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Gloucester's waterfront of brick buildings, steeples and moored boats seen across the open harbour — Cape Ann & Stellwagen Bank

Cape Ann & Stellwagen Bank · United States · Reef

Dry Salvages

A rock outcrop with a resident seal colony

Area photo: Paul Keleher from Mass, US · CC BY 2.0

Dry Salvages is a small cluster of rocks off Rockport on Cape Ann that is home to a colony of seals. It is a charter-boat dive for intermediate divers with boat experience, reaching 21 m (70 ft) at high tide over big boulders and crevices.

Also known as Salvages.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Dry Salvages: typical dive to 21 m (to 70 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit21 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

42.6723° N, 70.5680° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

Dry Salvages is reached only by charter boat, and this is open ocean rather than a sheltered cove, so the site asks for divers with boat experience. Entry is by giant stride or back roll beside a small conglomeration of rocks that is home to a colony of seals.

Under the surface the draw is the topography: big boulders and crevices to swim around, down to 21 m (70 ft) at high tide. Work a route through the boulders; curious seals often leave the rocks to come face to face with divers. Finish the dive back at the boat for the ride home.

Marine life and season

  • Seals & sea lions
Month-by-month season rating for Dry Salvages
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodFairFair

Season follows Cape Ann & Stellwagen Bank: Cape Ann Diver II generally runs from 1 April to 31 October; winter and off-season diving depends on weather and demand.

Dive videos

Scuba Diving Dry Salvages Cape Ann, Massachusetts · iDive New England on YouTube

Questions divers ask

Are there seals at Dry Salvages?+

Dry Salvages is a small group of rocks off Cape Ann that is home to a colony of seals, and it is dived by charter boat.

How deep is Dry Salvages?+

The site reaches 21 m (70 ft) at high tide, over big boulders and crevices.

Sources

  1. Dry Salvages (boat dive), iDive New England — iDive New England
  2. Cape Ann Diving — Cape Ann Diving
  3. Dry Salvages, OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap

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