Dive in and check out shipwrecks on LI

There are so many shipwrecks off the Long Island and New Jersey shores on the approaches to New York Harbor that dive boat captain Dan Berg dubbed the area "Wreck Valley."

A combination of heavy shipping traffic, bad weather, bad judgment and bad luck sent hundreds of vessels to the bottom of the Atlantic in the triangle over hundreds of years. Between 100 and 200 wrecks are visited by divers, said Berg, whose charterboat is named Wreck Valley and who just published an expanded third edition of his authoritative guide to those wrecks: "Wreck Valley III" ($39.95, aquaexplorers.com).

What's out there?

The wrecks off the South Shore and East End that attract divers range from 15 to 20 feet of water to more than 200 feet. They include the only large American warship sunk in World War I (the USS San Diego), an early Cunard passenger liner (Oregon) and a German U-boat (the 853).

Berg says diving in this area is "an exploration," since a lot of shipwrecks are still unidentified.

"The beauty is that you can dive at so many different limits," says Berg. "You can get a beginning diver who can go out to the Cornelia Soule, Black Warrior or the Princess Anne in 20 to 30 feet of water, yet they have history."

At The Black Warrior, a paddle wheel steamship sunk in 1859, divers can still find artifacts like embossed silverware. More advanced divers can move a bit further offshore to wrecks such as the Iberia and the Prohibition rumrunner Lizzie D.

Visibility in the ocean can range from zero to 30 or 40-plus feet. Water temperature can be in the 40s early in the season. It can also get rough.

"With more experience, you can move into the 100-foot range where the visibility improves dramatically and you have more marine life - like lobsters," Berg says.

What do I need to dive?

Basic certification, offered by dive shops across Long Island, is all you need to be able to explore the shallow wrecks, Berg says. Some advanced courses include wreck dives.

Penetration - going inside the wrecks - is only for very experienced divers, who often tie a line outside the wrecks so they can follow it back out and carry multiple air tanks in case they have a problem with their equipment. But the majority of the wrecks have been broken down by storms and decay so "they resemble junkyards more than shipwrecks," Berg says, and there's nothing to penetrate.

He likes to see people having done at least 100 dives before they go inside a wreck, and preferably advanced certification as well.

Although all the equipment that experienced wreck divers use can easily cost $5,000, many people dive in wet suits with a single tank, which can be rented much cheaper, Berg says. This works fine - especially for shallow dives or deeper dives later in the season when the water temperature rises.

How do I get out there?

Dive boats leave early - usually 6 or 6:30 a.m. - from harbors from Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn to Baldwin (Berg's base) to Montauk. Trips usually range from one to three hours and cost $80-$140 per diver, not counting the customary tip for the mates.

What will I find?

Many of the wrecks have artifacts ranging from old bottles to portholes. You can keep them unless the ship is legally protected, such as the San Diego. There are also lobsters and plenty of finfish, which you can keep if you have the proper license.

Upcoming wreck dives

Here's a sampling of upcoming wreck dives for divers who are already certified - space onboard is limited and reservations are necessary.

Eagles Nest

INFO 516-695-8544, eaglesnestwreckdiving.com

UPCOMING Sunday: Dive to Oregon site; Oct. 2: USS San Diego.

Research Vessel Garloo

INFO 845-735-5550, garlooent.com

UPCOMING Several dives from Captree State Park in Babylon to Oregon, USS San Diego and other sites through early November.

Jamaine

INFO 631-779-3100, jaimainedivecharters.com

UPCOMING Saturday: Mandy Ray fishing trawler; Sunday: Sea Wolf steel freighter.

Loch Ness

INFO 516-298-2633, locknessdiveboat.net

UPCOMING Departs from Freeport for Oregon dives Saturday and Sept. 25 and 26.

Sea Turtle

INFO 631-335-6323, seaturtlecharters.com

UPCOMING Oct. 2: Heroine fishing trawler wreck north of Block Island. Oct. 10: Grecian steel freighter site.

