Local Diving
Local dive sites on Long Island, in New York City, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, the offshore wrecks dived from Long Island ports, quarry diving in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, and the dive shops on Long Island. Information checked October 2026.
Seasons
When to diveBest Window
The warmest water of the year. Tropical fish peak in September and early October at Ponquogue Bridge and other inlet and jetty sites. Hurricane swell from late August is the main risk.
Summer
Long Island Sound surface averages 71 to 73°F; the ocean off Montauk averages 69 to 70°F. Bottom temperature on wrecks stays in the 50s°F. Inshore visibility is often at its lowest in summer.
Spring / Early Summer
Sound surface averages 47°F in April, 57°F in May, and 65°F in June. A drysuit is recommended in spring. Early June in a 7 mm wetsuit is still cold.
Cold Season
Drysuit season. Beach 8th Street is the exception on visibility: it can exceed 20 ft in late fall and early spring. Surface averages fall to 34 to 43°F in winter.
Gear by Season
Long Island7 mm Wetsuit
The standard Long Island suit, with a hood, gloves, and boots. It is the club standard for local diving in season.
5 mm Wetsuit
Late July to September only, on shallow, short dives in Long Island Sound and bays. It is not for wreck or deep diving.
Drysuit
Recommended from November to May, and year-round for deep wrecks, repetitive dives, and divers who run cold.
Hood at Depth
Carry a hood even in August on any dive below the thermocline. See the Recommended Starting Gear page for the full kit list.
| Dive type | Recommended gear |
|---|---|
| Shore dive | Exposure suit for the season (table above), AL80 tank, dive flag, shears or a cutting tool, and a light. |
| Inlet / bridge tide dive | One step warmer than a beach dive the same day, dive flag towed, computer, light, shears, SMB, and a finger spool or reel. The dive is planned around slack tide. |
| Boat wreck | 7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves, or a drysuit. Steel HP100 or larger is preferred at 80 to 130 ft. A fully redundant air source (doubles, or a pony bottle with its own regulator), wreck reel, DSMB, whistle, primary and backup lights, shears and a knife, and a computer are the standard kit on Northeast wreck charters. Advanced Open Water and nitrox certification are required on comparable charter trips. |
| Quarry | 7 mm two-piece or a drysuit below about 30 ft in any season; quarries stay cold at depth in August. Reduce salt-water weighting by about 5 to 6 lb in fresh water and re-check buoyancy on a platform. At Lake Hydra, a redundant first stage or pony setup, a light, and a computer are required for dives below 80 ft. |
Shore Dives
Long Island · NYC · CT · RIPonquogue Bridge, Hampton Bays
Shore dive under the old bridge in Hampton Bays. Parking permit required on the south side May 15 to September 15. Lobster, blackfish, sea bass, seahorses, and tropical fish in late summer and fall. Arrive at least 2 hours before predicted high tide.
Shinnecock Inlet, Hampton Bays
Diving is on the ocean side of the jetty only. Diving inside the inlet is prohibited. Surge and current are the hazards at the jetty tip.
Beach 8th Street, Far Rockaway, Queens
Shore dive in East Rockaway Inlet. A dive flag is required at all times. Visibility averages 4 to 10 ft and can exceed 20 ft in late fall and early spring.
Greenport Jetty, Greenport
Sheltered shore dive at Klipp Park, at the end of Manhasset Avenue. A local beach day pass applies in season. Current at the jetty tip at peak tide, and boat wakes on weekends.
Clark's Beach, Greenport
Access is limited and scheduled through the Long Island Divers Association. The published club date in 2026 was Saturday, October 3, 2026. No facilities on site.
Cedar Beach, Mount Sinai
Town park shore dive on two jetties in Mount Sinai Harbor. Fishing line on the jetties is an entanglement hazard; carry shears.
Foster Beach, Sag Harbor
Shallow bay dive with few tidal restrictions. Used by local shops as a refresher and early-season dive. A dive flag is required.
Mattituck Jetties, Mattituck
Jetty dive at the west side of Mattituck Inlet. Carry shears for fishing line.
Montauk Jetties, Montauk
Diving inside the jetties is prohibited because of boat traffic. Diving is on the ocean side.
Prybil Beach, Glen Cove
Beginner shore dive on Long Island Sound in Glen Cove.
Bayville Barge, Bayville
Documented shore dive site off Bayville on Long Island Sound.
Stonington Point, Stonington, CT
Connecticut shore dive. Tropical fish and nudibranchs in late summer and fall, horseshoe crabs in spring, and dogfish on night dives.
Fort Wetherill, Jamestown, RI
Rhode Island shore dive used by Connecticut and Long Island divers. Tautog, cunner, and squid at night. Seals are seen in cooler months. Parking is free; there are restrooms and no changing rooms.
