ATLANTIC BEACH OLD BRIDGE

DIRECTIONS:                                                     
(Atlantic Beach, Nassau County)

Take Sunrise Highway into the town of Lynbrook; turn south onto Broadway and continue. Broadway will change into Empire Avenue. Drive south, cross over Seagrit Boulevard and turn left on Seagrit Avenue. Then turn right on Beach 6th Street and take it to the end. Parking is usually not a problem.

CONDITIONS:

About 50 feet east of the Atlantic Beach Bridge lie the remains of its predecessor. All that is left on the bottom is a long narrow group of rocks, concrete and pilings. For years, the location was easily spotted by looking for the remaining concrete structure in the otherwise wood bulkhead on either side of Reynolds Channel. Unfortunately, it is no longer easy to find as the concrete is now covered with new wood bulk-heading. The location will be found approximately 50 feet east of the new bridge. Diving the Old Bridge can be very rewarding. Not only is this area good for spear fishing and finding an occasional lobster, but divers will usually find a good assortment and variety of lost boat anchors.

I would strongly recommend that divers use a boat and anchor directly into the debris. Due to the debris on this site, anchors get caught and cannot be pulled out by their boat owners. However, divers unlike fishermen have the advantage of pulling their anchor after a dive is complete. I also would suggest only diving this area at slack tide and using a tether line to find the way back to the boat's anchor. As is the case with the Atlantic Beach Bridge, I have on occasion seen divers swim here from the beach. They follow the same directions as for the Atlantic Beach Bridge, coming from Beach 6th Street, but drift past the new bridge until the concrete debris is spotted on the bottom. The divers then descend and search through the debris. As the current starts its' way out divers should be on the surface on the north side close to the bulkhead. Staying close to the bulkhead while on the surface reduces the chance of being hit by one of the many pleasure craft that speed through the area. Another method used by divers to reach the bridge is to park on the northeast side on Bannister Creek, and drift with the end of the outgoing tide towards the bridge. Again, stay close to the bulkhead on the north side of Reynolds Channel. Dive the bridge during slack and then catch a ride back to your entry point at the beginning of the incoming tide. Be sure to be on the surface and close to the north side bulk heading when the current turns.