has no great shore diving opportunities as far as I'm concerned. There are many more as you head up towards Rockport (Magnolia is close).

You may be dating yourself but when did you grow up in Beverly? I have lived here my whole life.

 

[STOGEY]

I started diving this year, as, well, I live in Florida and how can you not!
(My repressed childhood years were in Beverly, Mass so I still find myself in the area once in a while, visiting parents, friends,etc.)
Childhood friend thinks it would be a great idea for me to dive in Beverly Harbor, where I think if the boat traffic didn't take me out the toxic waste from the Salem power plant would do me in.
So I have been wondering where people dive on the North Shore?
Is it pretty much always dry-suit season or could I sneak in a dive in my warmest 5 mil wetsuit in the middle of summer?

And anyone ever hear of anyone diving in the Beverly harbor (recreationally I should add)?

That depends on how tough you southerners are about cool water. But for right now the water is about 50 plus or minus 2 degrees or so depending on the current. Tomorrow I plan to go diving near the Cape Ann area, and I will be in a wet suit. being a relatively new diver myself and just getting over the initial shock of paying for the initial equipment purchase, a wet suit is less expensive then a dry suit. Plus even t hough they have little vents for the need to go in dry suits. I'd prefer to have the luxury of not needing a vent. And if the water is getting a little cool, well I do have a little anti freeze.

 

[reefseal]

I keep my boat in Beverly harbour. I dropped a knife this summer next to the boat and one of my freinds dove for it. He has 800 + dives and he said it was really scary. We have talked about trying it again in the winter when there is better visibility.

I dive dry but I see no reason you couldn't give it a shot in the middle of the summer provided the surface temp was in the upper 60's. At depth you will get cold but you'll be fine once you come up.

Beverly has no great shore diving opportunities as far as I'm concerned. There are many more as you head up towards Rockport (Magnolia is close).

You may be dating yourself but when did you grow up in Beverly? I have lived here my whole life.

Isn't there a shore dive (White's beach) or something like that? I may be wrong and it may be in another part. (Manchester??) I'm not that familiar with area south of Gloucester

 

[reefseal]

The junk/artifacts is what intrigues me.
Are drysuits available for rental in the area? I think I may need to check out what the North Shore has to offer next time I'm in town.

I've really taken to the beach diving with the Florida Conch Divers in Southeast Florida, Fort Lauderdale has some of the best beach diving in the country, and the price can't be beat (cost of air and the parking meters). Check the Fl Conch Divers for more info.

In old harbors, always good artifacts to be found. I've had a lot of success finding neat stuff in Piscataqua river in Portsmouth NH. My finds have included a handgun, Old apothecary bottles from late 1800s, round bottom ginger ale bottles from Dublin dated 1895, fisherman's ceramic pipes, etc,. You could dive the same spot and not see something and next day find something in same spot as the ebb and flow of currents surface new things all the time.

You can always find neat stuff in bottoms of old harbors (e.g Gosport Harbor in Isle of shoals) and rivers (e.g. Bass river in Cape Cod) These are "challenging" dives as are either drift dives or must know waters well to dive during slack.

I have always wanted to dive of Lauderdale. I am there frequently for conferences in Boca) and know there many good shore sites. (found in underwater florida)

 

[Chebby]

I have always wanted to dive of Lauderdale. I am there frequently for conferences in Boca) and know there many good shore sites. (found in underwater florida)

I was passing through F. Lauderdale this march on my way to the Keys and sneaked in a dive. I liked it so much, that next time, I'll just skip the keys and focus on F. Lauderdale alone. I saw stingrays, 8 foot morray eel, great wreck and a big old turtle all on the same dive. I think the wreck was called Ancient Mariner or something.