I had to attend a cardiology conference in Boston May 24 to 26, 2010, so I thought that might as well fly up to New England early and see what the diving was like.
My basic research into diving at Cape Ann didn't look promising. Sixty-degree water was F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G, but c'mon, 45 degree water? Are you nuts? I have some dry gloves (but never used 'em). Do "The Boys" need any special packaging in water that frigid?
Cape Ann, Massachusetts
Boston was a challenge in all respects. On the Mass Turnpike I think I saw more cars in one traffic jam than exist in the entire state of West Virginia. I tried to find some good eatin' - like Bubba's BBQ back home - but couldn't find anything respectable. So I had to settle for fresh seafood, or some Tibetan or Thai cuisine. None of the bars had any good Bud Lite, so I had to choke down some micro-brew I.P.A. instead. I even met some Bostonian girls who still had all of their teeth.
You people in Boston got it rough, let me tell you. How can you survive like in a place like that?
I stopped at Atlantic Divers in Danvers to get some tanks for my little trip to Cape Ann. Steve at Atlantic Divers was very helpful and I got a set of twin HP117s for soloing. The shop is perfectly situated only 20-30 minutes from the Cape Ann dive sites. Thanks Steve!
Atlantic Divers, 75 High Street, Danvers, MA
I headed out to Rockport on Cape Ann. Sorry, Rockport is one of those quaint, nauseating little New-England sea-side villages full of uppity people. I forgot my Topsiders, green slacks and yellow polo shirt, so the fashion police almost gave me a ticket. Ick, what a place.
Rockport
Issues, Issues, Issues
Besides the fashion police, the local parking is a nightmare. They love tourists, but they don't let the tourists park anywhere. All of the parking is for locals only. Which means you gotta leave your gear on the beach, then drive 100 to 200 yards away and park where the locals don't have to look at you. WTF.
Parking at almost all of the beaches is for locals only!
Finally my last issue was trying to operate my camera with dry gloves. Yeah, it was like trying to play the piano with a pair of tennis racquets. The only knobs that I could to control were the flash power knob and the shutter button. So I had to put the camera on automatic and leave it at that. Sometimes I could get the macro button pressed, but the surge made it difficult to hover steady enough for macro work. So I gave up. It was definitely a challenge and I appreciate what New England divers go through to get the shots. (Not that there is anything to shoot.)
Dry gloves and camera button clusters don't mix
Back Beach
Back Beach is nice because it is one of the few places in Rockport where tourists can park right at the beach.
The fish aren't very friendly at Cape Ann, they run away whenever you get close. Which is good, because my favorite underwater photography genre is "fish butts." In places like Mexico, the flat fish will remain still on the bottom and let you stick your camera right up to their nose. At Cape Ann, they take off as soon as they see you.
Back Beach
Kelp Garden
Kelp garden
Run away! Run away!
Can you see the surge?
Yours truly experiencing some shrinkage
Folly Cove Night Dive
I also did a solo night dive at Folly Cove at high tide. Supposedly it had everything you could want from a New England dive. Okay...
Folly Cove during the day
Sunset on Folly Cove, taken during the long walk to Folly Cove from my parking spot
"Fish butt"
More "fish butts"
This lobsta wouldn't show me his butt
Orgy?
Fini
What did I think of Cape Ann? Cozumel it's not. But it's definitely better than looking at mud, tree stumps at catfish in the murky reservoirs back home.
Diving all the time in water that cold is pretty challenging. I can't believe that I saw people in wet suits. Photography was so frustrating (at least with my camera) that I basically gave up.
Take me home, to place where I belong! West Virginia, mountain mama, take me home.....
My basic research into diving at Cape Ann didn't look promising. Sixty-degree water was F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G, but c'mon, 45 degree water? Are you nuts? I have some dry gloves (but never used 'em). Do "The Boys" need any special packaging in water that frigid?
Cape Ann, Massachusetts
Boston was a challenge in all respects. On the Mass Turnpike I think I saw more cars in one traffic jam than exist in the entire state of West Virginia. I tried to find some good eatin' - like Bubba's BBQ back home - but couldn't find anything respectable. So I had to settle for fresh seafood, or some Tibetan or Thai cuisine. None of the bars had any good Bud Lite, so I had to choke down some micro-brew I.P.A. instead. I even met some Bostonian girls who still had all of their teeth.
You people in Boston got it rough, let me tell you. How can you survive like in a place like that?
I stopped at Atlantic Divers in Danvers to get some tanks for my little trip to Cape Ann. Steve at Atlantic Divers was very helpful and I got a set of twin HP117s for soloing. The shop is perfectly situated only 20-30 minutes from the Cape Ann dive sites. Thanks Steve!
Atlantic Divers, 75 High Street, Danvers, MA
I headed out to Rockport on Cape Ann. Sorry, Rockport is one of those quaint, nauseating little New-England sea-side villages full of uppity people. I forgot my Topsiders, green slacks and yellow polo shirt, so the fashion police almost gave me a ticket. Ick, what a place.
Rockport
Issues, Issues, Issues
Besides the fashion police, the local parking is a nightmare. They love tourists, but they don't let the tourists park anywhere. All of the parking is for locals only. Which means you gotta leave your gear on the beach, then drive 100 to 200 yards away and park where the locals don't have to look at you. WTF.
Parking at almost all of the beaches is for locals only!
Finally my last issue was trying to operate my camera with dry gloves. Yeah, it was like trying to play the piano with a pair of tennis racquets. The only knobs that I could to control were the flash power knob and the shutter button. So I had to put the camera on automatic and leave it at that. Sometimes I could get the macro button pressed, but the surge made it difficult to hover steady enough for macro work. So I gave up. It was definitely a challenge and I appreciate what New England divers go through to get the shots. (Not that there is anything to shoot.)
Dry gloves and camera button clusters don't mix
Back Beach
Back Beach is nice because it is one of the few places in Rockport where tourists can park right at the beach.
The fish aren't very friendly at Cape Ann, they run away whenever you get close. Which is good, because my favorite underwater photography genre is "fish butts." In places like Mexico, the flat fish will remain still on the bottom and let you stick your camera right up to their nose. At Cape Ann, they take off as soon as they see you.
Back Beach
Kelp Garden
Kelp garden
Run away! Run away!
Can you see the surge?
Yours truly experiencing some shrinkage
Folly Cove Night Dive
I also did a solo night dive at Folly Cove at high tide. Supposedly it had everything you could want from a New England dive. Okay...
Folly Cove during the day
Sunset on Folly Cove, taken during the long walk to Folly Cove from my parking spot
"Fish butt"
More "fish butts"
This lobsta wouldn't show me his butt
Orgy?
Fini
What did I think of Cape Ann? Cozumel it's not. But it's definitely better than looking at mud, tree stumps at catfish in the murky reservoirs back home.
Diving all the time in water that cold is pretty challenging. I can't believe that I saw people in wet suits. Photography was so frustrating (at least with my camera) that I basically gave up.
Take me home, to place where I belong! West Virginia, mountain mama, take me home.....
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