Consider New England Scuba Diving For An Experience With A Difference

By Ladonna Chambers


For most people, the ultimate diving destinations are those located at the coral reefs of tropical climates. The Caribbean or the Great Barrier Reef are often at the top of their list of must-visit dive spots, famed for their colorful and varied marine life. However, diving in cold water is nothing to be sneered at. It offers a completely different yet thrilling experience. If you want to try your hand at something new, be sure to explore the many adventures that New England scuba diving can offer you.

Tourists usually visit New England for the beautiful colors of the foliage in fall. However, the region has a huge variety of dive sites where you can explore the worlds under water. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine are obvious choices since they have a long stretch of Atlantic coastline and many islands offshore. However, Vermont is a great scuba destination too because of its many lakes.

The varied geography in the region means that you're spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing what type of diving you want to do. Whether you're into wreck diving, cave diving, diving at high altitudes, night diving, diving for oysters or lobster or even ice diving, you'll find it here. The only real limit is how skilled you are.

All the New England states except Vermont offer opportunities for saltwater diving. Here you'll get the chance to spot seals, whales, sharks and huge shoals of fish. About 150 wrecks along the coastline means that this is a wreck diver's paradise too. Some of the more interesting wrecks to explore are those of the submarine U-853 off the Rhode Island coast and the Coimbra off the coast of Connecticut. Both these wrecks date from the Second World War.

New England has around 2,500 lakes and ponds. Many of these make for great freshwater diving. Vermont's Lake Champlain, for instance, is a popular destination for diving wrecks as old as 200 years. You'll also find several quarries to explore underwater.

You don't have to wait for summer to go diving. Ice diving may not be for the faint-hearted, but it's a thrill like nothing you'll ever experience underwater. If this sounds too extreme for you, contact the diving club at the New England Aquarium for aquarium dives.

In terms of equipment, you'll need the usual safety gear for scuba diving. You'll also need a wetsuit in summer or a drysuit in winter, since the water is cold even when the weather is warm. Another thing to keep in mind is that visibility isn't great and a dive light will come in very handy.

If you want to dive in the region, it's a good idea to search diving websites and online forums first to find out what your options are. New England scuba shops and clubs are located near most of the main dive sites and will be happy to help you with tips and advice. They may even arrange trips for you so all you need to do is bring your camera.




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