The New York City Sea Gypsies

Introduction to Northeast Diving
Due to COVID-19 related considerations, we will not be running the Intro to NE diving program in quite the same fashion as we have in previous years (described below). However we are still enthusiastic about getting divers who are new to our local environment into the water. Our didactic session has been replaced with a zoom session, and our big camping weekend at Dutch Springs has been replaced by individual mentoring by volunteer experienced northeast divers. Please contact me directly if you are interested in setting up one of these sessions.
We still plan to do everything that we can to share our passion for diving off the shores of Long Island and New Jersey!
Michael Rothschild
Dive Chair
NYC Sea Gypsies
We still plan to do everything that we can to share our passion for diving off the shores of Long Island and New Jersey!
Michael Rothschild
Dive Chair
NYC Sea Gypsies

Once again, the NYC Sea Gypsies will be running our always popular "Introduction to Northeast Diving" program!
Divers in the New York area are lucky to have an incredible marine environment right in our backyard. Not only are there hundreds of shipwrecks of historical significance, our local waters are a vibrant ecosystem with thriving populations of marine life - including sharks, ocean sunfish and even whales!
Our Intro program is geared towards people who love diving but who haven’t had experience diving locally. Why limit your diving to when you go to the tropics, when you can get in the water here every weekend during the season? No air travel, no baggage restrictions, no hotels, and no need to take days off from work. Yes, it requires special considerations for the conditions, but that’s what the Intro program is about - getting you ready for local diving.
Our volunteer mentors (instructors and other experienced northeast divers) happily give their time to help get new people into the local diving scene. We go over gear considerations, exposure suit selection, special techniques and protocols to make your first local ocean dive safe and fun.
The program starts at Dutch Springs, where we spend several days diving, camping and eating together. Some people just come for the day, others make it into a big social event and spend all weekend - we typically get around 40 people for this party. The diving and teaching is free to all paid club members (apart from the Dutch Springs admission fee).
While many of the club members who sign up for the program are relatively new to diving, we welcome divers of all levels who don't have experience in our area. Over the more than ten years that the Intro program has been running, we have even had warm water tech divers sign up to help them get started diving locally. The Dutch Springs event is especially inclusive, many divers who don't fit into either the "newby" or "mentor" category show up just to learn and enjoy the day!

You can do any one of these events, or all three. We do hope that people doing their first local boat dive with us first attend the Dutch Springs event, where we have more time to work on basic principals and techniques. For dates and times, see our schedule.
Please take advantage of this unique service that our club offers. Feel free to contact me at any time if you have specific questions, or if you want to reserve a spot for any of these events.
Michael Rothschild
Dive Chair
NYC Sea Gypsies
diving@seagypsies.nyc
Here is a video of one of our club dive charters, to give you an idea of what the day is like.