Moving to Baltimore...

[gracefulc]

Hey all!

I will be moving from my beautiful home state of Oregon this August to attend Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for 2 years. I've got all my own equipment (except tanks) and have 29 dives in Puget Sound (Washington) since July when I was first certified. By August I will have be a PADI Master Scuba Diver and hopefully will have 60 - 70 dives under my belt. My question is: Where is there to dive in Baltimore?

Hmm, actually, I have about 10 MILLION questions about Baltimore, but that's my main diving question. I mean you're right on a harbor (I keep hearing about "Inner Harbor") and the chesapeake bay is there... isn't there diving in those? I e-mailed a dive shop and all I got was a cryptic e-mail saying: diving good from May to October, 3 hrs drive to ocean. I mean I know there are lots of wrecks off the coast, but I'm curious about the local diving, espescially since I won't have my own car there. I have a drysuit and all my dives but 2 have been in 52 degrees or less so I'm not afraid of cold... Please don't tell me I'm going to be stuck without diving until I come home on break!

Any input would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[miesemer]

Your cryptic message from the LDS is mostly correct if considering ocean dives only. However, if you're not opposed to quarry diving, you're not too far from Bainbridge Scuba Center [www.divebsc.com] and diving there is year round. I frequently see divers from the Baltimore area there so hopefully you can hook up with some of them for a ride. I believe Millbrook quarry in VA is about the same distance from you.

 

[cmalinowski]

Welcome to b'more. You won't want to dive in the harbor: as great as the area around it is, the water is a poluted mess. I do mostly quarry diving. There are about 5 or so within a couple hours. Additionally, going to the DelMarVa (delaware, maryland, virginia) beaches and going out into the ocean is another option. Since I'm still a relative diving rookie, I'm still finding places to go. There is diving in the bay at times too: There is oyster diving (haven't done it yet) during the winter. And, I just got a card from someone who dives on the magothy river (Chesapeake bay tributary) that I need to find...

Later,
Chris

 

[redhawktwo]

Hey Gracefulc,

When you coming in, I would be glad to introduce you to the local quarry's, we have one about an hour away from John Hopkins. Being a Real Estate agent, if you have questions on the area, don't hesitate to ask, be glad to help.