Sponge Forest - Big Boulders - New England
Drop into New England's chilly embrace at Sponge Forest, Big Boulders, and you're greeted by, well, big boulders. These rocks are absolutely covered in a surprising variety of sponges, adding some colour to an otherwise stark landscape. It’s a solid dive for those who enjoy macro life and don't mind the cooler water. You'll want good buoyancy here to really appreciate the textures.
- Location
- New England, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 42.325400, -70.289580
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 10-25m
Marine Protected Area: Gerry E. Studds/Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Nearby Dive Sites in New England
- Ahern State Park - 10m
- Andrea Doria (wreck)
- (Approximately 65 ft long steel fishing trawler) - 27.400000000000002m (wreck)
- Brace Cove (reef)
- Brant Rock
- Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park
- Burlington Bay Horse Ferry - 15.24 (wreck)
- Burnham Rocks
- Cape Neddick Nubble
- Cathedral Rocks
- Cedar Island Ledge
- Champlain II (wreck)
- Chester E Poling Wreck (wreck)
- City Of Portland (wreck)
- City of Rockland Wreck (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Sponge Forest - Big Boulders
Marine Life in New England
Home to 35 recorded species including 26 reef fish, 4 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 other, 1 sharks & rays, 1 octopus & squid, 1 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
- Banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus) - Reef Fish
- Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus) - Reef Fish
- brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) - Reef Fish
- Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) - Reef Fish
- Sea Trout (Salmo trutta) - Reef Fish
- Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) - Reef Fish
- salmon (Salmo salar) - Reef Fish
- American eel (Anguilla rostrata) - Reef Fish
- Cisco (Coregonus artedi) - Reef Fish
- pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) - Reef Fish
- Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) - Reef Fish
- Great Pond Snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Edible periwinkle (Littorina littorea) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic oyster drill (Urosalpinx cinerea) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) - Reef Fish
- Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) - Reef Fish
- Longnose gar (Lepisosteus osseus)
- White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii) - Reef Fish