Hi fellas!
My fiancee and I will be moving up to Boston next month (!!), and would like to explore the local diving options this summer.
Let's see, where to start....
First, until now, we have only gone diving in warm waters and have never worn a drysuit. However, we think we are ready to explore dive options closer to home. We will probably start going on guided boat dives at first, and then on shore dives as our knowledge of the local waters increase...
I have done some preliminary research on the forum/web and found the NEADC website to be very useful, with lots of info on local outfits and dive charters. Already thinking about joining the NEADC as early as July (great lecture series & great forum to meet NE divers), going on one of Captain Rob's trip to the Isles of Shoals, exploring some of the diving around Cape Ann, and perhaps even making a weekend trip to Maine to go on one of Sea Venture's shark-cage dives!
HOWEVER, we have no idea how cold things get in New England underwater.
The coldest we've ever been is probably low 70s in Madeira. We were probably wearing full 5mm wetsuits (cannot recall), but we were not wearing hoods/gloves/booties. After one 40-min dive, we were cold.
I've seen some water temps charts on the web, and looks like the warmest months are June/July/August/Sept - with temps in the high 60s / low 70s. We would probably limit our diving to those months for the first years or so.
We own hyperstretch full 5mm wetsuits, 5/3mm hooded vests, 5mm gloves, booties, and also full henderson microprene suits. We could probably wear the microprene suits under the 5mm, and the hooded vest on top (that thing really DOES hyperstretch!!), with 5mm gloves & booties.
In your experience, would this be enough to AT LEAST TRY and go on a charter or 2 this season (likely Isles of Shoals & Cape Ann to begin with)?? Or do we definitely need to get certified on drysuit diving from the start? What would you say is the warmest month(s) to go diving in??
Any advice / suggestions / tips would be appreciated, and also if you could point us to reliable boat charters that may be more familiar with NE newbies!!
Looking forward to exploring our new home's UW treasures!!
J. & A.
My fiancee and I will be moving up to Boston next month (!!), and would like to explore the local diving options this summer.
Let's see, where to start....
First, until now, we have only gone diving in warm waters and have never worn a drysuit. However, we think we are ready to explore dive options closer to home. We will probably start going on guided boat dives at first, and then on shore dives as our knowledge of the local waters increase...
I have done some preliminary research on the forum/web and found the NEADC website to be very useful, with lots of info on local outfits and dive charters. Already thinking about joining the NEADC as early as July (great lecture series & great forum to meet NE divers), going on one of Captain Rob's trip to the Isles of Shoals, exploring some of the diving around Cape Ann, and perhaps even making a weekend trip to Maine to go on one of Sea Venture's shark-cage dives!
HOWEVER, we have no idea how cold things get in New England underwater.
The coldest we've ever been is probably low 70s in Madeira. We were probably wearing full 5mm wetsuits (cannot recall), but we were not wearing hoods/gloves/booties. After one 40-min dive, we were cold.
I've seen some water temps charts on the web, and looks like the warmest months are June/July/August/Sept - with temps in the high 60s / low 70s. We would probably limit our diving to those months for the first years or so.
We own hyperstretch full 5mm wetsuits, 5/3mm hooded vests, 5mm gloves, booties, and also full henderson microprene suits. We could probably wear the microprene suits under the 5mm, and the hooded vest on top (that thing really DOES hyperstretch!!), with 5mm gloves & booties.
In your experience, would this be enough to AT LEAST TRY and go on a charter or 2 this season (likely Isles of Shoals & Cape Ann to begin with)?? Or do we definitely need to get certified on drysuit diving from the start? What would you say is the warmest month(s) to go diving in??
Any advice / suggestions / tips would be appreciated, and also if you could point us to reliable boat charters that may be more familiar with NE newbies!!
Looking forward to exploring our new home's UW treasures!!
J. & A.