So where is Highlands Ranch?
Most of my diving has been locally here in Boston. I was certified back in 2000.
My favorite dives are:
- Folly Cove (Gloucester) -- shore dive with a shear wall on one side of the cove. Lots of plants and animal life.
- Chester Poling -- wreck off of Gloucester. Deep (90+), dark, cold and interesting.
Water temps in greater Boston and points north reach their peak in September -- ocean surface temps never get much above 60-63F. Bottom temps are usually somewhere in the 50s during the summer, although early in the season or at deeper depths, high 40s is not uncommon.
South of Cape Cod you can see surface temps in the low 70s at the end of the summer.
I dive wet from April through November, although things are pretty chilly in April (42F water temps for my first dive last year on April 5). All area shops rent gear, including wetsuits.
Visibility -- a typical day around here is 10-20 feet of vis.
The most painless experience would be to book a charter through Cape Ann Divers. They run a dive shop in Gloucester (35 miles north of Boston) as well as 2 excellent charter boats. Cape Ann (which includes the towns of Gloucester & Rockport) is very picturesque above the water as well....great place to have dinner after a day of diving.