Exploring New York's waters can be tough. The water is hard to see through, and there is a lot of trash, but divers still enjoy it. Adam Riback, who grew up in Sea Gate on Coney Island, always wondered what was beneath the water. He found out later in life when he started diving.
There are around 5,000 shipwrecks around New York, one of the highest in the world. Big Apple Divers, a diving club in New York City, has been exploring these waters since 1971. They find shipwrecks and see many sea creatures like sharks, whales, and seahorses.
Adam Riback joined Big Apple Divers in 2011. He says many people don’t know they can dive close to Manhattan. There’s a whole ecosystem right there. But some divers worry that fewer people are interested in diving now.
In a place called “Wreck Valley,” near New York, divers can explore many shipwrecks. One famous wreck is the U.S.S. San Diego, sunk by a German mine in 1918 during World War I. Shipwrecks become homes for fish and other sea life over time.
Diving in New York’s waters is not easy. The water is cold, and you can’t see much. It’s very different from diving in the clear waters of the Caribbean. Some divers have even died while exploring wrecks. Despite the challenges, some people love diving in these waters because of the excitement of finding something new.
Big Apple Divers worry that diving in New York is becoming less popular. Fewer boats take people to dive sites, and fewer people are buying diving gear from local shops. But some young divers are trying to keep the tradition alive.
One group, the Billion Oyster Project, works with schools to help restore the city’s oyster population. Oysters help keep the water clean and protect the city from floods. The project’s assistant dive safety officer, Zoë Greenberg, trains students to dive and build oyster nurseries. She says the water is now cleaner than ever.
Another diver, Nicole Zelek, runs SuperDive, a diving school. She organizes underwater cleanups in Far Rockaway, Queens. While they find sea creatures like crabs and coral, they also find trash like shopping carts and bus seats. She says diving in New York helps remind us of our connection to the rest of the world.
For Dr. Michael Rothschild, a medical adviser for Big Apple Divers, diving is a way to bring people together. Underwater, everyone is equal. Everyone needs to breathe, no matter who they are.
Adapted from New York Times
Multiple Choice Questions
1.What inspired Adam Riback to start diving?
a) A documentary about sharks
b) Growing up near the water and wondering what was beneath it
c) A friend who was a professional diver
d) Reading a book about shipwrecks
2. Approximately how many shipwrecks are there around New York?
a) 500
b) 1,000
c) 5,000
d) 10,000
3.What is the name of the diving club that has been exploring New York’s waters since 1971?
a) Sea Gate Divers
b) Brooklyn Dive Club
c) Big Apple Divers
d) Wreck Valley Divers
4.What does the Billion Oyster Project aim to restore?
a) Coral reefs
b) Fish populations
c) Oyster population
d) Sunken ships
5.What does Dr. Michael Rothschild say about diving?
a) It's a dangerous sport
b) It helps people connect by making them equal underwater
c) It’s only for professionals
d) It’s too expensive for most people
True/False Questions
1.Adam Riback joined the Big Apple Divers in 2011.
True /False
2.New York’s waters are as clear and warm as the Caribbean.
True/False
3.The U.S.S. San Diego was sunk during World War I by a German mine.
True/False
4.Shipwrecks can become homes for various sea creatures over time.
True/False
5.The Billion Oyster Project helps to clean the water and protect against floods.
True/False
Download the document to see the answer key.
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