Rather than getting depressed reading about dives in Florida, Far East
and the Maldives (GO GO GO don't think twice!) I thought to bring a bit of
reality to the echo.
Last month I did a couple of dives off of the beach at Rye NH looking out at
the oil tanker which dropped a few thousand gallons of heavy onto our ( and
southern Maine's) lobster beds. Nearly cooked in my 7mm. Water temp was 
about 63 in the shallow (35') water. Nice dives with lots of hermit crabs,
lobsters (clean) and flounder. Several good sized striped bass toured with
us in the two dives.
Three weeks ago we dove off of Star Island at the Isles of Shoals off of the
NH coast (yes we have one! Its 14 miles long.) I almost though of using a
3mm suit but was very glad not to have done so. First dive was deep 105' with
fantastic rock formations and a few artifacts recovered. The shoals have been
inhabited by non-natives since around 1600 and were a fine rum running spot
during prohibition. Old whisky bottles came up this time.  The second dive
was in 30' around some old piers called "the cribs" with abundant fish and
plant life.  Oh yes I forgot the water temps  44 on the deep dive  and 52 on
the shallow. Vis was a reasonable 35 feet.
Last Sunday (7/28) another friend with a boat (cultivate friends with good
transport) took me out to Lungeing Island where we did another deeper dive
at 75' (45 degree water) and again the rock formations were amazing as was
the crustation, fish and plant life. Our 2nd dive was in Gossport harbor at
Star Island. We thought it would be warmer as we would only be in 45 feet or
so but that was an error. 47 degrees there but we managed to free a number
of crabs and lobsters from traps which had broken loose from their lines
during our storms of not long ago. Came up with a few old bottles from
this anchorage which has been in use for several hundreds of years. Last
year I brought up a schooner anchor weighing better than 150 lbs. from 
the same harbor. Univ. of NH people say it is from about 1820 or so and it
sits in my yard by the pool. Cusk, skulpin, flounder (dinner) and wolf fish
abounded that day.
So go ahead and talk about your warm waters and 100' + viz. Then come north
and learn how to rough it with a whole new kind of submarine life. 
Then I'll come south and be in heaven again!
... So much ocean..so little time!
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