New Jersey Scuba Diving

Freshwater Plants

These are all true plants. In freshwater, much of the algal growth is in the form of slimes that grow on rocks, plants, and other surfaces, and of course microscopic phytoplankton. While freshwater algae is an important part of the ecosystem, it is not very remarkable to the typical scuba diver.

Algae

Microscopic Filamentous Green Algae — Microscopic Filamentous Green Algae ( plankton and attached )

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Cattail

Cattail

Typha latifolia

Size: to 7 ft

Habitat: water's edge

Notes:

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Arrow Arum

Arrow Arum

Peltandra viginica

Size: to 5 ft

Habitat: water's edge

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Great Duckweed

Duckweed

Spirodela polyrhiza

Size: to 0.1"

Habitat: floating free at surface

Notes: Among the smallest seed plants; important food for many waterfowl.

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Yellow Water Lily

Yellow Water Lily

Nuphar advena

Size: to 9" (leaves)

Habitat: rooted in muddy bottoms with leaves floating at the surface

Yellow is the most common color, but you may also find white and pink.

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Hornwort

Hornwort

Ceratophyllum demersum

Size: to 10 ft

Habitat: beneath the surface in quiet waters

Notes: May form dense thickets

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Raritan Bay

Sandy Hook, Raritan Bay & Environs — Looking northeast: Port Monmouth, Belford, the Navy pier, Sandy Hook, and Long Island are visible faintly in the distance.

This bay is muddy and turbid, although some folks dive the several small wrecks around the inside of Sandy Hook. Bottle hunting around the old piers and pilings in Keyport harbor is also a possibility, but most of the structures along the bay shore are too small and shallow to be of interest. I have scouted the shoreline from Atlantic Highlands to Laurence Harbor, and nothing looks too promising. See also entries on Navesink River and Horseshoe Cove.

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