Cathedral rocks is well known as one of the deeper shore diving sites in Rockport. It sits behind the Emerson in between Halibut point and granite pier. There are no bathrooms on site and the parking is on the side of a small road. You can only fit maybe 7 to 10 cars at best. That’s assuming there is no one else there. The entry can be tricky if you’re not careful. There is about a 50 foot stack of large boulders that you need to get your gear down one way or another. At the entry point a giant stride at high tide is the easiest way in. Low tide entries hear are extremely slippery and are avoided by most. The dives topography resembles the surface topography. The boulders drop to 70 to 80 feet relatively quickly.
OPTIMAL TIDE: High tide is far easier though with good balance you can make low tide work
DIFFICULTY: Higher than most sites due to the hike down and entry/exit
EXPOSURE: Almost anything from the east
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: G-MAPS from Boston
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DIVE DESCRIPTION: The dive here resembles the surface. Big boulders lead deeper and deeper and bottom out around 70 to 80 feet. As you head south along the coast the rocks become bigger slabs that lead to larger more dramatic structures. A 120 degree heading is great. Moving into the cove will give you a shallower dive but can be good for lobsters if you end up in the right places. There are tons of cool areas to see from this site.
PARKING: Parking is easy off season or on weekdays. Otherwise get there early or late.
