wall diving from shore ?

diverklondike · 8th January 2008, 15:23

Quote: (Originally Posted by Dave Sutton)

Somebody beat me to Castle Hill... We had huge Mola Mola there last time we dove it, and the topography is near vertical. You can toss a stone off of the beach and have it fall into nearly 200 feet of water.

Oh, did you meant something out of Rhode Island?

.
You know we South County Swamp-Yankees hate to go out of state....

Dave

.

So when are we going???

Nad · 8th January 2008, 15:29

If you ever come around here, Lake Maggiore (Switzerland/Italy) has some karst deep and vertical walls down to over 200 meters.

Rebreather friendly everywhere.

Nad

silent running · 8th January 2008, 18:33

Hi Michael, if you don't mind taking a long-3+hr-trip to get to the shore, you could try camping on Mona Island, which is part of Puerto Rico and a national park. The water is calmest and passage from western PR is easiest in the Summer. The island is protected and has very nice sheer walls droping off to abysyal depths very near to shore, maybe only a few hundred feet out in some spots. I have only dived there once 6 years ago, but it was a really healthy environment with good sized fish and some reef sharks.

There are at least 2 tech dive shops in PR and I remember that both had helium. Dive shops on the West side of the island have trips out to Mona in the Summer. You could also try the same idea in Turks and Caicos-camping on one of the small islands like West Sand Spit. There are very nice walls near to shore in those uninhabited out islands and TCI has O2 tech for CCR support/he. TCI and Mona had the most verticle walls I have seen in this hemisphere. -Andy

brandonmc · 8th January 2008, 22:17

Any more info on Castle Hill? Location, access, etc? Thanks.

OceanOpportunity · 8th January 2008, 22:22

Ocean Drive, Newport RI. I think there is a good descriptive on how to get there in the RI Adventure Diving Books. It's a litle tricky to find the right spot on your first trip there. Actually, with the incredibly mild weather we have this week, maybe I'll head out for a swim. Vis has been tremendous (as usual) this time of year here in RI

Quote: (Originally Posted by brandonmc)

Any more info on Castle Hill? Location, access, etc? Thanks.

Tom Rose · 8th January 2008, 22:35

Several places in the Caymans will work but my favorite place for shore diving onto walls....really deep water is Roatan, Honduras. The swim to the reef is about 5 minutes from the CoCo View beach. The initial drop is 130 or so feet if you swim east along the wall then you can go almost to China.

You will need to arrange helium, but otherwise the facility is friendly in terms of oxygen. Bring your own sorb.

CoCo View is a great resort...I have been there 18 times since 1990 on my first trip. They treat you as an adult. Nuff Said.

Check out my website for pictures from CoCo View.

Tom

Pelagian · 8th January 2008, 22:58

Everyones already done a really good job of plugging Divetech, but one new feature i'd like to add is the new shore dive at Light House point.

I was back there for a couple of weeks in Oct, but while it was too rough to dive, all of my old deep diving buddies said the wall there was gorgeous and completely un-touched.

Yes, i know I'm biased having worked there, but the wall doesn't stop for over a kilometer, is a short swim from shore and Divetech really does have everything a rebreather diver needs, and now for the first time in years there's a completely unexplored shore site. I declare open season on Light House point! First to find a cool formation gets to name it!

Good hunting

Seb

**Dave Sutton** · 9th January 2008, 01:11

Quote: (Originally Posted by diverklondike)

So when are we going???

Anytime you like. It's a great scooter dive. If you really want action, we can dive the Cape Fear, an absolutely intact ferro-cement freighter at 190' just 200 yards from the beach about a quarter mile away from Castle Hill in the middle of the East Passage. It's only divable winters due to traffic in the channel.

Let me get Radomski's scooter tuned in and we'll go. Might want the Boston Whaler and a guy to run it (we shotline and liveboat due to current, ship traffic, and depth) for the Cape Fear.

Calling Jay Harding....

Dave

.

