adshepard
Contributor
Got a chance to head out to Folly Cove in Rockport/Gloucester, MA yesterday. Winds had been cooperative over the past day or so and with a predicted light south wind the cove would be pretty flat for the day. High tide was to be just after 11am so I arrived an hour before to get in two dives with relatively easy entry and exit.
The air temperature was about 35f when I arrived it topped out just over 42f when I finished the second dive just after 1pm. The water temperature was a cool 44f and the visibility 20 feet or so, better in deeper water. I went to just over forty feet on both dives.
No other divers were at the cove when I arrived which was a bit surprising given the near flat water and high tide. Did the first dive on the eastern side of the cove. Found a juvenile lumpfish (1.5") and colored a deep purple in about 15 feet of water. Took a couple of photos before it decided on settling in a spot where I couldn't get a shot.
Headed out to deeper water looking for some good subjects for the 1:1 extension tube I was using. Passed a number of lobster pots. Some looked as if they had been down for quite a while as the bait was gone and the traps were covered in hydroids and tunicates. The lines and buoys were still attached so they weren't lost just not taken up for a while.
Hit the large boulder area at the northern end looking for northern red anemones but found none. Headed back and checked out the lobster pots. I found one that was amazing. It was covered in hydroids and nudibranchs along with many eggs. There were four species on the trap, maybe more. Had to be close to forty nudibranchs easily visible. The most numerous on the trap were some very healthy Flabellina verrucosa, or red-gilled nudibranchs along with their numerous egg coils. There were also some large and small, Dendronotus frondosus, or bushy backed nudibranchs. I haven't identified the other species as they were quite small and I'll have to wait until I see the slides tomorrow for a proper identification.
After about an hour I exited the water. There were now two other divers suiting up. They were brave souls as they were diving wet. I gave them the water temperature and visibility report and they thanked me. I drank some hot chocolate and after a short surface interval headed out to the western side of the cove. The other divers probably entered a few minutes or so after me.
Went out to the tip of the western side. Fed the large northern red anemone (Methusaleh) that occupies a crack on the wall. It's been there at least thirty years according to some older divers. Scared up a skate in the sand. Found a number of deadman's fingers and smaller nudibranchs on the wall along with the usual, anemones, sponges, tunicates and hydroids. Noted a great deal more kelp growing on this side compared to the last few years. Also noted a great deal more sand pushed up closer to shore than in the summer.
After about fifty minutes I exited the water from the second dive. The other divers were just exiting too. The female part of the pair commented that they wished they had brought two tanks as the water was certainly nice enough for two dives.
Well that was the day at Folly Cove.
DSDO
Alan
The air temperature was about 35f when I arrived it topped out just over 42f when I finished the second dive just after 1pm. The water temperature was a cool 44f and the visibility 20 feet or so, better in deeper water. I went to just over forty feet on both dives.
No other divers were at the cove when I arrived which was a bit surprising given the near flat water and high tide. Did the first dive on the eastern side of the cove. Found a juvenile lumpfish (1.5") and colored a deep purple in about 15 feet of water. Took a couple of photos before it decided on settling in a spot where I couldn't get a shot.
Headed out to deeper water looking for some good subjects for the 1:1 extension tube I was using. Passed a number of lobster pots. Some looked as if they had been down for quite a while as the bait was gone and the traps were covered in hydroids and tunicates. The lines and buoys were still attached so they weren't lost just not taken up for a while.
Hit the large boulder area at the northern end looking for northern red anemones but found none. Headed back and checked out the lobster pots. I found one that was amazing. It was covered in hydroids and nudibranchs along with many eggs. There were four species on the trap, maybe more. Had to be close to forty nudibranchs easily visible. The most numerous on the trap were some very healthy Flabellina verrucosa, or red-gilled nudibranchs along with their numerous egg coils. There were also some large and small, Dendronotus frondosus, or bushy backed nudibranchs. I haven't identified the other species as they were quite small and I'll have to wait until I see the slides tomorrow for a proper identification.
After about an hour I exited the water. There were now two other divers suiting up. They were brave souls as they were diving wet. I gave them the water temperature and visibility report and they thanked me. I drank some hot chocolate and after a short surface interval headed out to the western side of the cove. The other divers probably entered a few minutes or so after me.
Went out to the tip of the western side. Fed the large northern red anemone (Methusaleh) that occupies a crack on the wall. It's been there at least thirty years according to some older divers. Scared up a skate in the sand. Found a number of deadman's fingers and smaller nudibranchs on the wall along with the usual, anemones, sponges, tunicates and hydroids. Noted a great deal more kelp growing on this side compared to the last few years. Also noted a great deal more sand pushed up closer to shore than in the summer.
After about fifty minutes I exited the water from the second dive. The other divers were just exiting too. The female part of the pair commented that they wished they had brought two tanks as the water was certainly nice enough for two dives.
Well that was the day at Folly Cove.
DSDO
Alan
