Jake Jurczak's Dive Log

This is a dive I've loved over the years. OK, the cliffs are tough to negotiate, so go slow and don't carry too much [make two trips]. Please be courteous to other divers by placing your gear out of the way, as Dan Halligan pointed out, we ran into what we call in Polish, DZUPPA JURRA, which means, well you know…The entry is easy at high tide. I jump off the end rock, which points dead east. I recommend you descend immediately and follow the bottom contour to 80+. I've seen various types of marine life over the years: cod, stripers, wolf fish and a 4ft long BLUE SHARK that probably lost its mother [being so close to shore]. The marine life has all but disappeared over the years from over fishing, pollution, and the climate. I don't know, I'm not scientist, but it scares me. One cool thing about this dive is I keep finding MASSIVE LOBSTERS! The rumor is around Rockport that a rich Buddhist lady buys these monsters in Nova Scotia, and then releases them near Cathedral rocks. I recently wrestled this BADBOY out from his lair, and I mean he put up one hell of a fight. When all was said and done, he was over the legal limit and I wasted 500psi on this lobster. This is an entertaining dive and keep your eyes open for one of those Buddhist Lobsters. I hope to see ya there!! DIVE SAFELY!!!!

Nubble Light, Man… us New England divers are used to resorting to our rock climbing skills to get in or out of the water, but at Nubble your walking skills will do ya. I parked 100 feet from the entry point, then I suited up at the back of my truck and casually strolled to the 58 degree calm ocean. This was my first dive here, and my dive buddy was my wife's friend Robin, who is a hearty New Englander with a sense of adventure. Robin has dove here before and showed me the ropes, so to speak, with her knowledge of the bottom topography as well as currents, vis, and various places to explore. The dive was a lot of fun, and other than a small equipment malfunction, we had a great dive. I spotted various species of marine life, such as lobsters, Pollack, and cunnards. I surfaced and saw a boat heading straight for us, so be careful and fly your flag. Leave your dive bag behind, bring a friend who knows the dive site [THANX ROBIN] and I'll see you there. Dive carefully because it's the North Atlantic!.

The Chimneys is a fun dive and has something to offer for all levels of diver. OK, forget parking here-- I've never found a spot since 1974 -- enough said. I recommend that you drop off the gear, park at Nahant beach and mountain-bike back to the chimneys [2 miles]. I park at my friends house near 40 steps. The dive site is 40 yards from shore and you can see them breaking the surface at low tide to the left of the beach on the 40 steps side. When the tide is high, the Chimney peaks are 7 feet down. I prefer high tide and have reached a depth of around 26 feet. I descended along the pinnacle formation to the sandy bottom where I sighted various lobster pots, along with many lobbies hiding in the rocks, waiting for me to fill my dive bag with 1/2 of my surf-and-turf ritual. I managed to bag 8 or 9 keepers at the base of this underwater megalith. The VIS was exceptionally good this day [20 feet] and I enjoyed my solo dive with various species of marine life. The Chimneys has been a popular dive for years. I found an awesome spear gun here in the early 80's near the base of the rocks. Nahant is an island sold to white men for a suit of clothes by the local Indian chief, so you never know what you'll find around here: artifacts, treasure, mystery, and adventure above and below the ocean. I love New England like no other place and suggest you plan a dive at THE CHIMNEYS. So have a safe dive and I hope to see you there!

I love Folly cove, and recommend that you check this spot out. The cove is located on rte 127 near the Glouchester and Rockport line, so you shouldn't have any trouble locating it. We usually drop off the equipment at the small parking area, then we park near the little restaurant up the street. [Its 1/4 mile away, please park across the street from this establishment and not in their parking lot] I usually find a spot here, but you can park at Halibut point state park a little further down rte 127. [1/2 mile away so bring your mountain bike] Be sure to check the tide chart, because you want to dive this spot at high tide. The entry at low tide can be a lot of work, with slippery conditions. [I've seen many divers wipeout or twist an ankle] I've seen every inch of this cove over the years, but find the West side or left side preferable. I recommend that you swim at a leisurely pace because it's approximately 250+ yds to the desired descend area. The depth is in the 35 foot range depending on the tide. After descending, we like to head toward the mouth of the cove for half of our bottom time. This is a really nice place to explore, with its abundant marine life and various invertebrates. The topography of this dive should make navigation simple, even on a night dive, with its sheer cliff on one side. [it's on your left heading out and on your right heading in] These rocks have various holes, ledges and a chasm or two, that I've explored over the years. I always find something interesting. On one particular dive in 2004 we spotted a rather large Atlantic TORPEDO RAY! He or she was in 25 feet of water and around 30 feet from the base of the West wall. I estimate the ray to have been 4+ feet long and 1 1/2 feet wide with two gills visible on his head or dorsal area. With lousy vis, we managed to snap a few pictures of this beautiful specimen [only one came out]. This TORPEDO RAY is a kind of celebrity in these parts, having been seen by many divers over the last 2 years. Most NEW ENGLAND divers are familiar with this creature, and know enough not to touch or mess with it in any way. I read book warning of this Ray attacking anything that comes within 30 feet [what was this guy smoking?] This animal was docile and never moved [I was 7 to 10 feet away]. Please, be careful where you put your hands and feet on this dive, and remember, it's his home not yours and he has 220 volts to let you know it [this shock will blow your reg out of your mouth and heat up the fillings in your teeth, so again BE CAREFUL] On your way in, be sure to check out some of the rock formations. I like to sit on ledges like I'm having a break [this makes a great picture] and you get the feeling that you’re a bird perched on a cliff [good vis helps]. Don’t mess with the shellfish, and I don't recommend taking anything from the cove. Check the posted signs on the telephone pole near the small parking lot. I hope this information is helpful to you, so again have a safe dive, and I hope to see you at Folly cove.