**Dave Sutton** · 9th January 2008, 01:16

Quote: (Originally Posted by brandonmc)

Any more info on Castle Hill? Location, access, etc? Thanks.

It's really easiest (and safest) out of a boat. Hiking down the rocks with dive gear is way too much work, and if you exit at the wrong spot... well, it ain't pretty.

For our dives, We use a 17 foot Boston Whaler for two divers and a boat driver. Dress ashore and jump into the boat. Put you up against the beach (25 feet away), swim towards the beach until you see the bottom, and then descend on the wall. Swim upcurrent and then be picked up by the boat. You can send up a SMB and free-deco while the boat guards you, or deco on the wall (suggest the latter). Saves LOTS of hiking. We put in at Fort Weatherill just across the East Passage, about a 3 minute Boston Whaler ride away. Suggest you have a local take you (at least the first time). Needs to be done at slack current, and the current is NOT at high tide or low tide... you need a copy of Eldridge (and know how to use it) to find the minimum current time of the day. You can read there too why slack current and high or low tide times are not coincidental. It's too complex to describe here, but trust me: Don't jump in at high tide thinking it's slack current because it's not.

Funny, I happen to know a local with a suitable boat who does dive-guiding there...

Dave

.

Heavy Breather · 9th January 2008, 03:16

Quote: (Originally Posted by OceanOpportunity)

thanks for all the feedback...

for my fellow yankees...yes, I'lm very familair with Castle Hill..the shore entry isless than desireable, but as good as it gets for an easy deep dive here in RI.

I'm hoping to find something in the Caribbean (should've been more specific in my post). We have a small bit of funding to continue our deepwater research, but are being as frugal as possible so eliminating the need for a boat is the first step in this direction.

For those who have been to Divetech....Is the deep wall accessible from shore? or is it a bit much of a swim while carrying all your regular stuff plus cameras, science supplies, etc. I guess we could always scooter to the edge

If Cayman is your destination, also try the south west end of the Island. Sunset House is 10 min walk from downtown, has an amazing house reef that drops to 2000+ ft, less than 100 yards from the dock. That a fair drink of water in my book. I did most of my CCR and trimix courses there years ago. Should be able to get sorb and boosted O2 and Helium. give them a email.
See link below.
www.sunsethouse.com
If you can hitch a lift from a dive boat going out, then you can dive the Carrie Lee and swim back to the resort. Starts in about 180ft and goes to about 240ft where it sticks over the edge of the abyss. Awsome dive for a CCR. Swim north along the wall until you hit Sunset trench turn right and then your home.

All the people I used to know are gone or moved on after Hurricane Ivan, but I loved it because everything was handy. I went every year for 5 years. Reg and Erika moved away but during the Zero Gravity years we had a blast and saw some great walls. Eagle rays, Hammers, pelagics reef sharks. Mmmm, good times.

