Site: Chester Poling "stern"
Type: Shipwreck Depth: 70-80' top deck, 90-100' sand Location: Boat dive, located about 1km south of the Dog Bar breakwater, Gloucester, MA |
The Stern half of the Poling is the premiere dive site in New England. That's not to say that's it's a beginner dive. Conditions here can be challenging and can change during the course of a dive. "Summer" (May - November) temperatures at depth range from 40-50 degrees F.
Visibility can range upwards of 50' (often during winter) to as little as a few feet depending on weather/ocean conditions. Average vis tends to be within the 10-20' range. The ship rests in fine sand that can easily be stirred up by large groups of divers. The inside of the wreck is filled by fine silt and should not be explored without the proper equipment, training and experience. |
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This large wreck continues to delight explorers even as it ages. Every year it buckles more under its own weight and decay. Even at 100' the Poling continues to be battered by winter storms. A prominent feature of the wreck is the catwalk suspended above the deck. It is home to impressive invertebrate growth and provides shelter for schooling fish.
The Poling is a versatile dive. At about 200' long, most divers have time to circumnavigate the wreck as long as conditions allow and don't take many sightseeing tours. I prefer taking my time and exploring specific areas of the wreck on each dive allowing me to photograph more of the area. Unless the visibility is terrible, or you're off the wreck, navigation is a non issue, just follow the contour of the wreck. That said, it's usually dark there so having a light is not a bad idea no matter what time of day you are diving.
Twilight Poling from Shure Media on Vimeo.
Wildlife sightings on the Poling can be varied depending on the time of year. For years I've heard of a notorious wolf eel that lives underneath the break of the wreak...while I've never personally seen the resident wolf eel, I do regularly see the following: abundant cunner, schools of small pollock, sea ravens, occasional lobster, sponges, tunicates, hydroids, anemones and flounder.