Manta's Dive Log

My fellow divers have pretty much got it. If you dive it in the winter, be EXCEEDINGLY careful!! The entry rocks ice-up like nobody's business and if the waves slam into the sheltered cove from the north there is great danger of being slammed into the rocks if you don't time it just right. I went in 2 times on some pretty rough surge and surf. I call it the "giant washing machine". The best thing to do is before entry, dump your BC's air and go in heavy, get beneath the surge and surf as quickly as possible, kicking out into the cove, surface and wait for your team with your back into the waves. Then upon regrouping, descend and drop over the north wall for calmer conditions and better viz. Both dives that were nightmarish going in, were 2 of my most beautiful dives for the wall diving.

This site is called "Newcastle Commons" by natives like me. :) If you absolutely have to get wet, this dive's for you. Uninteresting bottom topo (fairly rocky with lots of rockweed), and very few critters. The main entry area is the sandy beaches to the left of the stone jetty, but I chose the jetty. Gets deeper quickly, vis was dismal even by New England standards. 5-8' MAX. But is a Really nice park, for non divers and families. If the dive conditions deteriorate, kick back and have a BBQ!!

If you had a good BB gun you could hit Pulpit from Seal rocks just to the south. Not a bad site, rocky going out to sandy bottom. Saw a big school of stripers. Tricky entry and exit. Watch the weather. If the wind is from the southeast, be careful, as it will toss you around and you'll be fighting surge.

I dove this site this past fall. Not bad, interesting bottom topo and flora, not too many critters. It must be beautiful when in bloom. Watch your exit, though, if there's is a lot of wrack or surge, footing may be treacherous. Will dive again.