MORE INFO Long Island Divers Association (lidaonline.com)

DIVE BOATS

EAGLES NEST, Town of Hempstead, East Marina, Point Lookout, 516-695-8544, eaglesnestwreck diving.com. 8 divers for overnight trips; 24 divers on day trips. Luxury dive boats, shipwreck diving.

POINT BREAK, Unique Charters, Mt. Sinai, 631- 821-DIVE, uniquecharters.com. Sails out of Port Jefferson. Wreck, reef, free, diving, lobster and bottle diving; salvage; customized diving. Dues: call. Capacity: 6.

RESEARCH VESSEL GARLOO, Captree Boat Basin, 845-735-5550, garlooent.com. Capacity: Maximum 15 divers for day dives. Andre Doria, U-869, Oregon, San Diego, wreck hunts.

RV WRECK VALLEY, Jones Inlet, Baldwin, 516-868- 2658, aquaexplorers.com; shipwreckexpo.com. 40-foot, custom research vessel that takes part in shipwreck exploration on the South Shore, includes Prohibition rum runners to paddle-wheel steam ships from the 1880s. Capacity: 6.

SEA HAWK, Woodcleft Canal, Freeport, 718-279-1345 Capacity: 10.

SEA TURTLE, Montauk, 631-335-6323, seaturtle charters.com. Wreck and shark cage dives. Second Boat running out of Shinnecock. Call or visit Web site for information. Capacity: 6.

SPORT DIVER, Ralph's Fishing Station 250 Harbor Beach Rd., Mount Sinai, 631-744-7707, schooloffishswimandscuba.com. Exploring local marine life; PADI Seal Team kid's club ages 8-12. Scuba diving lessons available. Capacity: 6.

DIVE CLUBS

BROADWAY DIVERS SWIM AND SCUBA, 490 Sunrise Hwy., Rockville Centre, 516-872-4571, swimandscuba.com. Wreck, beach diving. Beach and boat dives April-December, trips, free newsletter, lessons. Swimming, 6 months to adult. Scuba, 10 years to adult. Swim and scuba birthday parties. Club meets 8 p.m. 1st Tue. of month. Dues: $50.

DIVE CLUB, P.O. Box 96, West Islip, 631-704-6265, thediveclub.com. Wreck and beach diving monthly, May-October; two camping-beach diving trips out East per season; newsletter, monthly meetings (8:30 p.m. 1st Tue. at Molly Malone's in Bay Shore) with guest speakers. Dues: $35, $45 family.

LONG ISLAND DIVERS ASSOCIATION, P.O. Box 10549, Westbury, 631-327-8924, lidaonline.com. Fall film festival with educational slides, videos on safety, maritime history, diving areas; works with county and state parks to obtain beach access for divers. Sponsors annual Aquawoman dive Aug. 7. Meets 3rd Wed. of month; call for location. Guest speaker seminars. Not-for-profit. Dues: $30, $40 family.

LONG ISLAND DOLPHINS, P.O. Box 888, Miller Place, 631-946-3699, wahoo2001.com. Dives 1st and 3rd weekends of month April-November; 3rd weekend is by appointment; diving aboard local dive boats and locations, wreck and deep diving instruction; annual dive vacation trip to Florida Keys. See Web site for meeting schedule.

LONG ISLAND GROUPERS, 56 Gardiners Ave., Levittown, 516-796-6560, tdconline.com, ligroupers.com. Scuba club for adults. Caribbean trips, local beach, wreck dives, treasure hunt and barbecue; 6 beginner trips yearly. Dues: $25 per year.

SEA SEARCHERS, Brentwood, 631-786-1286, groups.yahoo.com/group/seasearchers. Meets 2nd Thur. of month, call for location; 2 local dives a month; newsletter. Dues: $25, $35 family.

SEASCAPES, 295 Robbins Lane, Syosset, 516-433- 7757, seascapesusa.com. Diving instruction, organized local dives. Parties (10 and up) Meets monthly, call for day and time. Dues: Free to join club.