HB

8th January 2008, 15:23	#11 (permalink)
diverklondike RBW Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Delaware, USA Posts: 1,711	Re: wall diving from shore ? Quote: (Originally Posted by Dave Sutton) Somebody beat me to Castle Hill... We had huge Mola Mola there last time we dove it, and the topography is near vertical. You can toss a stone off of the beach and have it fall into nearly 200 feet of water. Oh, did you meant something out of Rhode Island? . You know we South County Swamp-Yankees hate to go out of state.... Dave . So when are we going???
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8th January 2008, 15:29	#12 (permalink)
Nad Rebel to the Bone Current Rebreather/s: Ouroboros Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Inspiration Classic Other CCR Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Europe Posts: 1,014	Re: wall diving from shore ? If you ever come around here, Lake Maggiore (Switzerland/Italy) has some karst deep and vertical walls down to over 200 meters. Rebreather friendly everywhere. Nad __________________ The Impossible is often the Untried
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8th January 2008, 18:33	#13 (permalink)
silent running Mature mouth breather Current Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: U.S.A. Brooklyn, New York Posts: 1,873	Re: wall diving from shore ? Hi Michael, if you don't mind taking a long-3+hr-trip to get to the shore, you could try camping on Mona Island, which is part of Puerto Rico and a national park. The water is calmest and passage from western PR is easiest in the Summer. The island is protected and has very nice sheer walls droping off to abysyal depths very near to shore, maybe only a few hundred feet out in some spots. I have only dived there once 6 years ago, but it was a really healthy environment with good sized fish and some reef sharks. There are at least 2 tech dive shops in PR and I remember that both had helium. Dive shops on the West side of the island have trips out to Mona in the Summer. You could also try the same idea in Turks and Caicos-camping on one of the small islands like West Sand Spit. There are very nice walls near to shore in those uninhabited out islands and TCI has O2 tech for CCR support/he. TCI and Mona had the most verticle walls I have seen in this hemisphere. -Andy Last edited by silent running : 8th January 2008 at 18:36.
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8th January 2008, 22:17	#14 (permalink)
brandonmc is awesome Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 114	Re: wall diving from shore ? Any more info on Castle Hill? Location, access, etc? Thanks. __________________ http://www.downtoolong.com/
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8th January 2008, 22:22	#15 (permalink)
OceanOpportunity for a world of water Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Dolphin Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Inspiration Classic Other CCR Dolphin Home Build Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Providence, RI USA Posts: 594	Re: wall diving from shore ? Ocean Drive, Newport RI. I think there is a good descriptive on how to get there in the RI Adventure Diving Books. It's a litle tricky to find the right spot on your first trip there. Actually, with the incredibly mild weather we have this week, maybe I'll head out for a swim. Vis has been tremendous (as usual) this time of year here in RI Quote: (Originally Posted by brandonmc) Any more info on Castle Hill? Location, access, etc? Thanks. __________________ Michael Lombardi Oceans of Opportunity www.oceanopportunity.com Elected Director, Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments MN'07, The Explorers Club Project Manager, Diving a Dream
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8th January 2008, 22:35	#16 (permalink)
Tom Rose Still Learning Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Other CCR Home Build Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: USA,North Carolina Posts: 331	Re: wall diving from shore ? Several places in the Caymans will work but my favorite place for shore diving onto walls....really deep water is Roatan, Honduras. The swim to the reef is about 5 minutes from the CoCo View beach. The initial drop is 130 or so feet if you swim east along the wall then you can go almost to China. You will need to arrange helium, but otherwise the facility is friendly in terms of oxygen. Bring your own sorb. CoCo View is a great resort...I have been there 18 times since 1990 on my first trip. They treat you as an adult. Nuff Said. Check out my website for pictures from CoCo View. Tom __________________ The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime I have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability I'll get it wrong the first time. www.atlimp.com
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8th January 2008, 22:58	#17 (permalink)
Pelagian Multi-Circuit Meg Monkey! Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Inspiration Vision Evolution Sport Kiss Optima Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Leeds, England Posts: 310	Re: wall diving from shore ? Everyones already done a really good job of plugging Divetech, but one new feature i'd like to add is the new shore dive at Light House point. I was back there for a couple of weeks in Oct, but while it was too rough to dive, all of my old deep diving buddies said the wall there was gorgeous and completely un-touched. Yes, i know I'm biased having worked there, but the wall doesn't stop for over a kilometer, is a short swim from shore and Divetech really does have everything a rebreather diver needs, and now for the first time in years there's a completely unexplored shore site. I declare open season on Light House point! First to find a cool formation gets to name it! Good hunting Seb __________________ 'Because... I was Inverted!'
