Long Island Sound Dive Sites (2/4)

Long Island Sound - West

Long Island Sound - East

Long Island Sound averages 60 ft in depth, with the greatest depth of over 300 ft at the eastern end. Tidal effects are strongest at the narrow western end, where all the inrushing water flow piles up and makes tidal variations of up to 7 ft. Strong tidal currents are also prevalent, and visibility tends to be poorer than the open ocean, especially at depth.

Long Island Sound Dive Sites

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Huntington Artificial Reef

Depth: 47 to 53 feet
1.16 nautical miles northeast of Lloyd Point


Type:
shipwreck, tugboat, USA
Specs:
( 113 ft ) 8 crew
Sunk:
Sunday March 3, 1985
collision with one of its own barges - no casualties
Depth:
230 ft

Shipwreck Larchmont
Type:
shipwreck, steamer, USA
Built:
1885, Bath ME USA
Specs:
( 252 x 37 ft ) 1605 tons, 351 passengers & crew
Sunk:
Monday February 11, 1907
collision with schooner Harry Knowlton - 334 casualties
Depth:
140 ft

huge paddlewheels; wooden hull draped with fishing nets; hazardous currents & poor viz.


Shipwreck Lexington
Type:
steamer, USA
Built:
1835, New York NY USA
Specs:
( 207 x 21 ft ) 488 gross tons, 165 passengers & crew
Sunk:
Monday January 13, 1840
fire - 4 survivors
Depth:
125 ft - 150 ft

Shipwreck Maine
Type:
shipwreck, steamer, USA
Built:
1891, USA
Specs:
( 310 x 44 ft ) 1505 gross tons
Sunk:
Wednesday February 4, 1920
pushed onto rocks by pack ice - no casualties
Depth:
15 ft

low debris field


Matinecock Artificial Reef



Mattituck Artificial Reef

Depth: 72 to 100 feet
2.37 nautical miles northwest of Mattituck Inlet



Long Island Sound Dive Sites

 1 2 3 4  

net
slurp gun

A different sort of hunting is "bring 'em home alive". An aquarium can be a fascinating way to observe and photograph marine life, especially when the weather or season is not conducive to diving. Freshwater aquariums are easier to set up and maintain, especially for the novice, and a number of the local species of Sunfish are as attractive as anything you can buy in a store.

Butterfly Fish

Marine aquariums are more difficult but offer many more possibilities in what you can keep - the marine environment contains many types of invertebrates and fishes that are simply not present in freshwater, such as horseshoe crabs, starfish, anemones, urchins, and many more. Many of these creatures can simply be picked up at low tide. When collecting stinging creatures such as anemones, keep them in strict solitary confinement during transport, or they will sting everything else to death, including each other. Once established in an aquarium, they are not usually a problem, as the other critters quickly learn to stay away.

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