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Shore entry

Back Beach

Massachusetts, United StatesDirections
Open Water suggested3–9 m (10–30 ft) depthShore entry7mm or semi-dry + hood typical

Back Beach at a glance

Back Beach is a shore dive site in Massachusetts, United States with depths of 3–9.1 m (10–30 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Rock crab, Winter flounder, and Striped bass. Recent reports put the water around 14°C (57°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Favorable window now· until 18:00 · sunset 17:44

Forecast for this hour · 15:00 · run 14 h ago
0.7 m (2.2 ft)waves — under a meter expected (waves — about two feet expected)

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 14°C · seasonal avg 15°C ( · Forecast 57°F · seasonal avg 59°F)

Site hazards: Shallow (10-30 ft depending on tide); cold water; variable visibility (sometimes under 10 ft); some boat traffic from Rockport harbor side; crowded with classes on summer weekends. Open to northeast swell.

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Smallest waves: Fri
Sun8:00–18:00 favorable

0.7 m waves · 5 kn wind (2.3 ft waves · 5 kn wind)

Mon8:00–18:00 favorable, 21:00–22:00 favorable

0.5 m waves · 8 kn wind (1.6 ft waves · 8 kn wind)

Tue8:00–14:00 moderate, 14:00–18:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 9 kn wind (3.1 ft waves · 9 kn wind)

Wed8:00–20:00 favorable

0.6 m waves · 4 kn wind (2.0 ft waves · 4 kn wind)

Thu8:00–18:00 favorable

0.6 m waves · 12 kn wind (2.0 ft waves · 12 kn wind)

Fri8:00–22:00 favorable

0.2 m waves · 7 kn wind (0.8 ft waves · 7 kn wind)

Sat8:00–23:00 favorable

0.4 m waves · 7 kn wind (1.3 ft waves · 7 kn wind)

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

Every forecast dive window each day, site-local time, from wave and wind forecasts. Numbers under each bar are daylight averages.

First light 6:39 · Sunrise 7:07 · Sunset 17:44 · some windows run past sunset

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 8.1 km from site · updated 25 Oct, 01:19 GMT-4

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Compare this weekend’s windows near Back Beach

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: Rock crab, Winter flounder, American lobster
Best time: May-October for training; late summer and fall nights are famous for squid. Best on west/southwest winds; avoid northeast swell. Arrive before 7 AM on summer weekends for parking.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. January, 34% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 6°C (43°F), waves have typically been 1.5 m (4.8 ft), wind has typically been 23 knots
  2. February, 36% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 5°C (40°F), waves have typically been 1.4 m (4.6 ft), wind has typically been 22 knots
  3. March, 35% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 5°C (40°F), waves have typically been 1.6 m (5.1 ft), wind has typically been 22 knots
  4. April, 59% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 7°C (44°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (3.9 ft), wind has typically been 19 knots
  5. May, 70% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 11°C (52°F), waves have typically been 1.1 m (3.6 ft), wind has typically been 18 knots
  6. June, 82% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 16°C (61°F), waves have typically been 0.8 m (2.6 ft), wind has typically been 16 knots
  7. July, 90% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 19°C (66°F), waves have typically been 0.7 m (2.4 ft), wind has typically been 16 knots, historically most favorable
  8. August, 85% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 19°C (67°F), waves have typically been 0.8 m (2.7 ft), wind has typically been 15 knots
  9. September, 77% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 19°C (66°F), waves have typically been 1.1 m (3.6 ft), wind has typically been 16 knots
  10. October, 58% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 15°C (59°F), waves have typically been 1.3 m (4.3 ft), wind has typically been 19 knots
  11. November, 43% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 12°C (53°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (4.0 ft), wind has typically been 21 knots
  12. December, 38% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 8°C (47°F), waves have typically been 1.4 m (4.5 ft), wind has typically been 22 knots

July has typically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life recorded at this site, by month

Recorded observations — evidence of past sightings, not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Rough labels: “Commonly seen” usually means two or more recorded sightings near this site in public dive logs (GBIF), “Occasionally seen” one; “Seasonal” and “Rarely seen” come from dive-guide research. Not a measured rate.

  • Cancer irroratus recorded here Jun–Aug, Oct (7 records)

    most recent 2016

  • Downy hermit crab recorded here May–Aug (7 records)

    Pagurus pubescensmost recent 2016

  • Homarus americanus recorded here May–Aug (7 records)

    most recent 2016

  • Pseudopleuronectes americanus recorded here May–Jun, Aug (3 records)

    most recent 2016

  • Cancer productus recorded here Jul–Aug (2 records)

    most recent 2013

  • Paralichthys Girard, 1858 recorded here Jul–Aug (2 records)

    most recent 2013

  • Centropristis ocyurus recorded here Oct (1 record)

    most recent 2013

  • Diastylis quadrispinosa recorded here May (1 record)

    most recent 2012

Newest record here: 2016. Counts are occurrence records near this site from public biodiversity datasets (GBIF), grouped by calendar month across all sampled years. Sightings vary — past records are context, not a prediction.

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km (16 mi). Know one? Add it to the map.

Data updated July 2026

Site details

Back Beach in downtown Rockport is the region's quintessential training and night-dive site: metered parking beside the sand, a rock-free walk-in entry, and a forgiving 10-30 ft bottom. By day it hosts a steady parade of open-water classes; by night divers come for sea ravens, flounder, skates and the squid that swarm dive lights in season. Visibility is typical New England — 20+ ft on a good day, under 10 ft after a blow.

muckreefshore

Shallow (10-30 ft depending on tide); cold water; variable visibility (sometimes under 10 ft); some boat traffic from Rockport harbor side; crowded with classes on summer weekends. Open to northeast swell.

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