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9th January 2008, 01:11	#18 (permalink)
Dave Sutton Diveshop of Horrors Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss MK 15.X rEvo Other CCR Azimuth Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Evolution Megalodon rEvo Other CCR Azimuth Home Build Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Narragansett, Rhode Island and Hackettstown, New Jersey Posts: 2,905	Re: wall diving from shore ? Quote: (Originally Posted by diverklondike) So when are we going??? Anytime you like. It's a great scooter dive. If you really want action, we can dive the Cape Fear, an absolutely intact ferro-cement freighter at 190' just 200 yards from the beach about a quarter mile away from Castle Hill in the middle of the East Passage. It's only divable winters due to traffic in the channel. Let me get Radomski's scooter tuned in and we'll go. Might want the Boston Whaler and a guy to run it (we shotline and liveboat due to current, ship traffic, and depth) for the Cape Fear. Calling Jay Harding.... Dave . __________________ "Silent Diving with No Bubbles and No Politics".... www.nobubblediving.com
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9th January 2008, 01:16	#19 (permalink)
Dave Sutton Diveshop of Horrors Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss MK 15.X rEvo Other CCR Azimuth Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Evolution Megalodon rEvo Other CCR Azimuth Home Build Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Narragansett, Rhode Island and Hackettstown, New Jersey Posts: 2,905	Re: wall diving from shore ? Quote: (Originally Posted by brandonmc) Any more info on Castle Hill? Location, access, etc? Thanks. It's really easiest (and safest) out of a boat. Hiking down the rocks with dive gear is way too much work, and if you exit at the wrong spot... well, it ain't pretty. For our dives, We use a 17 foot Boston Whaler for two divers and a boat driver. Dress ashore and jump into the boat. Put you up against the beach (25 feet away), swim towards the beach until you see the bottom, and then descend on the wall. Swim upcurrent and then be picked up by the boat. You can send up a SMB and free-deco while the boat guards you, or deco on the wall (suggest the latter). Saves LOTS of hiking. We put in at Fort Weatherill just across the East Passage, about a 3 minute Boston Whaler ride away. Suggest you have a local take you (at least the first time). Needs to be done at slack current, and the current is NOT at high tide or low tide... you need a copy of Eldridge (and know how to use it) to find the minimum current time of the day. You can read there too why slack current and high or low tide times are not coincidental. It's too complex to describe here, but trust me: Don't jump in at high tide thinking it's slack current because it's not. Funny, I happen to know a local with a suitable boat who does dive-guiding there... Dave . __________________ "Silent Diving with No Bubbles and No Politics".... www.nobubblediving.com Last edited by Dave Sutton : 9th January 2008 at 01:22.
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9th January 2008, 03:16	#20 (permalink)
Heavy Breather RBW Writer Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Megalodon Sport Kiss Classic Kiss Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 27	Re: wall diving from shore ? Quote: (Originally Posted by OceanOpportunity) thanks for all the feedback... for my fellow yankees...yes, I'lm very familair with Castle Hill..the shore entry isless than desireable, but as good as it gets for an easy deep dive here in RI. I'm hoping to find something in the Caribbean (should've been more specific in my post). We have a small bit of funding to continue our deepwater research, but are being as frugal as possible so eliminating the need for a boat is the first step in this direction. For those who have been to Divetech....Is the deep wall accessible from shore? or is it a bit much of a swim while carrying all your regular stuff plus cameras, science supplies, etc. I guess we could always scooter to the edge If Cayman is your destination, also try the south west end of the Island. Sunset House is 10 min walk from downtown, has an amazing house reef that drops to 2000+ ft, less than 100 yards from the dock. That a fair drink of water in my book. I did most of my CCR and trimix courses there years ago. Should be able to get sorb and boosted O2 and Helium. give them a email. See link below. www.sunsethouse.com If you can hitch a lift from a dive boat going out, then you can dive the Carrie Lee and swim back to the resort. Starts in about 180ft and goes to about 240ft where it sticks over the edge of the abyss. Awsome dive for a CCR. Swim north along the wall until you hit Sunset trench turn right and then your home. All the people I used to know are gone or moved on after Hurricane Ivan, but I loved it because everything was handy. I went every year for 5 years. Reg and Erika moved away but during the Zero Gravity years we had a blast and saw some great walls. Eagle rays, Hammers, pelagics reef sharks. Mmmm, good times. HB __________________ ( You can get a lot more done with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone. Al Capone’s Law ) Last edited by Heavy Breather : 9th January 2008 at 03:23.
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