The Shark River Inlet (Belmar, NJ)

The Shark River is one of the more popular shore diving locations in New Jersey. In the summer and fall it is common to see tropical fish such as seahorses, angel fish and butterfly fish. Lobster hunting is also common among night divers here. There are a few areas where divers can enter the river - either side of the inlet offers rock jetties as well as upstream at Avenue A and in the back bay area at Avenue L. There is adequate signage that outlines restrictions as to where and when you can dive.

 

Round Valley Reservoir (Clinton, NJ)

The reservoir is a freshwater diving area that is known for good visibility and moderate temperatures. With an average depth of 60 feet, it is a good dive for the beginner to intermediate diver. It is approachable by walking from the beach or a boat. Common to the reservoir, divers can see large and small mouth bass, blue gills, brown and lake trout.

 

Delaware River (Delaware Water Gap, PA)

This inland river actually features a train wreck below its surface. It is another excellent freshwater diving area, known for its drift dive -- where you follow your way down current mostly in shallow waters (depths between 6 and 45 feet), lengthening dive times to well over an hour, or even two. Because of boat traffic, it is an intermediate level dive site.

 

Dutch Springs (Bethlehem, PA)

The spring is an artificial reef built out of an old limestone quarry and is suitable for all level divers, from beginner to advanced. It is often used for training dives and equipment check-outs because of its generally good visibility, mild temperatures, easy access, underwater platforms and calm waters. Underwater sights for divers to explore include sunken boats, buses and airplanes and for those who want to bring someone who might not dive yet there is a water park as well.

 

Atlantic City Costal Area (Atlantic City, NJ)

This is one of the oldest artificial reef sites in New Jersey and contains numerous old U.S. Army tanks. The Atlantic City coastal area also offers an excellent environment for spear fishing along its numerous jetties, where there seems to be a never-ending supply of black fish and stripers.

 

New Jersey State Aquarium (Camden, NJ)

The aquarium offers volunteer scuba divers the opportunity to see sharks up close in a controlled environment. The volunteer divers assist with cleaning the tanks and even perform feeding demonstrations for visitors. Volunteer must be certified divers at least 18 years old with at least 25 logged dives. Contact the aquarium directly to find out more details about the application process.

 

Coney Island Aquarium (Brooklyn, NY)

They offer a similar scuba volunteer program to the New Jersey State Aquarium for volunteer divers.

 

Far Rockaway Beach (120 Beach Street, Far Rockaway, NY)

This beach is a popular location in the New York City area for scuba. Many dive shops, schools and organizations, including the scuba rescue units at New York's Police and Fire Departments dive from this location. The dive usually starts out with a surface drift to the Atlantic Beach Bridge at the end of high tide. This gives you the best visibility with the in coming seawater. During slack tide you can dive under the bridge and enjoy lobsters, Blackfish even the occasional seahorse and trigger fish that are swept up in the Gulf Stream and make it all the way to Queens! Toward the end of the dive; tide flows back out to the Atlantic and you can drift dive all the way back to you entry point.

 

Shinnecock Inlet (Hampton Bays, NY)

The inlet has two rock jetties on either side of the inlet. Divers can park nearby and walk to the water in their scuba gear. Divers must enter from the ocean side.

 

Iberia (Wreck dive off Long Island, NY)

Sunk in 1888, the wooden steamer lies off the shore of Long Island in about 60 feet of water and is a good dive site for beginning divers.

 

Pinta (Wreck dive south of Long Branch, NJ)

Sunk in 1963, the Pinta (not to be confused with Columbus' ship) is one of the more popular dive sites in New Jersey for intermediate level divers and fish. The freighter lies in 55 to 85 feet of water.

 

S.S. Delaware (Wreck dive off Barnegat, NJ)

Sunk in 1898, this wooden steamer ship lays in about 75 ft of water and is a good dive for advanced scuba divers. In this area you will likely encounter crabs, sea bass and blackfish. You may find some artifacts inside the ship such as glass bottles, pennies and pieces of brass from the ship in the sand.