Wreck diving equipment

Your certification card and proof of active dive insurance; all your standard dive gear and exposure protection; plus four wreck essentials:
• A redundant air source: doubles, bailout, or a pony bottle with its own regulator
• A surface marker buoy (4–6 ft “safety sausage” or DSMB) with a reel and 100 ft of line
• A cutting tool: line cutter, shears, or a no-tip (blunt) knife
• A primary dive light
The wreck diving checklist has the full packing list, including what Jess recommends.

A completely separate second air supply, with its own first and second stage, that you can switch to if your main supply fails. That gives you enough air to make a safe, controlled ascent without relying on a buddy. Common options:
Doubles: two cylinders set up with two regulators.
Pony bottle: a small extra cylinder, with its own regulator, clipped to your main rig.
Bailout: a separate cylinder with its own regulator, usually carried slung at your side.
An octopus (a second regulator on the same tank) is not redundant, because it shares the same air supply.

Wrecks are deeper, darker and more enclosed than reef or lake dives. Lights let you see into shadowed areas and signal your buddy. A cutting tool deals with fishing line and netting snagged on the wreck. A surface marker buoy and strobe let the boat find you if you surface away from the anchor line. And a redundant air source means a gear problem at depth never has to become an emergency.

The water off New York and New Jersey is cold at wreck depths, even in summer. Wreck charters typically expect a drysuit or a full 7mm wetsuit, plus a hood, gloves and booties. Jess will help you decide what’s right for the season when you book.

Yes. Wreck charters off New York and New Jersey set their own equipment rules, and they vary by boat. Some require Advanced Open Water and a redundant air source; some also require every diver to carry a surface marker buoy, a strobe light, and an up line long enough to reach the surface from the wreck. Jess books the charter and will tell you the boat’s rules before your dive day.

Space on a dive boat is tight, so please leave rolling duffels and hard-sided luggage at home. Airline-style bags take up far too much room on deck. Bring a soft-sided bag that folds flat once you’ve unpacked it. Drysuits and undersuits are bulky no matter what, and that’s fine; the aim is not to add to it. Jess has done a lot of Great Lakes wreck diving, mostly from small boats, and a compact, packable setup makes the day easier for everyone.

A milk crate is the best tip Jess can give you. It keeps your mask, fins, lights and small bits together in one stackable spot under the bench, instead of spread across the deck.

No bananas on the boat. It’s one of the oldest superstitions at sea, and plenty of captains and crews take it seriously. Pack a different snack.

Come prepared and enjoy the ride out. The trip to the wrecks can be long and conditions offshore vary, so if you’re prone to seasickness, take preventative steps before the trip, and bring a raincoat or windbreaker: it’s often cold and wet on the ride out, even on sunny days.

Much of it can be rented from local dive shops, but redundant air setups and drysuits sell out, so reserve early. Local shops Jess has rented from or used include:
• Gotham Divers: New York, NY
• Divers Two: Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ
• Evolution Scuba: Portland, CT
• Atlantis Aquatics: Bethlehem, PA
There are many other good shops in the area, too. Tell Jess what you own when you fill in the diver registration form, and she’ll help you fill any gaps.

Practice with it before the wreck dive. A Guided Dive + Skills or Dive Refresher Session at Lake Hydra is a good place to get comfortable with the extra gear in calm water, and one of them is required before booking a wreck dive anyway.