Cape Ann 4/7/12 conditions report

[oldflounder]

Went down to Cape Ann today to meet up with Scubaboard member WaterV and husband Michael. We dove Back Beach and spent time later driving the loop checking out conditions at Cathedral Rocks, Folly, Lanes, Plum Cove, loblolly, Pebble Beach. I was impressed with the good conditions at all these sites. They were all diveable if you were desperate enough to get in the water. I've seen worse conditions on a normal windy summmer day. Granted the viz was probably terrible - apparently the algae/plankton bloom has started - lots of shredded crap suspended throughout the water column. The NOAA forecast most of the week was for N winds, 15-20 kts and seas 2-4'. Everywhere we went I saw strong breezes out of the E and S, 10 kts max and seas 1-2'. You just can't trust the weather reports.
Get out there tomorrow and don't believe the forecast until you see it for yourself.


Viz - 10-12', much organic sediment, water 42*, very little surge/surf most sites, 1-2'seas, rollers well spaced, not much back surge.

 

[IanBrit]

The visibility at Nubble last night was about 6 feet and was about the same at Saturday Night Ledge and the Chester Poling today. Water temps in the low to mid 40s through out the water column.

 

[AfterDark]

From 4-7-12 Beavertail RI. My knee is shot so I didn't go.
It was an absolutely beautiful day for diving. We arrived at Beavertail at 10 AM to find flat seas.
You could tell by looking into the water from the bluffs that the visibility was going to be extraordinary.
We decided to dive the point by the lighthouse as you don't get many opportunities to dive here as
it is usually pretty rough at this spot. What we found when we entered the water that visibility in
the depths above 20 fsw was a crystal clear 40 feet! This is the best visibility that I have ever
experienced in shorediving in Rhode Island. Bright lime green and burnt orange plants were
just beautiful to behold. As the terrain is pretty gradual at this spot, we got to spend alot of time
in this wonderful fishbowl.

Beyond 20 fsw though the visibility dropped to just a few feet. There was no fish to be seen as
it is still very earlyin the season. The water temperature is in the mid to high 40's but extremely
comfortable in a dry suit.

Beavertail is an advanced shore dive. Ingress and egress spots are limited and you better pick the right spot or you will not get in the water or out!
The surf can pick up during a dive and egress becomes VERY diffcult. A diver must pick the right day/night to dive there carefully. It is a beautiful dive site regardless!

The 40' vis sounds like what I encounter at Cape ANN. Too bad it wasn't that good there yesterday.

 

[mmerriman]

sat, 7 April - White's Beach Manchester - 47F. Vis 5 ft. calm water.