Sunday 8-15-21 Newport diving?

[formernuke]

The pinnacles are one of my favorite dives.

 

[AfterDark]

This is a spectacular picture of the U853 conning tower @90FSW on a day with spectacular vis!

 

[Resqdivemedic]

I remember my first instructor telling me about the arches back in the 80's. Always wanted to go there but never had or made to opportunity.

 

[AfterDark]

I remember my first instructor telling me about the arches back in the 80's. Always wanted to go there but never had or made to opportunity.

I have not dived every popular dive site in New England but I have done a fair number. IMO it is among the top 3 dives I've dived! I call the site, Gooseberry Island, the ile of magic or the magical island.

The number of fish and the varied species is very impressive. Green Bridge is only a1/2mi west of GI. It has many similarities but no arches. I did GI with a DPV 6-7 years ago then with a yak 2-3 years ago. It really is worth whatever it takes. The season not over yet!

When my buddy Paul had a boat in his youth we dived GI/arches very often. We did the East side of the island too, which has very interesting rock formations. The one I remember best was shaped like a giant bowl make of granite about 20' across in 30FSW. On good days you could hover above it and see the whole thing. The entire GI/arches site is what I call glacial because it is quite clear it was the result of a fast moving glacier.

 

[tkaelin]

Let's find a boat to charter and dive it.

 

[AfterDark]

Let's find a boat to charter and dive it.

I tried last year and there was nothing. When I was a young man things were different, a couple of divers could hire a fishing boat to take them out. There were some that charged more to stay on the site with you and less if they just dropped you off and came back later. We didn't have a lot of $$ so we often went with option 2 if wasn't outrageously dangerous. The arches are a good example, getting dropped off there is a lot safer than say the sub U853 and potentially getting left.
We'd dived the sub many times using option1 there wasn't much in the way of charters then.
The only time I dived the L8 or L1 I forget was from a fishing boat.

Fred Calhuoon used to go to U853 from NJ I think also Bill Campbell and a few others would go out there from Pt. Judith.
I have not heard of any fishermen taking divers out in years too much of a risk for lawsuits.

I think the only other people that run may charters out to the arches are nutmegers, I mean people out of CT. If you can find someone I'm game. I'm sure we could get 6 people but getting the boat is another matter.

 

[formernuke]

No CT charters at the moment closest is RI

 

[tkaelin]

Let me look around. If I find something I will let everyone know. Never dove GA so for those who have, what depths are we talking and is there a better time of day tide wise or otherwise to dive?

 

[AfterDark]

Let me look around. If I find something I will let everyone know. Never dove GA so for those who have, what depths are we talking and is there a better time of day tide wise or otherwise to dive?

You mean arches right? Max depth 55FSW and you may have to go looking for that. The arches are 30FSW the best parts are above 40FSW. Best time is between High and low tide before the change during the slack period. Also light winds, N is best W will do, small swells, 3-4' rollers will make serious surging which is an issue in that area.

 

[AfterDark]

It looks really good for tomorrow, single digit wind from the N sea 2 feet of less!!!

Kings Beach 2PM