If Niles Beach is the Wachusett Mountain of diving, Stage Fort Park is the Rosie O'Donnell. It's nice. Not like, "Oh you gotta go there - it's nice!" More like, the way you talk about a date with someone you won't be seeing again, even though you didn't hate them. "Uh, yeah… I did have a good time…it was, uh,…nice."

What makes Stage Fort Park nice is actually not the scuba diving at all. Stage Fort Park has everything but great diving. Plentiful parking - free in the off season, fee during - bathrooms, snack bar, grassy areas to play frisbee and volleyball, a playground with swings and climbing structures, great big rocky trails to climb over… and have I mentioned the diving? No? Oh, it's…uh…nice.

Stage Fort Park is protected by Gloucester Harbor so it is diveable in almost any conditions. It has a southern exposure. The beach area is sandy, and gently slopes to the water, so it is an extremely easy entry and exit. You'll see about a 20 foot maximum depth. The bottom is sand, with occasional rocks and boulders scattered. That's really where the action is - around the rocks you may find some lobsters and fish, but for the most part there is not much going on here. On a day when weather is eliminating more exciting spots, Stage Fort Park is a fair alternative. Because of the easy parking and all the facilities, it works well as a family or club picnic and dive, or student diver training spot.

Take 128 to Exit 14, Route 133 in Gloucester. Take 133 to the end, and make a right, move quickly to your left, and make the first Left into the park. Go up the hill and pull into the lot at the top of the hill on your right. Work your way to the back left corner of the paved area, where you will find an open way to the unpaved, downhill parking lot. Get down as close to the snack area and street as you can. The beach is across the street and down the hill. Gear up at the car, or carry stuff down to the beach and set up on a tarp. It is sandy.