Exploring New Dive Site

[Kohanbash]

I have family that lives in New York City near a bay. If I want to do an exploratory dive there, what should I be looking at (ie. How do you evaluate a site you have never dove, and dont have any information about)? For example tides, current, boats, etc..

What tides are best for diving?

Thanks!

 

[TMHeimer]

Aside from the obvious of asking at a local dive shop (I don't think there are that many in NYC area and you may not get the info. you need for the area), you can google a guide place--I think it's something like New York (NJ/CT?) Beach Shore Guide. There you can find site descriptions, currents, tides, directions, etc. Generally, high tide tends to be better in some places due to incoming water less "muddy" than outgoing water, some of which may come from rivers. If you're at or near an inlet that funnels water narrowly from the ocean to the bay, a general rule is to begin diving an hour before high tide and continue during the slack high period. Inlet currents can be nasty and dangerous, especially with all the boats in NY in summer.
Tides around NYC are funny--especially if you're on the "North" shore of L.I., as you get tides coming in and exiting from both NY Harbor and Montauk, 100 miles away at L.I. East end--they collide at Hell Gate. Sometimes the tidal current is parallel to shore as opposed to "in and out". That's not a concern on the South shore of L.I.

Where is the bay in question? Maybe I can help more.

 

[Bob DBF]

To add to @TMHeimer , I usually do my first exploratory dive (swim) as a freediver. It is much easier to get back to shore and out of the water without all the SCUBA gear.

Bob

 

[Kohanbash]

Aside from the obvious of asking at a local dive shop (I don't think there are that many in NYC area and you may not get the info. you need for the area), you can google a guide place--I think it's something like New York (NJ/CT?) Beach Shore Guide. There you can find site descriptions, currents, tides, directions, etc. Generally, high tide tends to be better in some places due to incoming water less "muddy" than outgoing water, some of which may come from rivers. If you're at or near an inlet that funnels water narrowly from the ocean to the bay, a general rule is to begin diving an hour before high tide and continue during the slack high period. Inlet currents can be nasty and dangerous, especially with all the boats in NY in summer.
Tides around NYC are funny--especially if you're on the "North" shore of L.I., as you get tides coming in and exiting from both NY Harbor and Montauk, 100 miles away at L.I. East end--they collide at Hell Gate. Sometimes the tidal current is parallel to shore as opposed to "in and out". That's not a concern on the South shore of L.I.

Where is the bay in question? Maybe I can help more.

Thanks for the information. This is in Bayswater near Far Rockaway. The area I am looking at is shaped like a U. My plan was to enter along one of the edges and then head towards the bottom curved part. The current also flows in that direction.

There is very little boat traffic in this area.

 

[Steve_C]

Unless you plan to exit downstream it is not always best to go down current. That can make getting back difficult.

Slack tide is often easiest to dive. As noted high usually has better viz.

Are you used to solo diving?

What is the condition of the bottom? Are there hazards?

 

[Kohanbash]

The plan is to exit downstream at the bottom of the U shaped area.

My brother will be joining for the dive.

There used to be a hotel/resort near the shoreline (many years ago). At the shore there are a bunch of remnants (bricks, columns, etc..). I imagine (and hope) that there are more remnants underwater to see. With that said I do not actually know what the bottom conditions are. I imagine there will be fishing line (I generally dive with 2 cutting tools).

 

[TMHeimer]

I looked it up on the map. Judging from it's distance to any inlet you shouldn't have much current to worry about. The only place I've dived around there (years ago) was Beach 8th St. in E. Rockaway Inlet, which was tide dependent--real close to where you'll dive.. Not a bad dive to about 40'--was unusually cold there for mid summer and wish I had more than my shorty. Just looked it up--it was July 2, 2010 and water temp. was 57. Let me know how your bay dive turns out--maybe I'd put that on my own list.

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

It is good to look at nautical charts, if there are any good ones for the area.

 

[FinnMom]

You never know what all there is that you don't know. At least get a verbal brief from someone who has been diving there more than once or twice.

 

[Darnold9999]

I like to look at my charts for the area I am going to explore and think about what bottom features will do to current if/when it arrives. Be extremely careful re fishing line, old nets and the like. Think about what happens if current suddenly comes up or reverses - what is your backup plan for getting out of the water if the current turns early or late. Predicting current around here is not simple - I doubt it is anywhere there is strong current. I want to dive as the current is nearing slack tide and swim in the direction that the current will be coming from at the end of slack so it drives me back to the starting point.