Trip Report:Wreck of the Romance, 6/4/05

The weather cooperated, and it finally felt like summer was here for our first dives of the season on the Romance, a passenger liner that sank on September 9, 1936 when she collided with the steamer New York in fog. Dive number one took us to the bow section of the wreck. The depth was 82fsw to the sand. It might have felt like summer on the surface but it was a chilly 43° F. at depth. The particulates in the water reduced viz to next to nothing for the first 20’. At depth it cleared to about 12’. Because of the location and depth of this wreck is dove less often than the other dive sites around the harbor. It is considered “Deep, Dark, and Dangerous”. However, in my opinion it is the best recreational wreck dive in Boston Harbor. The debris field around the wreck is scattered over a huge area.
After an hour and a half on the surface, dive number two took us to the massive steam boilers, which tower off the bottom. The retreating tide provided a mild current and did nothing to improve visibility. On this dive we secured a mooring to the prop shaft. Returning to the same tie in each time really helps in becoming familiar with the wreck’s layout. Many dives are planned on the Romance this season.