What type of diving do you offer?

What qualifications do I need?

I don’t have a dive buddy – what should I do?

How do I sign up?

What kind of boat is GAUNTLET and how many passengers does it carry?

Where is the boat and what time does it leave/return?

Can I load the boat with my gear the night before or sleep on the boat before a trip?

What if the weather is bad on the day I am planning to dive?

What about canceling because of bad weather for technical dives?

Do you run charters in the winter?

What if I sign up and then I can't go... do I still have to pay?

I want the “numbers” to that wreck. Can I bring my handheld GPS onboard?

Can I take artifacts from a wreck?

I am looking for a donation for a club, show or event. Do you donate spots for charters aboard GAUNTLET or offer discounts to clubs or shops?

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We operate year-round and offer all types of diving, but mainly focus on wreck diving. The boat is available for any type of diving though - recreational, technical, wreck or other! We are available for lobstering, scalloping, reef diving, night diving, etc. We welcome groups, individuals and classes. Charters can be private, whole boat charters if desired, or you can just sign up individually.

For recreational dives, we generally require only an open water certification card and prior experience in the last 12 months diving in the Northeast. For dives below 60 feet, we require at minimum an advanced open water card and prior experience in the Northeast. We define recreational dives as no-decompression dives to less than 130 feet. For all recreational dives between 100-130 feet, we require divers using a single tank to have a pony bottle.  We will make exceptions to this policy in cases where single tank divers are diving as part of a buddy team.

For technical dives, which are decompression dives regardless of depth or dives below 130 feet, we require appropriate certification for the level of the dive. In other words, if you wish to dive a wreck in 150' of water, you must have certification in decompression techniques and technical/advanced nitrox, at a minimum. If you wish to do a technical decompression dive in 100 feet of water, you must have appropriate certification or conduct a no-decompression dive. As we are very safety conscious, if you’ve never been out with us before, we might ask you to join us on a shallower dive before coming along for a technical dive.

For lobstering you must have a current MA license and comply with all state requirements for line floats, numbers, size and quantity limitations, etc. For scalloping, you must also comply with all laws/requirements pertaining to scallop size, daily limits, etc – and each diver (or dive team) must have a flag.

We encourage everyone to dive with a dive partner or “buddy” but we do not require it. You do not need to have a dive buddy to sign up. We will not supply a buddy if you do not have one. On recreational dives, if the crew is available, we do offer guided dives free of charge.

You can either call or email to reserve your spot. For technical dives, we ask that you complete our "Diver Data Sheet" so we have your contact information and some information about your diving experience. We also require a credit card to hold your spot, but you may pay on the day of the charter however you would like. Your card will only be charged if you want us to charge it, you cancel, or you don't show up.

We accept MasterCard, VISA or American Express.

GAUNTLET is a 36 foot Northern Bay design down-east style dive boat. It was custom built for diving. The boat carries a maximum of 6 passengers plus crew. The boat has a full toilet that operates just like a regular household toilet, which means you can put paper in it. The boat is heated in the winter and air-conditioned in the summer.

Instead of benches, there is a table in the center of the back deck - this is what divers on the boat use to suit up. GAUNTLET does not have dive "benches" like you might have seen on other boats. Instead, we stow the gear down low on the deck and out of the way, where it is most stable and protected. When you're ready to go diving, we put your gear up on the table and help you dress. This way, you have plenty of room to sit comfortably and if you discover a problem with your equipment, we have plenty of space to get at it and fix it. This is also a good place to work on camera equipment if you need to make adjustments.

The boat has a stainless steel "christmas tree" style ladder that extends up past the swim platform so climbing back aboard is easy.

The GAUNTLET complies with USCG regulations for uninspected passenger vessels. The boat has an EPIRB, flares, ring buoy, PFDs for all passengers and crew, as well as an 8-man USCG approved life raft. We also have O2 on board and a full first aid kit. GAUNTLET also has a mast with special navigation lights to signal large ships that we are diving.