This place was great for a relaxing dive while taking a day off from skiing. This site was about 20 minutes from Park city, and right near my buddies house in Midway. The entry into the volcanic rock formation [BEEHIVE} was extremely cool. It looked as though it was tunneled out by the miners who settled in this area a 135 yrs ago. This tunnel leads to the water filled crater and a small dock protruding. The water was crystal clear, and lit up at various depths by a set of lights that added to the beauty of this cave. I saw several submerged platforms, which are used to conduct dive classes of all levels. Homestead is considered a novice to advanced dive with a max depth of 66 feet, but, if you're planning to train for cave diving, I suggest you check this place out for its cave simulation qualities. You can rent the gear for short money. My personal gear was back in Boston, and you'll probably drown wearing your ski equipment. SO… Pack your mask in the luggage for your next trip to GOD' s country. If you live near this site I probably know you, so Ill see you here in February and hopefully all of you. OH YEAH… NO FLYING for 12 hours after this one, go skiing instead and I'll see you on the slopes!

This was a Very dangerous dive but well worth the experience to a well planed and equipped diver. I recommend using a tech style set up with duel cylinders. Keep a close eye monitoring your mix, and descend slowly. This dive has claimed many a skillful diver including people with military dive training. You'll want to pay strict attention to yourself and your buddy, watching for nitrogen narcosis. It will kill you on this dive, so be careful, be calm, be cool, and this dive can be a great experience. It's a good idea to go with an experienced diver to show you the ropes. This site is a great conversation piece and you can be proud, because after this you deserve it. If this dive is not your forte, the gulf of Aqubar offers some of the most beautiful diving I've ever seen. I hope you have a safe dive and I hope to see you in Egypt.

I love diving in New England; we have the ocean in our blood. The cold water, the tough entries, the rough currents, bring 'em on baby. This site has close parking. I parked at the end of Lexington Ave. My dive buddy and I suited up at the truck and walked about 300 feet to the entry point. OK PAY ATTENTION!!! As you head out on to the rocks, proceed to the left (we found this much easier). I saw other divers being pummeled over on the right side [OUCH]. After carefully entering the water, we descended to 10 feet. The dive was very cool, with a green luminescent overtone. There were various rock formations teaming with lobster. [I took 10 keepers home for my Sunday Surf and Turf ritual] The ocean was surging at a depth of 30+ feet and it was fun to drift and observe marine life. The exit was tough. Take your time and save a little extra air just in case you need rest. [The waves can make a snorkel difficult]. All-in-all a great dive, especially if you're hungry. Be extra careful on this one and I hope to see you there.

This is a lesson in coral reef destruction, PLEASE, don't touch the coral. Let this be a learning experience for us and local tour guides. I spent my dive wondering why the hell this happened. I recommend every diver see this one and study the carnage this reef has sustained. I'm no Green Peace radical, but COME ON !!! Don't get me wrong, Aruba possesses many breathtaking dive sites.

This site is very beautiful and worth checking out. OK, lets get to the gear haul. I parked at the Atlantis and walked over to this dive site. I recommend you drop the gear off and park at Sals pizza, or get creative [like all divers should be]. There is a decent entry point across from the ELKS but don't park there because the cheese will NAIL YA. The entry point has small to medium sized rocks [mostly round] so be careful and take your time. The dive was really cool. We took a reference point on shore [the hotel across the street] and off we went. The vis was good and surge wasn't bad. We snorkeled out approx 200 yards and descended to 30 feet. I was impressed with the natural beauty of the rock formations that were covered with weed and ribbon kelp. We headed parallel to the shore and sited many types of marine life. I caught many large lobsters, but released them for another day. We spotted a very large winter ray and took various pictures of this place and each other, all in all a very fun dive. Plan your dive, take a current reading, bring a shore buddy and don't over exert your self. The exit was tough; I needed help getting out [thanx Dan]. One more note: the sea was calm when we entered the water, but within 20 minutes white caps were prevalent, so be careful and watch for these changes in conditions. Also remember, this is the North Atlantic, not Palm Beach in Aruba. I recommend this site for all levels, so have nice safe dive, and I hope to see you there.

I spent many a summers day diving {swan} from the running rock, which can reach a height of 40 feet at low tide. This is a great dive for all levels. I learned to snorkel here in the 70's and eventually sharpened my scuba skills in the relatively shallow inlet. OK, now let's get to the gear haul. I park at the top of the steps and carry my EQ down to the beach. If you don't know any locals, I recommend you park at the public lot near Lynn Beach and take your mountain bike back to the dive site. DO NOT park at the library because they will nail ya. There's plenty of fun things to see on this dive. I've caught many lobsters at this spot and seen a variety of marine life. Enjoy your dive and have a fun safe time, I hope to see you there.

This dive is a long walk from the parking lot, but worth every step. I recommend using a two wheeler to hump the gear, you can make it within 150 yards of shore, then carry it the remaining distance. I had my non-diving buddies help with the long haul and a promise of lobster. Plan your entry carefully as well as your dive plan. I saw many types of marine life, crabs, stripers, starfish as well as many lobsters. The bottom was really cool with many types of rock formations and granite piles litter the bottom. In 25 feet, I caught an extremely massive lobster, we estimated 20 lbs plus, we all agreed it was the largest we ever saw. This is an exciting site; watch the current and make reference points on the shore. Take the scenic hike slow, and I hope to see you there!!!