The Romance and City of Salisbury-diver experiences

Hi everyone,
I'm going to be doing two of my AOW dives on these wrecks with BHDC in two weeks. I'd like to hear about your experiences on these wrecks. I've never dove a wreck or gone past 50fsw. I've done all my diving on Cape Anne though, mostly shore, but a few boat dvies as well. I have a pinnacle freedom drysuit with the merino evolution undergarment in addition to a temperate undergarment from the ebay seller. I'm wondering what the bottom temps will be in Mid-May at these sites. I'd like to use the lighter weight undergarment and drop some weight. I did two dives this past weekend and my computer measured 48deg at calf island, and 54deg off Peddicks. Both dives were 30fsw or less. If the bottom temp is going to be around 40-42deg at 80fsw, then i think i'll stick with the merino evolution undergarment. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I would stick with the heavier undergarment. Maybe I'm just a wuss, but I prefer to be a bit warm instead of chilly. I don't think overheating will be a problem.

The City of Salisbury is a neat dive, and easy to navigate. While the wreck is totally broken up and flattened, to get back to the boat, one merely works their way back "up hill" and will return to where the mooring is typically tied on the top of the ledge that the ship struck. Like all sites, vis varies, but I have had days there with 20+ feet at depth. You will find the side of the ledge littered with large hull plates and intact sections of hull. Some are large enough to crawl under if that's your thing, otherwise its fun merely poking around and looking for bugs. Don't be surprised to see the large face of one of the resident codfish staring back at you while checking out under the wreckage.

The Romance is another good dive but perhaps a LITTLE bit more challenging. I say that only because I have not experienced great vis there, but hey, this time of year it may be great. You will probably be tied in around the two large boilers. You can explore around them, check out the engines and shaft alleys. I have gone forward but with the vis that I had, I can barely tell you what I saw! I know that I was tying in on a large heavy piece of machinery near the bow, perhaps a winch. The sides of the hull are broken down to just a few feet off of the gravely and boulder strewn bottom. Just listen to the dive briefing by Jim or Pat and you will have a great time. There are not many people around that know more about diving in Boston Harbor than those guys.

Dive Safe & Have Fun,
Dennis

Hey Dennis, thanks for the kind words. Good advice on the undergarments. The new book is a great read so far. I have only read a few of the chapters and have learned lots of new stuff. Have you been on the stern of the YMS 14? See you out there. Capt. Pat

I've dove both these wrecks and Dennis does a great job explaining their layouts. The Romance is more challenging due to depth, viz, location(close to shipping channel) and current. Go with the warmer undergarments, listen to Jim and Pat, learn something and make sure you have fun.

LobstaMan

Last summer I dove the Romance with BHDC in mid July. The bottom water temp wasn't much above 40. It was very cold! The visibility was around 10'. I did it with a 7mm wetsuit, and would not do it again without a drysuit.

Boston Diver Services:

. . . Have you been on the stern of the YMS 14? See you out there. Capt. Pat

Click to expand...

No I have not. I was on a few of the exploratory dives looking for it. I got well aquainted with the bottom of Boston Harbor.

They are both very enjoyable dives. Dennis has pretty much summed it up quite succinctly. I have always dived them in July or August and was comfortable in a 7 MM wetsuit. I have a special interest in the Romance because I have a friend at work whose Dad(who recently passed unfortunately) was on it when it sank.

Dennis gives a good description of both. The bow of the CoS is dived less often, is a smaller piece of the wreck, and is noticeably deeper (80-85'), putting it deeper than the stern and the Romance. We'll be diving both sections of the CoS this weekend with BHDC.

Rainer:

diving both sections of the CoS this weekend with BHDC.

Click to expand...

I will, too. See you on the boat.

LobstaMan

If the vis is decent and (knock wood) my camera equipment cooperates, I'll have some video of the CoS bow and stern shot this weekend and edited to share by early next week.

As for the Romance, keep your eyes open. My buddy and I each found old clay pipes on the bottom right near the wreck, and a small bed of sea scallops too!