Diving Back Beach - Rockport, Massachusetts

Back beach, Rockport

If you missed Monday's post, I talked all about New England diving and our first dive site on Sunday morning, Folly Cove.  After a great dive at Folly Cove and a quick surface interval, we made our way back to the cove (without our gear) to see how the entry would be as the tide receded.  They were NOT kidding about that dive site at low tide, its nearly impossible to get across those slippery rocks with heavy gear.  

After the tide was too low and the rocks FAR too slippery for a second dive at Folly Cove, I headed south to Back Beach in Rockport, Massachusetts with fellow divers Corey, Emily, and Chris. 

Flounder

Back Beach is a popular dive site for beginners and locals alike, known for it's metered parking, accessibly facilities, and easy entry.  The cove can be dove on either side, North or South.  The North (left) side follows a jetty while the south (right) side passes through large boulders across a sandy bottom.  Keep your eyes open for juvenile flounder during the late summer.  If you have a Massachusetts lobster license, this is a great place to harvest Homarus americanus.  There are metered parking spaces open to the public, however, open spaces can be hard to find during the weekends.  There are bathrooms located across the street. Overall, a great relaxing dive with an easy entry and a good amount of marine life.   This is also a popular spot for night diving due to the parking options and easy entry. Front beach, the more southern adjacent beach/cove, is also a popular dive site.  You can also dive neighboring Front Beach the cove to the southeast.  I loved this site for the abundance of marine life, easy entry, and of course, lobsters. I saw lobsters of every size from young juveniles to the biggest lobster I have ever seen in my life.  

Posing in the parking lot in front of Back Beach

• Back Beach Directions:  Follow 127 or 127A to Beach Street.  Back Beach is located off Beach Street.  Back Beach and Back Beach Bus Stop should show up on  various mapping apps. GPS:  N42°39.6756'  W070°37.4557'
• Parking: Metered spaces, can be very hard to find on a weekend.  2$ an hour to park. Pay at the kiosk and leave your ticket on the dashboard.
• Conditions (August): We had a fantastic dive with visibility somewhere between 25′ and 30′.  Depth: 18ft (max), 12ft (average) || Time: 34min || Temperature: 66ºF (max), 61º (min)
• Dive Description: There are two "main" entrances off this beach. Facing the water (looking east), the left (north) side of has great jetty, the middle section is mostly sandy, and the far right is rocky.  Lots of lobsters and flounder.  No restriction on times you can dive this site.  You can also dive neighboring Front Beach the cove to the southeast.
• Depth: 10' - 30' depending on the tide.  
• Visibility:  Can reach 30' on a good day. Generally something between 5' to 20' 
• Forget something?  The local dive shop, Cape Ann Divers, is located 3.5 miles away and is open 7 days a week. 

Map of Back and Front Beach

 This was my favorite dive of the day as the amount of lobsters were unreal (#KatieLovesLobsters).  From small adorable juveniles to the-biggest-lobster-I-have-ever-seen-I-was-almost-afraid, we all agreed that we saw at least 20-30 lobsters on this quick dive.  Another highlight for me was all the juvenile flounder, barely bigger than your thumb nail, darting around the sandy bottom (the Site had a good amount of adult flounder as well).  Amazing visibility, so many lobsters to play with, and great company made this another fantastic day of New England diving.  A few of us ended the day at the Azorean Restaurant and Bar for some great Portuguese seafood and sampled some fantastic beer at Cape Ann Brewing Co. back in Gloucester.  Check back in for my write ups on these spots later in the week.  

Entry of Back Beach

Ramp leading to the beach of Back Beach

Loading up my gear in the car and heading to the water

Flounder

Large Lobster

Average sized lobster

Rockport is located approximately 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Boston at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsula. It is directly east of Gloucester and is surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean.  The area around Cape Ann was also one of the best fishing grounds in New England.  Rockport had consisted primarily of large estates, summer homes, and a small fishing village while Gloucester was becoming increasingly urbanized. Rockport was set off as a separate town in 1840 as its residents desired a separate enclave with an identity of its own, and was incorporated in 1840.  Today Rockport is primarily a suburban residential and tourist town, but it is still home to a number of lobster fishermen and artists. Its rocky beaches and seaside parks are a favorite place for tourists from the Greater Boston Area and Rhode Island among other places. -- Source

Films set or filmed in Rockport

Harbourmaster (1957–1958 )

Coma (1978)

I'll Be Home for Christmas (1988)

Mermaids (1990)

The Good Son (1993)

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

The Love Letter (1999)

Stuck on You (2003)

The Proposal (2009; standing in for Sitka, Alaska)

Edge of Darkness (2010)