Scuba diving on Long Island: Dive boats, beach sites, more

DIVE BOATS

FISHON, Windswept Marina, 215 Atlantic Ave., East Moriches, 631-889-5291, fishonfishing.com All ocean wrecks, including Oregon and San Diego, and artificial reef dives in Moriches Inlet. Capacity 6.

M/V TEMPEST, 11 Hudson Ave., Freeport, 631-327-3312, nwsdy.li/ecwdli Wreck dives include USS San Diego, RMS Oregon and others along south shore of Long Island and northern New Jersey. Capacity 6.

POINT BREAK, Unique Charters, Mt. Sinai, 631-821-3483, nwsdy.li/uc Sails out of Port Jefferson. Wreck, reef, free diving, lobster and bottle diving; salvage; customized diving. Capacity 6. Dues Call.

SEA HAWK, Woodcleft Canal, Freeport, 516-426-3463 or 718-279-1345, seahawkdiver.com Visits local wrecks around Jones Inlet. Capacity 10.

SEA TURTLE DIVE CHARTERS, Montauk, 631-335-6323, nwsdy.li/sturtle Wreck and shark cage dives and spear fishing. Capacity 6.

BEACH SITES

BAYVILLE BARGE, Bayville. An old wooden barge; sink date unknown. Depth 10-25 feet. Visibility 0-20 feet. Excellent night diving, spearfishing; no public parking.

HMS CULLODEN, Montauk, 200 yards offshore on north side of South Fork, 2.3 miles west of Montauk jetties. English frigate sank in 1781. Depth 15-25 feet. Visibility 5-25 feet. Artifacts protected by law.

OLD PONQUOGUE BRIDGE, EDWARD J. WARNER MARINE PARK, Dune Road, Hampton Bays. Depth 10-30 feet. Visibility 20-30 feet. Sea life (fish, including tropical in late summer and fall). Diving only in slack tide to avoid hazardous currents. Town of Southampton parking permits required July 1-Sept. 5; open 24 hours, all year.

COUNTY PARKS

Suffolk County parks dive sites include: Cedar Point County Park, novice dive at Northwest Harbor; Gardiners Bay, novice to intermediate; Cedar Point Lighthouse, intermediate to advanced; Montauk County Park, Montauk, novice to intermediate, outer beach, accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles; Smith Point County Park, Shirley, intermediate to advanced, slack tide, accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles; Cupsogue Beach County Park, Westhampton, intermediate to advanced, slack tide; Meschutt Beach County Park, Hampton Bays, snorkeling along the east side of the jetty. Call 631-854-4949. Green Key card needed for parking at sites.

WRECK DIVES

BLACK WARRIOR, 6 miles west of Debs Inlet, East Rockaway. A 225-foot paddle-wheel steamship that ran aground in 1859. Depth 35 feet. Visibility 0-20 feet. Attractions Scattered wreckage.

FRAN S, 6 miles southeast off Debs Inlet, East Rockaway. 84-foot tug sank in 1972 in Jones Inlet and was towed here. Depth 70 feet. Visibility 0-30 feet. Attractions Aquatic life; good beginner dive. IBERIA, 3 miles out of Jones Inlet, off Long Beach. A 225-foot tramp steamer that sank in 1888. Depth 60 feet. Visibility 0-50 feet. Attractions Artifacts, night diving and lobsters. KENOSHA, 10 miles south of Fire Island Inlet. A 243-foot, wood-hulled inland freighter. Depth 105 feet. Visibility 10-70 feet. Attractions Most productive lobster dive off Long Island.

LIZZIE D, 8 miles southeast of Atlantic Beach Inlet. 84-foot, steel-hulled tugboat, known as the Rum Runner, sank in 1922. Depth 80 feet. Visibility 5-40 feet. Attractions Artifacts (bottles). OREGON, 21 miles southeast of Fire Island Inlet. A 518-foot passenger steamer that sank in 1886. Depth 125-130 feet. Visibility 5-90 feet. Attractions Aquatic life, artifacts.

USS SAN DIEGO, 13 miles southeast of Fire Island Inlet. 504-foot armored cruiser sunk by mine in 1918. Depth 110 feet. Visibility 5-70 feet. Attractions Artifacts protected by law. USS TARANTULA, 22 miles off Jones Inlet. This 128-foot, private, steam yacht, once owned by W.K. Vanderbilt, became a gunboat in World War I and sank in 1918, known as Good Gun Boat Wreck. Depth 115 feet. Visibility 10-50 feet. Attractions Good photography.

VALERIE E, 7 miles southwest of Jones Inlet. 72-foot clam dredge sank in Jan. 1992. Depth 75 feet. Visibility 0-30 feet. Attractions Artifacts (personal items, pulleys, fittings).