Ray Clark's Dive Log

Update on A Street entry in Belmar. The narrow steps have been replaced with a rough concrete ramp and two entry points which should eliminate waiting lines to get into/out of the water.

Townsend and Corson Inlets would be a lot of work and look like boring dives. The Sea Isle side of Townsend might be good for freediving spearfishing since fishermen can't get to the rock pile and it's too much work for scuba. The south side, Avalon side of the inlet has parking and a rock jetty with a lot of fishermen on it. Someone younger may consider rock climbing but not me. None of the fishermen on either side seemed to be catching any keepers so the inlet proper probably isn't good for spearos either. There is a $1.50 cash only, no EZPass toll on the bridge so if you are heading south on the GSP and you want to go to the Sea Isle side get off at the Sea Isle exit (17?) Head east into Sea Isle, there is a sign on the right pointing to beach badge sales but I never saw a badge checker. At the last light turn right and head south to the bridge. The north side, Sea Isle side has a park on the west side of the road just at the bridge. There is shaded parking, rest room and water fountain. To do this side you need a Sherpa and support crew to watch your dive cart. There is a handicap mat to make pulling the cart over the dunes easier but for some inexplicable reason there is a step up onto the mat. This is where the Sherpa comes in :) Once over the dunes the mat runs out, the beach runs out to the bridge. There is a sign that beach badges must be worn however I did not see anyone checking them. This is a typical Jersey beach and probably a sand dessert on the bottom. You could enter the water here and swim out against the current but if you look at the pictures you'll see it's a long way. The shortest way to the rock pile would be a straight line but that's a nesting area and off limits. The rock pile would be the most interesting thing here to dive and it's out of reach for fishermen but it's in the surf zone of the Sea Isle beach so it's going to be limited viz. This is listed as a beach dive but a boat would be better.

Most think the wreck at the Bluff's is the Creole. From TB's description of 1500' north and the last jetty I think he was diving the Bluff's, just parking in a different location.

Wakatobi is a PIA to get to but worth the trip. Secure your carry-on because there probably won't be room in the cabin and it will need to be checked and out of your sight until you arrive at Wakatobi. I had cash stolen from mine. The plane will probably stop in Timor to refuel, pack toilet paper because there isn't any in the terminal but you probably discovered that in Bali too. The house reef is gorgeous as are all of the others which presents a problem, what to give up or how to squeeze in another beach dive.

Diving at this site no longer requires a permit. The requirement for a permit has been stopped as it was unworkable. -- updated January 2009.

Good news, bad news; this is a great site but if the resort is busy there will be a sign up near the entrance saying "No shore diving". There is a wall at the right height for slipping into your BC, but if that entry is busy waddle up to the right and there is another pool you can jump into and then swim out. The shallows are beat up by the surf but you will find peacock flounder, squid and trunkfish all looking for dinner. There is also a resident octopus living in a ball of chain. At about the 28' line you start finding sponges, fans and anemones. As you get deeper there is more life. Straight out from the entry is a landing craft and to its right is the mermaid. The Atlantis sub visits both so if you hear whining be prepared to entertain the pod people. Be careful, this whole reef is under the mooring field for Sunset House's fleet and right next to their dock. There are three ladders to get out, but two I wouldn't go near in a surge.

This wreck may have sanded over, as we were unable to find it in Nov 2005.

Update on Sea Grape: they now have a dive shop if you need gear (all ScubaPro) or air. It opened 10/2005. When you enter the Plantation follow the road (what passes for roads on Roatan) to the right keeping the new Sea Grapes rooms (yellow and orange) to your left. DO NOT dive in the bay where the dive boats are, as this is where the West End dumps its raw sewage! I was unable to check out the shore diving as I had a flight out in the morning to Utila.

Disclaimer, no diving is allowed within 300' of the Commercial St. Pier but this was a clean-up dive, well at least 1 of the 3 I did here! Ask a LDS about doing a clean-up dive here, it's definitely worth it! Under the pier were bait fish being worked by Jacks, Permit, Blue runners and Cuda waiting. A moving wall of Lookdowns. There are sandcastle looking blocks that are home to cleaners, Arrow crabs and at least one Scorpion fish. On the Swiss cheese reef I saw Sharptail Eels, Turtles and Glassy Sweepers. Near shore are Southern Stingrays. The three blocks south are pretty much the same but without the big schools of fish. Instead of feeding the meters park at the Commercial St. Pier lot, $5 a day during the week and $7 on weekends. There are showers at the end of every street.

Off season the parking and walk are easy. There is even a wall/curb just the right height for putting on your tank. The entry on the inside of the jetty is a shallow beach but I would not do this jetty in anything but flat seas, the surge on the outside will put you into the rocks before you see them in the normal vis for here.

The Adonis and the Rusland are known as the dual wrecks. The Adonis is a wood wreck with a cargo of grinding stones all lined up. The Rusland was a steel steamer that came to rest on top of the Adonis, all that remains are the boilers and prop shaft. Good news/Bad news, this is probably the coolest NJ beach dive BUT it has the longest walk. Beach access is a path just north of 717 Ocean Ave. Drop off your gear already set up, have someone stay with it while you find a parking spot, I use a church a block south on the west side. Slep your gear toward the ocean; a little red wagon would be nice here but there are steps at the end of the path. The good news is there is a wall to sit on and rest if you are wearing the gear. Walk out to the ocean and turn right, climb over the first jetty and walk south halfway to the next. This beach belongs to the church so do not litter, because some divers did we can't shortcut through the church anymore. Swim out lining up the cross and the statue, enjoy!

This is the only NJ wreck I know of where you must file a dive plan with the police. Easy walk from the car. If vis is bad this can be hard to find. A lot of china has been found here, just never by me!

Two Choices here. At a Street entry one block inland on the Belmar side, there are narrow steps going down to the water. All diving is east to the ocean. The other choice is park on the Avon side and entry is a giant stride off the bridge base; exit is climb back over the rocks, but the plus is showers next to the boardwalk. Both sides, all diving from Memorial Day to Labor Day is dusk to dawn, a flag is a must, watch out for fishing lines and stay out of the channel. Best diving is high slack tide when vis is best, and lately that has been 15-20'. The usual mix of Jersey marine life is among the rocks. Once you get comfortable with this site and the ocean is flat you can ride the tide out from the Avon side, the north running current will take you up the beach and you walk back up the beach to the showers.

Easy entry and to avoid the silt out caused by the hoards of students, let the current take you under the bridge and explore the brick pile along the RR causeway. Stay away from the marina; it's shallow and nothing to see. On the right side of the park you will now find a port-a-john.

Can sometimes be a difficult entry through the surf and hard to locate. Other than the boilers and some other steel there isn't a lot here.

A better option here would be to get permission from AKR to swim from the dive shop dock to the plane (DC3?) buoy, this is in the boat channel between Anthony and Bailey Keys so a dive flag is a must. This is used by AKR as a night dive a few times a week.