What's Stonington like?

[Windminstrel]

My brother and I want to do a quick local dive on Sunday, so we can get back home in time for a family party. Closest place seems to be Stonington. Can anyone tell me about the place? What's the dive like? How 'bout parking, restrooms, other assorted conditions?

 

[saltywater]

Parking is good. Entry is easy via the beach and slightly harder if over the rocks to the left of the beach. If the lifeguards are on duty, they don't like you entering throught the beach area. (Private association owns the beach.) Shallow dive. Sandy bottom. No restrooms. There is a porta-potty that is usually locked if the lifeguards aren't on duty on the beach.

Max depth is about 18 feet at high tide, Unless you swim WAAAAAAAAY out. Parking lot is frequently patrolled. Makes for a convenient easy dive. I like to do an occasional night dive at this location.

Parking lot is sandy, so I like to bring a plastic tarp to gear up on.

 

[jonnythan]

Gorgeous. The paddling at least.

 

[gfisher4792]

Isn't it also night diving-only during the summer/tourist months?

 

[Windminstrel]

Isn't it also night diving-only during the summer/tourist months?

Can anyone verify this? If this is the case, it would have a *slight* impact on my weekend plans...

 

[ScubaSarus]

Well before my computer locked up (need new motherboard) I was going to post that the local ordinance is: between memorial day and labor day there is no diving from I think 8 or 9am to 4 or 5 pm. You can't even dive off the rocks due to a serious dive accident there a while back. So go early in the morning 8 am or after 4-5pm.

 

[saltywater]

Well before my computer locked up (need new motherboard) I was going to post that the local ordinance is: between memorial day and labor day there is no diving from I think 8 or 9am to 4 or 5 pm. You can't even dive off the rocks due to a serious dive accident there a while back. So go early in the morning 8 am or after 4-5pm.

I hadn't heard that before. But 'most' of my dive's there fall outside those times and dates.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Actually I hadn't heard that before either until I told someone we dove off the rocks one afternoon. After further research, this has been verified and we were lucky not to get caught. They actually have a sign posted when the beach is open and lifeguards are on duty. The sign if for the beach so we assumed we could just go off the rocks instead but it was a no no according to local ordinance. A call to the Stonington police not DEP will verify this.