United States Dive Sites

1,024 mapped sites

Best dive sites in United States

Showing 457–468 of 1,024

Cedarville (Wrack)

Michigan · 10.7–32 m

The Cedarville was a 588-ft self-unloading limestone carrier that sank on May 7, 1965 after colliding in dense fog with the Norwegian freighter Topdalsfjord in the Straits of Mackinac, killing ten of her crew — one of the largest vessels ever lost on the Great Lakes. She lies broken nearly in two on her starboard side, rolled past vertical, in about 105 ft of water east of the Mackinac Bridge, with the shallowest parts of the hull reachable around 35-40 ft and the pilothouse and cabins near 75 ft. Now the marquee dive of the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve, she is buoyed each season but demands respect for her size, orientation, current, and variable visibility.

AdvancedBoat entry

Cape May - Sea Transporter

New Jersey · 12.8–18 m

Artificial reef built from 135' Commercial Fishing Vessel - "Sea Transporter" NJDEP deployment record: Ship, material: 135' Commercial Fishing Vessel - "Sea Transporter", deployed 1992.

Boat entry

Lucerne Wreck

Wisconsin · 3.8–6.1 m

The Lucerne, one of the largest three-masted schooners on the lakes, foundered with all hands in a November 1886 gale while carrying iron ore; rescuers found three sailors frozen in the rigging. The wreck lies about 200 yards off Long Island in 20 ft of Lake Superior water, with the centerboard top at 12.5 ft, inside Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. A buoyed, shallow, historically powerful dive — bring thermal protection for Superior's cold water.

Boat entry

John Michael Baker Memorial Reef (Phase II)

Florida · Up to 21.3 m

Artificial reef built from 58 tons of concrete construction material (culverts and junction boxes)

IntermediateBoat entry

New Hope Rock

California · Up to 12 m

A rocky pinnacle reef in the Point Loma kelp beds peaking within about 20 feet of the surface and dropping toward 40-60 feet on the sand. Boat access only, typically launched from Shelter Island or Mission Bay, with kelp forest, caves, and dense fish and invertebrate life.

Boat entry

Square Lake (Square Lake Park)

Minnesota · 1.5–20.7 m

A spring-fed 200-acre lake in Washington County near Stillwater with some of the clearest water in the Twin Cities metro (typically 10-25 ft visibility), making it the metro area's most popular dive site. The county park beach area has underwater training platforms plus sunken boats, canoes and the tail section of a Cessna airplane; maximum depth is about 68 ft. It hosts regular shop-led fun dives, including dusk dives.

Shore entry

Cayuga Lake Canal Boat Wreck (Aurora)

New York · 18–21.3 m

A well-preserved mid-1800s canal boat wreck in Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, lying in about 70 feet of water roughly half a mile offshore and two miles northwest of Aurora. The hull and deck are identifiable (covered in algae and mussels), with cargo-hold ports still defined, a large rudder attached to the stern, an intact bow, and coal still in the holds. A boat dive guided by local Finger Lakes operators.

IntermediateBoat entry

Triangle Reef

Virginia · 21–30 m

Triangle Reef (the 'Triangle Wrecks') is one of Virginia's signature offshore dive areas, a VMRC artificial reef 16.5 nautical miles from the Chesapeake Light Tower. Four Liberty ships stripped to their main decks and a Coast Guard cutter sit on a roughly 100 ft bottom with 28-32 ft of relief, drawing sea bass, tautog, spadefish, amberjack and seasonal pelagics. It is dived regularly by Virginia Beach charters and is a premier spearfishing destination.

AdvancedBoat entry

Beavertail State Park

Rhode Island · 3–9.1 m

A dramatic open-ocean dive at the southern tip of Conanaut Island (Jamestown), entered from a small cove below parking lot 2 via a steep rocky 'goat path'. Best diving is about 50 yards straight out in 20-30 feet over boulders, kelp and abundant fish life; the point is exposed on three sides, so it is strictly a calm-day site. Water here runs warmer than Massachusetts sites in spring and fall.

AdvancedShore entry

La Jolla Shores Canyon (Vallecitos Point)

California · 7.6–22.9 m

The most popular beach dive in San Diego, where an easy sand entry leads to the rim of the La Jolla submarine canyon. The main wall at Vallecitos Point lies in about 60-70 feet, with deeper sections descending in terraces past 130 feet and beyond recreational limits. Coordinates estimated for the canyon wall just offshore of the named entry point.

IntermediateShore entry

Cave Rock

Nevada · 3–12 m

Cave Rock is an easy, beginner-friendly shore dive on Lake Tahoe's east shore in Nevada, entered from a sandy beach beside the Cave Rock boat launch (Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park). Sandy shallows give way to rocky patches that attract trout and other fish in warmer months, then slope very gradually westward - it's a long swim to get past 10-15 ft, which keeps beginners out of trouble. At ~6,225 ft elevation this is true altitude diving, and Nevada law requires a dive flag. The area is open year-round with heated restrooms.

Shore entry

Frederiksted Pier Verified

U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Croix · 2–14 m

Frederiksted Pier is a shallow macro and night-dive site under the working cruise pier on St. Croix's west coast. Colorful sponge-covered pilings, rubble, sand patches, and older pier remnants support seahorses, frogfish, batfish, turtles, eels, rays, octopus, and many crustaceans. It is beginner-friendly in calm conditions, but it is still an active port area with access restrictions.

Shore entry