Southern Boy visits Bean Town (trip report)

[Doc Harry]

I had to attend a cardiology conference in Boston May 24 to 26, 2010, so I thought that might as well fly up to New England early and see what the diving was like.

My basic research into diving at Cape Ann didn't look promising. Sixty-degree water was F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G, but c'mon, 45 degree water? Are you nuts? I have some dry gloves (but never used 'em). Do "The Boys" need any special packaging in water that frigid?

Cape Ann, Massachusetts

Boston was a challenge in all respects. On the Mass Turnpike I think I saw more cars in one traffic jam than exist in the entire state of West Virginia. I tried to find some good eatin' - like Bubba's BBQ back home - but couldn't find anything respectable. So I had to settle for fresh seafood, or some Tibetan or Thai cuisine. None of the bars had any good Bud Lite, so I had to choke down some micro-brew I.P.A. instead. I even met some Bostonian girls who still had all of their teeth.

You people in Boston got it rough, let me tell you. How can you survive like in a place like that?

I stopped at Atlantic Divers in Danvers to get some tanks for my little trip to Cape Ann. Steve at Atlantic Divers was very helpful and I got a set of twin HP117s for soloing. The shop is perfectly situated only 20-30 minutes from the Cape Ann dive sites. Thanks Steve!

Atlantic Divers, 75 High Street, Danvers, MA

I headed out to Rockport on Cape Ann. Sorry, Rockport is one of those quaint, nauseating little New-England sea-side villages full of uppity people. I forgot my Topsiders, green slacks and yellow polo shirt, so the fashion police almost gave me a ticket. Ick, what a place.

Rockport

Issues, Issues, Issues

Besides the fashion police, the local parking is a nightmare. They love tourists, but they don't let the tourists park anywhere. All of the parking is for locals only. Which means you gotta leave your gear on the beach, then drive 100 to 200 yards away and park where the locals don't have to look at you. WTF.

Parking at almost all of the beaches is for locals only!

Finally my last issue was trying to operate my camera with dry gloves. Yeah, it was like trying to play the piano with a pair of tennis racquets. The only knobs that I could to control were the flash power knob and the shutter button. So I had to put the camera on automatic and leave it at that. Sometimes I could get the macro button pressed, but the surge made it difficult to hover steady enough for macro work. So I gave up. It was definitely a challenge and I appreciate what New England divers go through to get the shots. (Not that there is anything to shoot.)

Dry gloves and camera button clusters don't mix

Back Beach

Back Beach is nice because it is one of the few places in Rockport where tourists can park right at the beach.

The fish aren't very friendly at Cape Ann, they run away whenever you get close. Which is good, because my favorite underwater photography genre is "fish butts." In places like Mexico, the flat fish will remain still on the bottom and let you stick your camera right up to their nose. At Cape Ann, they take off as soon as they see you.

Back Beach

Kelp Garden

Kelp garden

Run away! Run away!

Can you see the surge?

Yours truly experiencing some shrinkage

Folly Cove Night Dive

I also did a solo night dive at Folly Cove at high tide. Supposedly it had everything you could want from a New England dive. Okay...

Folly Cove during the day

Sunset on Folly Cove, taken during the long walk to Folly Cove from my parking spot

"Fish butt"

More "fish butts"

This lobsta wouldn't show me his butt

Orgy?

Fini

What did I think of Cape Ann? Cozumel it's not. But it's definitely better than looking at mud, tree stumps at catfish in the murky reservoirs back home.

Diving all the time in water that cold is pretty challenging. I can't believe that I saw people in wet suits. Photography was so frustrating (at least with my camera) that I basically gave up.

Take me home, to place where I belong! West Virginia, mountain mama, take me home.....

 

[stakanak]

I hate local townie snobs but I really dig the night shots!
Good Diving!

 

[BigHarryDiver]

Great shots Doc! Next time you need to hook up with some of the locals so you (ehemmm they) can capture some of those bug lookin' critters. I hear they are good eatin'.

 

[Stu S.]

You do good work with that camera.

 

[oldflounder]

Interesting dive log - well put together - great pics - Rockport is definately quaint. Can't wait to see your take on Maine next time you're up this way.

 

[oldflounder]

whoops - never mind my comment about the sunset. I didn't realize the cove was turned that much toward the west.

 

[augk]

Doc the fish swim away cause they're wicked smaht fish. If I were not recuperating from back surgery I probably could have gotten you to some wicked awesome BBQ in Bahston. You musta got stuck in a fenda bendah at the tolls. You are right about the pahkin in Rockport if they were smaht they would sell a divas pahkin permit. And Steve at AD is a wicked cool guy. Oh yah nice pitchas too.

 

[trappist]

Loooooved your report Actually it reminds me of my first times here, probably adding some more odds stuff from Europe to US like PSI or DIN 300 ???

That said, I wish I could be as bad as you did on photography ;o)

and don't worry, we get (easily) used to the low 30s water in winter without issues. All it takes is a few pounds of lead that goes with comfy undergarments, diving dry obviously

You complain about manipulating your camera with dry gloves ? I still need to try these, but my wet 5mm ones are keeping me warm enough so far !

 

[AfterDark]

Nice pics Doc!. I love Cape Ann,but Rockport as always been as you describe.

It has often been said if you can dive NE you can dive anywhere. Now you know why.

If the depth doesn't numb your mind the cold will, ya need to be on your game to dive here! Glad you enjoyed yourself, ya'll come back soon ya hear?

 

[veriqster]

next time leave the back beach and folly cove alone, those a places where all the shops around do checkout dives starting with OW and ending with the divemaster classes. try the cat rocks, hook up with somebody who has a small boat and is planning a dive or something like that.
diving the right place would have sent you home envious on the stripers bigger than the catfish you are used to, and curious like hell as well, on the flukes that line the bottom like a wall to wall carpet, the blackfish that look and behave just like old salty pirates and on the bugs that will either leave you salivating until next trip or give you "alien vs predator" theme dreams for the rest of your life.
p.s. don't complain about the pics, they came out as good as the best taken in NE.