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Maclearie Park, Shark River
 RT 35 & Maplewood road, Belmar, NJ
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Max Depth: 11-15ft/3-5m
Average Viz: Under 5ft/2m
Entry Type: Shore
Bottom Composition: Sand
Aquatic Life: Plenty To See
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Spring: 50-55°F/10-13°C
Summer: 71-75°F/22-24°C
Fall: 66-70°F/19-21°C
Winter: Under 50°F/10°C
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Steps down into the water have been added to Maclearie Park, this is two blocks west of L Street beach so the bathrooms and showers are still within walking distance.
The drive thru the park is one way heading west so enter near L Street and head west past the tennis courts and park around the middle of the picnic area. There are dive flags flying on the steps. At the steps there are four dock lockers, three are for divers :) Bring a padlock, a combination would be best and lock up your car keys :)
Being in the back basin the current is less from tidal changes than in the inlet so you can get in a longer dive. The trade off is there is less to see but it is a good place to practice skills or test equipment. The site is used by some instructors for classes on weekends and can get silted out in the shallows. Best time is early evenings during the week, check the tide tables for slack high tide, anything else and viz is worse.
Off the steps the bottom is 16’, try not to stir it up. The diving here would be east toward L Street, this is the area where the seahorses can be found and in late summer into fall we have tropical fish here that have been swept up on the gulf stream.
Forget something, need air? DiversTwo is the LDS
diverstwo.com/§ 13:82-3.17 Diving and swimming
(a) General provisions with respect to diving and swimming are as follows:
1. Underwater diving with or without an underwater apparatus is permitted in all navigable waters in New Jersey unless otherwise prohibited in this section.
2. Any person while diving shall mark his or her position with a buoyed flag:
i. Such flag shall be displayed so that it is visible all around the horizon from a buoy, float, boat or other floating object;
ii. Such flag shall be a minimum of 14 inches by 16 inches, shall be rigid to enhance visibility and shall be a red background with a white diagonal stripe running from one corner to the other.
3. No person shall operate a vessel within 50 feet of the buoyed flag.
4. No person shall display a flag at times other than when diving is in progress.
5. No person shall swim or dive in a narrow, confined or improved channel or in a marked fairway, under a bridge, or impede, obstruct or interfere with passage of watercraft therein.
6. No diver shall surface more than 25 feet from the buoyed flag except in an emergency