The GAUNTLET is located in the south basin at Pickering Wharf Marina in Salem, MA. Directions to the boat are listed on our website in the "Directions" section. Departure times can also be found on the website in the "Schedule" section. In the summer season (April – November), we offer two trips per day, one leaving at 7:30 am, returning around 12 pm and another leaving at 1 pm, returning around 5 pm. In the winter season (November – April) we offer one charter per day and leave at 9 am, returning around 2 pm. Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to a planned departure. The boat leaves on time, so if you are late we cannot guarantee the boat will be waiting for you when/if you eventually arrive.

GAUNTLET moves out to the transient pier in the wintertime because the south basin ices over when it becomes very cold.  From about May-December we are at our "summer slip" in the south basin.  In the winter months, we are located at the end of the pier next to the schooner FAME.

Can I load the boat with my gear the night before or sleep on the boat before a trip?

In general, no, loading the boat the night before a trip or sleeping on the boat prior to departure is not permitted while we are docked in port.  You may load the boat the night prior to the trip or sleep on the boat only with prior permission from the captains in advance of the charter.  For special trips such as overnighters with early morning departures, exceptions to this policy may be made on a case-by-case basis.

We will do our best to go to the planned dive site, but we cannot guarantee the weather will allow us to get there. If the weather is bad, but not bad enough to cancel, we will go to the next best site based on the conditions. We do not permit cancellations because the destination has changed. Once you sign up, you are committed to wherever we ultimately go. You can choose not to go, but you will still be responsible for payment. We do not cancel dives just because the weather is bad and we must go elsewhere. Keep this in mind when signing up during less predictable times of the season if you're heart is set on diving a specific location.

If the weather is bad enough to cancel, you will be notified as soon as possible. In some cases, groups (such as those with more experience) may tolerate diving in more adverse conditions and in other cases not. We determine whether or not to run in poor conditions based on 1) what is in the best interest of the boat and 2) what is in the best interest of our passengers. The goal is to have fun and bring everyone (and the boat) home safe.

You will not be responsible for payment if we cancel due to weather. If we go out to “take a look” and have to turn back, you will not owe anything.

If the weather is too poor to conduct a technical dive, we will dive the next best location, even if it is shallower. We will try to forewarn everyone if the weather forecast looks questionable so other gasses can be prepared if desired, but we will not cancel the charter entirely because we must dive elsewhere. Technical diving in New England can be very challenging from a logistical standpoint. We will do our best to please everyone, but we can't guarantee the destination of choice.

Do you run charters in the winter?

Yes, you are responsible for your spot once you sign up even if you can’t go regardless of the reason (you got sick, you got hurt, you have to work, etc). We do not permit cancellations without full payment. If the boat is already full and there is a waiting list, we are sometimes able to make exceptions and fill your spot, but generally if you cancel you must pay at the time of cancellation.

You may not bring your handheld GPS aboard GAUNTLET without prior permission from the Captains.  Please ask.  We will probably say yes.

If the wreck is not “protected” you may remove artifacts. There are certain protected shipwrecks in Massachusetts Bay.  All wrecks within state waters are protected unless they appear on the "exempt" list.

When diving in Massachusetts State waters (within 3 miles of shore) some shipwrecks are classified as “exempt” from issuance of permits. What this means is divers do not need to apply for a permit to dive the shipwreck (reconnaissance permit) and that commercial operations cannot obtain a permit to conduct salvage (excavation permit). As a result, sport divers may “casually” remove artifacts from the wreck provided the site is not significantly disturbed in doing so. You can find a list of “exempt” shipwrecks at the following address:

Some shipwrecks are fully protected, and therefore no artifacts may be removed from the site. This includes shipwrecks like government vessels (Navy, Coast Guard, etc), and wrecks belonging to foreign nations.  Again, this also includes any wreck in MA state waters that is NOT on the Exempted List.

Artifacts may not be removed under any circumstance from shipwrecks in marine sanctuaries such as Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

We will inform all customers as to whether or not a particular wreck is protected and what proper conduct at that site requires prior to commencing diving operations. We expect our customers to comply with existing laws, as we will enforce them.

At this time our official policy is that we do not donate spots for charters aboard GAUNTLET, nor do we offer individual discounts for clubs or shops.

We have a discount program for regular divers called the Gauntlet Privateers.  We do offer discounts for active-status and insured instructors teaching classes. Inquire for details and requirements.