Boat Wrecks
Dived from Long Island portsWreck dives are boat dives. Sea Turtle Dive Charters sails from Montauk and was operating its 25th season in 2026, with more than 30 sites from 15 to 150 ft. East Coast Wreck Diving sails from Freeport on the boat Tempest, for charters and training; it is not a retail shop.
| Wreck | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black Warrior | 35 ft | Sidewheel steamer off Rockaway. The shallowest listed wreck. |
| Iberia | 60 ft | Steamer lost in a collision in 1888. |
| USS San Diego | 65–110 ft | Armored cruiser sunk by a mine in 1918 off Fire Island. The hull lies upside down. |
| Lizzie D | 80 ft | Tug lost in 1922. |
| Oregon | 85–125 ft | Cunard liner lost in a collision in 1886, off Fire Island / Moriches. |
| Kenosha | 100–105 ft | Wooden collier lost in 1909, southeast of Fire Island Inlet. |
| G&D (Yankee) | 110 ft | Freighter lost in a collision in 1919. |
| U-853 | 110–130 ft | German submarine off Block Island, Rhode Island. A war grave. Penetration is for qualified, experienced divers only. |
| Coimbra | 180 ft | Tanker sunk by U-123 in 1942. Technical certification required. |
| Andrea Doria | 160–250 ft | Liner off Nantucket, Massachusetts. Advanced and technical divers only. |
Quarries
Connecticut · PennsylvaniaBrownstone Park, Portland, CT
Quarry diving with walk-in entry and training platforms. Weekends only until mid-June, then open through the week in season. Check the park site for the current scuba day price before a trip.
Lake Hydra, Bethlehem, PA
The former Dutch Springs quarry. It is open to insured certified instructors, organizations, and dive professionals and their students. It is not open to the general public for recreational diving. Tickets are booked online at least 24 hours ahead. Underwater attractions include a helicopter, a Cessna aircraft, a fire truck, and a school bus. Air and NX32 nitrox fills are on site.
Willow Springs, Richland, PA
Quarry diving managed through Lancaster Scuba. Visibility is reported at 10 to 30 ft, with a sunken boat, crane, bus, and cars.
Bainbridge Quarry, Bainbridge, PA
This quarry is closed to diving. It is not a dive site.
Dive Shops on Long Island
Nassau · SuffolkPort Diver Scuba, Port Jefferson Station
811 Hallock Avenue (Route 25A), Port Jefferson Station. PADI dive center. Sales, rentals, repairs, air and nitrox fills, and lessons. Prices are not published on the shop site.
portdiver.comSchool of Fish Swim and Scuba, Rocky Point
572 Route 25A, Rocky Point. Swim school and scuba under one roof, with an indoor saltwater pool. Freediving and spearfishing gear, technical training including rebreather and sidemount, fills, service, rentals, and a dive boat. Prices are not published on the shop site.
schooloffishswimandscuba.comGood Life Divers, Lindenhurst
895 Wellwood Avenue, Lindenhurst. SDI and PADI certification, with small and private classes. Public safety dive team training, CCR, cave, and technical training, and a local dive program. Prices are not published on the shop site.
goodlifedivers.comHampton Dive Center, Riverhead
369 Route 24 (Flanders Road), Riverhead. PADI 5-Star IDC, family-owned. Scuba and freediving, retail and service, and a private indoor heated pool. Courses from youth to professional and technical. Prices are not published on the shop site.
hamptondive.comTiedemann's Diving Center, Levittown
56 Gardiners Avenue, Levittown. SSI program. The shop runs a Long Island beach dive program, including Ponquogue Bridge and Foster Beach, and Open Water over one weekend on Long Island. Its Farmingdale pool program is listed at $100 for three 2-hour sessions.
tdcscuba.comScuba Network Long Island, Carle Place
204 Glen Cove Road, Carle Place. PADI 5-Star IDC. Recreational through TecRec and instructor training, public safety and emergency response diving, and adaptive diving. Sales and service, rentals, local dives year-round, and travel. Prices are not published on the shop site.
scubadiversusa.comLong Island Scuba in Lindenhurst and North Shore Aquatics in Northport are closed. They are not listed above.
Permits, Flags, and Rules
New York dive flag law. A diver's flag is flown whenever a diver is in the water. Divers surface within 100 feet of the flag, and boats keep at least 100 feet from the flag.
Ponquogue Bridge. A parking permit is required on the south side from May 15 to September 15. The dive is made at high slack tide.
Inlets. Diving inside Shinnecock Inlet and inside the Montauk jetties is prohibited. Ocean-side diving only.
Fire Island / Robert Moses. Ocean diving at Democrat Point and Fire Island Inlet is by New York State Parks diving permit, and only in the areas that permit allows.