9-18-2008 - Coney Island
This is the time of the year I watch the marine weather with trepidation. When the weather is good in the early fall, diving is great. When it is bad, it sucks. This weekend the offshore weather read like a nightmare with seas 7 - 11 ft. The inshore was marginal at best. The 4-7 predicted for Saturday kept us at the dock. The Sunday forecast was more hopeful, 3-5 dropping to 2-4.

So we loaded up and headed out the inlet Sunday morning at 7 AM. We headed East for the Stolt. The seas were very comfortable, more rollers than waves. Unfortunately when we arrived, at the Stolt, the Gypsy Blood was already there. Captain Jim was gracious enough to make room for us, but we decided to head for the Coney Island, less than ½ mile away.

The Coney Island is a nice intact wreck in 130 ft. of water. There is plenty of relief as well. I find this wreck to be a virtual supermarket of sea food. You can find lobster, scallops, flounder, fluke, black fish and sea bass all right here.

Once we arrived onsite, Jeff jumped ion to set the hook. By 8:30 AM every one was in the water. The first 70 ft. had great vis, the vis at the last 20 ft. dropped to 15 ft. But with the wreck being intact, there was no problem navigating around. As the divers returned to the surface they brought up fish, scallops and bugs. We quickly cleaned a few fish, and Jeff had them cooking in no time at all. The only way to get your sea food ant fresher, is to eat it raw on the bottom !!!

After a great hot lunch, and a quick nap, the divers hit the water for a second dive. The sea had laid down flat, but the vis had not improved. The divers had a second chance to grab what they missed the first dive. A few more bugs and fish were brought up. The fillet knife got a work out today.

After the last diver was on board, we spooled up the big cats and headed West towards the inlet. We sailed home on flat calm seas all the way. As we backed into the slip, there were smiles all around. Another great day of North East wreck diving, was had by all.