Halfway Rock question

[Tall Tails]

Did two tanks at Halfway Rock yesterday. It continues to be one of my favorite boat dives! On this dive I noticed a number of "numbers" afffixed to the rock at various depths. Does anyone know what these are? I saw a "13", "128", "4", etc. They were small white signs somehow cemented to the rock. Very curious.

Thanks,

Jon

 

[Fireguy274]

Where there alot of bugs at Halfway rock? Cant help you with the numbers...Artie

 

[Tall Tails]

Artie,

There were a decent amount, but not a ton. I got 5 keepers on two dives - my least productive dives all year. But, it was worth it as that is a beautiful dive site!

Jon

 

[Fireguy274]

Ill have to check it out. I just got a boat a few weeks ago..Do you dive the ocean side or the Beverly side?...Artie

 

[PeaceDog]

I know that Northeastern does a lot of research diving there, so it wouldn't surprise me if that was how those numbers got there.

 

[matt_unique]

Ill have to check it out. I just got a boat a few weeks ago..Do you dive the ocean side or the Beverly side?...Artie

Not to intrude on your question to the other poster....The ocean side max depth is 105' depending upon the tide. My favorite dive here is to start ocean side and circumnavigate the pinnacle. The Marblehead side (closest land) goes up to the 50's. The bottom of this site is usually pretty dark in my experience. A new mooring has just been installed facing Salem Harbor/Marblehead. The bottom of this mooring is in the mid-high 50's for depth.

I have no idea what the numbers are at Halfway Rock. Some sort of underwater survey work obviously but for what purpose I'm not sure.

I dove this site Friday. Vis was bad but I was practicing skills so it did not really matter. I found a piece of monofilament line extending between two rocks about 3' from the ground like a suspension bridge. I pulled out the snips to cut that entanglement hazzard. I have seen lot's of Spiny's at this site lately.

--Matt

 

[Fireguy274]

Thanks for the info Matt. I did egg rock off Nahant a week ago a very nice dive. Anchored in 50 feet and went up to about 20 towards the rock. Huge star fish. Plenty of Lobsters but mostly small. I found this on Egg Rock if anyone is interested. http://myweb.northshore.edu/users/ccarlsen/poetry/egghistory.html

 

[Tall Tails]

I like the Marblehead Salem side. I usually go to bottom and circumnavigate, but not at full depth on ocean side. I like the 30 - 50 feet range for bugs and view. Not much to see or do at 100' IMHO.

I too saw lots of mono, which I cut, on Monday.

Matt - Vis was good Monday, 20 - 30 feet, which I was surprised at. I did not see a mooring there though, just two lobster buoys. How far from the pinnacle is the mooring? I dont know how I would have missed it.

Thanks,

Jon

 

[matt_unique]

I like the Marblehead Salem side. I usually go to bottom and circumnavigate, but not at full depth on ocean side. I like the 30 - 50 feet range for bugs and view. Not much to see or do at 100' IMHO.

I too saw lots of mono, which I cut, on Monday.

Matt - Vis was good Monday, 20 - 30 feet, which I was surprised at. I did not see a mooring there though, just two lobster buoys. How far from the pinnacle is the mooring? I dont know how I would have missed it.

Thanks,

Jon

I agree there is not a lot to see at the 'bottom' unless you just want to see the topography. I like to descend to that depth then work my way up as I mentioned. Sometimes it gives you a great bottom up view of fish that may be around. One of my best Spiny encounters was at the bottom of Halfway. Three Spiny's were heading right for me. I remained still as they approached. The smallest of the three Spiny's veered off but the biggest one did not alter course at all. It was heading right for my head. I literally rolled backward while facing the Spiny and watched it swim right over my head. It was an awesome encounter.

The buoy is white with a red stripe. Friday a lobster buoy was right beside the mooring buoy. The trap was similarly close to the mooring at depth. The mooring buoy is about 30' from the pinnacle.

--Matt

 

[Tall Tails]

I saw the red/white buoy and assumed it was a trap. Can anyone tie off to it?

Jon