Scary but funny dive story today :) Cathedral Rock Report

[ScubaSarus]

We dove Cathedral rock in Rockport Mass today. Bottom temp 45 F. On our way up from the depths, I encountered a lobster trap laying on the rocks. I went to examine the lobster trap and to my surprise a giant lobster emerged from the bottom of the trap and started coming towards me. This thing was the biggest freaking lobster we have ever seen (it was practically bigger than the trap itsself). It scared me; and first instinct was to RUNAWAY!!!!! then come back to view it. On my return trip, my buddy gently grapsed its antennae and the thing swam backward and bumped real hard into a boulder probably bruising its tail. It found a tunnel to hide in and we didn't pursue it anymore. Vis was probably 50 ft at the spot.

It was an excellent dive with a tricky walk down large granite rocks. We also saw Large Northen red anemones, nudibranches, and a strange ballshaprd lifeform attached to a rock that would contract and expand. The drive up from Middletown, CT was 3 hrs just 1/2 hr more than to Jamestown. Maps of the area are available at Cape Anne divers who also give free dive tours of the area. With vis this great at this time of the year, I highly recommend a trip to Rockport for even novice divers since there are novice sites to explore as well as advanced sites. We will surely go again.

Chris

[adshepard]

We dove Cathedral rock in Rockport Mass today. Bottom temp 45 F...

Chris

Was up that way myself yesterday. Did two dives at Folly Cove just down the road. Had a bottom temperature of 48f on the first dive, but that was shallow at only 31' on the east side at mid-tide. Did the second dive on the west side down to 51' and had a bottom temperature of 46f at just about high tide. Visibility was great on the first dive at about 15'+. Second dive it was reduced to 10'+. Seems to be lots of marine plant growth this year. Plenty of flounder and other fish about in addition to the usual invertebrates. I too highly recommend the Cape Ann area for divers of all levels. Other than the Eastport, Maine area it is probably the best dive area in New England.

DSDO

Alan

[MidniteSiren]

I will be takign my 1st trip to Cape Anne this comming 4th of July weekend. I'm lookign forward to it very much.
I'll keep my eyes peeled for monster lobsters

Carla

[alemaozinho]

cape ann is troughout beautyful to dive,cathedral rocks is the deepest shore dive up there , very beautyful ,you should check out narragansett bay in Rhode Island,lots of wrecks there to see. peace

[nusspli]

I have also seen some truely MASSIVE lobsters diving at Cape Ann. Their claws were as long as my forearem! It's always fun to play with them and then let them go back to their homes.

[quimby]

Never did any beach diving up there, but havent heard of any good sized bugs there either. Now did Homarus T Rex and his cohorts ever break the 5lb weigh in. I can see bigger bugs there as they cant get into the parlor trap but the folks I talked with are saying anything over 10lbs is akin to hens teeth even on the offshore wrecks

[adshepard]

I have also seen some truely MASSIVE lobsters diving at Cape Ann. Their claws were as long as my forearem! It's always fun to play with them and then let them go back to their homes.

I've seen some big lobster off Cape Ann but they don't compare to those in Maine or further up in Nova Scotia that I've seen. They can be so big up north that they are intimidating. Gigantomungous (new word) might describe them best.


DSDO

Alan