Easiest Access to Tech Diving on the East Coast of the US

[Michael Guerrero]

Thought I'd crowd source this one as I plot my future. I'm looking for suggestions for places on the East Coast where access to tech diving depths is relatively easy. The most desirable for me would be to have shore access, with maybe a short scooter distance to a drop off, but I'm not sure if that exists. Of course, having something to look at down there would be nice too.

Having to depend on boats every time I want to do a tech dive in the ocean is kind of a bummer.

So, any suggestions?

 

[Steve_C]

We have the continental shelf. Of the caroiinas you cannot find any places with 100+ depth close to shore. Probably same for GA.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Thought I'd crowd source this one as I plot my future. I'm looking for suggestions for places on the East Coast where access to tech diving depths is relatively easy. The most desirable for me would be to have shore access, with maybe a short scooter distance to a drop off, but I'm not sure if that exists. Of course, having something to look at down there would be nice too.
Having to depend on boats every time I want to do a tech dive in the ocean is kind of a bummer.
So, any suggestions?

Where are you located? Or is distance not a factor? I could suggest places but if you are in the SE the NE may not make sense...

 

[tbone1004]

easiest access is either Hudson Grotto *120ft ish?* or Lake Jocassee *350ft*. Both have dive shops close by that can fill whatever you need which has to add into the discussion of "easy access". Doesn't do you any good if you can get to 150ft on the shore but the closest dive shop with helium or O2 is 3 hours away.
Both of these sites are fresh water, easy quick access. Not the most exciting places to dive in terms of stuff to see, but for easy access, nothing I know of really compares.
You probably aren't going to find shore diving to triple digit depths on this coast, and scooter distances are all within shore diving, just make the shore diving faster

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I'm talking exclusively about ocean diving, and anywhere along the East Cost of the US. I'm not worried about dive shop support as I can blend my own gas. Specifically interested in places where tech diving depths can be reached easily (ideally from shore).

 

[bamafan]

Jupiter, Fl area.

 

[bamafan]

Tom, have you been to Hudson Grotto? It is good for training but the only spot I remember that you can hit 120 ish or so is a little depression. Sort of a been there done that type thing.

 

[tbone1004]

Eric, been there, but he didn't specify stuff to look at, just tech diving depths. Which to me meant he wanted a place to practice decompression or whatever.
Does Jupiter hit triple digits in shore diving range? I didn't think it got much past 70 ish

I am not aware of any non training sites that aren't cave dives that really get deep quickly on this coast.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Fort Wetherill RI - 115 feet deep (about 200 feet off the shore) and deeper but it is tide dependent. If you have a scooter it may not be as tide dependent - follow the channel for deeper depths - 165 feet off Bull Point.

 

[bamafan]

Eric, been there, but he didn't specify stuff to look at, just tech diving depths. Which to me meant he wanted a place to practice decompression or whatever.
Does Jupiter hit triple digits in shore diving range? I didn't think it got much past 70 ish

I am not aware of any non training sites that aren't cave dives that really get deep quickly on this coast.

With a scooter you could definitely get into tech diving depths. 200+' isn't far off shore at all. With the large amount of dive charter boats in the area I would just go that route but with a scooter it is definitely possible.