What's it like being a diver living in NYC?

[doctormike]

I'm ignorant but for whatever reason I don't associate the Long Island / New Jersey coasts with exciting marine life - just wrecks and only wrecks.

Sea life requires structure, whether it's coral reefs or shipwrecks. The difference is that all coral reefs have the same history ("a billion polyps died here"). The wrecks are fascinating, and one of the few places that you can visit an incredible archeological treasure like that on your own.

 

[WantSomeScuba?]

NYC is TOTALLY a diver's mecca. I swear that I'm not kidding when I say this, but I would MUCH rather dive here (Jersey Shore and Long Island) than in the Caribbean.

Our club is all about diving in the NYC area, and I'm passionate about this stuff. Tomorrow night is our zoom meeting where I release the local diving schedule, but I'm more than happy to chat with you on the phone (I'm the past president and current dive chair).

The wildlife here is AMAZING, we live on the edge of a vibrant marine ecosystem. Plus, since it's right in our backyard, you can visit it every weekend in the season, without air travel or taking time off work.

The wrecks here are real wrecks with a lot of history. NYC has been a major shipping port for 500 years. A lot of WW2 was fought just off our shores, and there are U-boats and their victims to visit.

Here's the club.

Here's my wiki on diving in the NYC area.

And here's my children's book on NYC area sea life.

PM me if you want to talk, there are answers to all of your questions.

Brother, you are the type of human who keeps the diving world go round. That type of enthusiasm makes me want to come back to the area and do more diving--even more so than the desire to lounge on a tropical beach on my surface intervals.

 

[Omisson]

Are you saying boroughs folk are tougher than Manhattan? Do we need to take this outside?

I think he’s saying there are 4 boroughs in New York City that have houses, cars, easy access to boat launches, shore diving sites, and lots of divers....

 

[doctormike]

Brother, you are the type of human who keeps the diving world go round. That type of enthusiasm makes me want to come back to the area and do more diving--even more so than the desire to lounge on a tropical beach on my surface intervals.

Come back!

I'm supposed to go to Newfoundland in May, not sure if the border will be open by then.... Now THERE'S a diving mecca.

 

[doctormike]

I think he’s saying there are 4 boroughs in New York City that have houses, cars, easy access to boat launches, shore diving sites, and lots of divers....

There actually was one dive boat in Brooklyn that you could get to by subway, and that rented tanks and gear. The Jeanne II. Boy do I miss that boat. And captain Bill just died last week. Fair winds and following seas, captain.

There is also Captain Mike in City Island (part of the Bronx) - I haven't been out there. But City Island is in the sound, not the ocean.

Pretty much everything else comes out of the NJ shore or the south shore of LI and requires a car. Fewer boats in recent years on LI. I do most of my diving in NJ. Great shore diving there too..

 

[Divin'Papaw]

NYC is TOTALLY a diver's mecca. I swear that I'm not kidding when I say this, but I would MUCH rather dive here (Jersey Shore and Long Island) than in the Caribbean.

Our club is all about diving in the NYC area, and I'm passionate about this stuff. Tomorrow night is our zoom meeting where I release the local diving schedule, but I'm more than happy to chat with you on the phone (I'm the past president and current dive chair).

The wildlife here is AMAZING, we live on the edge of a vibrant marine ecosystem. Plus, since it's right in our backyard, you can visit it every weekend in the season, without air travel or taking time off work.

The wrecks here are real wrecks with a lot of history. NYC has been a major shipping port for 500 years. A lot of WW2 was fought just off our shores, and there are U-boats and their victims to visit.

Here's the club.

Here's my wiki on diving in the NYC area.

And here's my children's book on NYC area sea life.

PM me if you want to talk, there are answers to all of your questions.

I love this! I’ve never been to NYC outside of the airports and I still love this! I’m a huge fan of ‘local’ diving. I was when I lived in Indiana and I am living in South Florida. Learn your local dive scene and explore!

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I'm supposed to go to Newfoundland in May

Very curious north or south shore of Newfoundland? I have been there - never dove there. And I have been thinking about a trip up there - I am not ready yet but always ready to learn about new destinations.
Thanks

 

[doctormike]

Almost all of the diving in Newfoundland (as far as I know) is in Conception Bay (off the peninsula in southeast NF), that's where the Bell Island wrecks are, and where we did the Iceberg dive. There's a cool shore dive off the town of Dildo (nearby Trinity Bay) at an old whaling station, where you can see whale skeletons.

The diving is AMAZING...!

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Almost all of the diving in Newfoundland (as far as I know) is in Conception Bay (off the peninsula in southeast NF), that's where the Bell Island wrecks are, and where we did the Iceberg dive. There's a cool shore dive off the town of Dildo (nearby Trinity Bay) at an old whaling station, where you can see whale skeletons.

The diving is AMAZING...!

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I'm sorry, did you say "a town called Dildo"?

 

[doctormike]

I'm sorry, did you say "a town called Dildo"?

I did.