Diving this weekend

[Chrissie]

Yeah! I took my NAUI test last week and passed with flying colors! I got a 92 and my husband got a 96.

This weekend we are doing a certification dive at Portland Head Light. I can't wait, although I am a little nervous! I don't want to freeze to death! :11: I am borrowing a 7mm wetsuit from the diveshop but will also be wearing my 2mm shorty underneath it as it is a little big on me. (I take an XS).

Since this is my first dive here in Maine what can I expect to see? I know in the Caribbean we see a ton of fish and coral but am not sure what to expect here in the cold water climate.

Thanks!
Chrissie

 

[MSilvia]

For your certification dives, you'll probably be doing skills near the bottom, and may or may not get to see much interesting life. There are fish there though, as well as lobsters, crabs, skates, anemonae, urchins, snails, all kinds of "macro" life, and who knows what else.

Keep your eyes open, and pay attention to the little details. Critters like to hide out, and may take a little looking for. As the saying goes, the faster you go, the less you see.

 

[Gabriel90512]

Yeah! I took my NAUI test last week and passed with flying colors! I got a 92 and my husband got a 96.

This weekend we are doing a certification dive at Portland Head Light. I can't wait, although I am a little nervous! I don't want to freeze to death! :11: I am borrowing a 7mm wetsuit from the diveshop but will also be wearing my 2mm shorty underneath it as it is a little big on me. (I take an XS).

Since this is my first dive here in Maine what can I expect to see? I know in the Caribbean we see a ton of fish and coral but am not sure what to expect here in the cold water climate.

Thanks!
Chrissie

you will love it i know i did .. there is 100X more life then you think you will see..
just sit still and look around and you will see all kinds of little things

you will love it

 

[vetdiver]

Chrissie -

You might be a bit chilly...I am also an XS girl (who are they making these wetsuits for, anyways - 'cause it ain't anyone I know!!) - and I tend to get pretty cold. But who cares? You'll be certified at the end of it! Take plenty of warm, dry clothes and a thermos full of hot cider, and you'll be fine.

The stuff you'll see is different than in the Caribbean, but it is still awesome - keep your eyes open for flounders in tha sand, hermit crabs, crabs, and lobsters.

Congrats in advance - have a fantastic time!

 

[spectrum]

Ive snorkeled that site and others in the area and schools of 100+ stripped bass are common unless they recently left for the season. Also all ther other critters mentioned above. I seem to recall a flourescent orange looking growth on rocks that was a color I hadn't seen. Kettle Cove just around the bend is another nice spot complete with nice out houses.

Good luck and congratulations!

Also FYI I was snorkeling down in Wells this morning in my 5/4 Bare Velocity with a hooded vest and was comfy in the 56 degree water. Granted no sustained depth but nice anyhow.

Pete

 

[decapoddiver]

Since this your certification dive, you might want to hold off on doing too much sight seeing. Your Instructor will be much more impressed with your ability to stay together and pay attention than he/she will with your noticing a nudi

 

[reefseal]

Yeah! I took my NAUI test last week and passed with flying colors! I got a 92 and my husband got a 96.

This weekend we are doing a certification dive at Portland Head Light. I can't wait, although I am a little nervous! I don't want to freeze to death! :11: I am borrowing a 7mm wetsuit from the diveshop but will also be wearing my 2mm shorty underneath it as it is a little big on me. (I take an XS).

Since this is my first dive here in Maine what can I expect to see? I know in the Caribbean we see a ton of fish and coral but am not sure what to expect here in the cold water climate.

Thanks!
Chrissie

Would like to know about the Portland Head light site. I live in NH and dive Portsmouth a lot but am getting pretty bored with it. Would like to try some of the diving in Portland as it's not too far and have friends could visit while diving. Would appreciate any details on site.. (depth, entry point, directions, where to park..) Likewise, can direct you to some sites further south in NH if interested. (appropriate for beginners)

Don't worry about diving wet this time of year. It's not when you're under that you get cold, it's topside if the winds are howling and temps are low. (as you're wet) Nothing worse than getting out of wet wetsuit when hands freezing. Make sure have good gloves and you'll be ok. It's good to bring hot water in milk jug to pour down back inside wetsuit to get things going before go in. I know of some people that drink lots of coffee and do you know what in water to warm up. (Gross!!!!!)

 

[spectrum]

How did it go Chrissie? How was the visibility? I got in there once and it was zilch.

Pete

 

[Chrissie]

How did it go Chrissie? How was the visibility? I got in there once and it was zilch.

Pete

The visability was pretty much zilch this weekend as well. Saw a ton of crabs and a couple of lobsters. That's about it.

But the good news is... my husband and I are finally certified! Yeah!!! We have to pick up our C-cards sometime this week.

I am a little tired from doing the tests underwater. The weight belt was the hardest for me. My bc is weight integrated but we had to wear a weight belt for the testing. I couldn't get it back on because it kept getting hung on the bottom of my tank/bc. I finally did it though!

My ears were fine underwater... equalized and everything... but once I was out one is still plugged. Is this normal? It doesn't hurt... it just feels like there is water in it but it won't come out.

Chrissie

 

[Henryville]

The visability was pretty much zilch this weekend as well. Saw a ton of crabs and a couple of lobsters. That's about it.

But the good news is... my husband and I are finally certified! Yeah!!! We have to pick up our C-cards sometime this week.

I am a little tired from doing the tests underwater. The weight belt was the hardest for me. My bc is weight integrated but we had to wear a weight belt for the testing. I couldn't get it back on because it kept getting hung on the bottom of my tank/bc. I finally did it though!

My ears were fine underwater... equalized and everything... but once I was out one is still plugged. Is this normal? It doesn't hurt... it just feels like there is water in it but it won't come out.

Chrissie

Congratulations!

For your ear, get some stuff from the drugstore called Swim Ear or Auro Dry and use it every time you get out of the water. It will dry your ears and help prevent and infection (painful!) Or, do a search on "Ear Beer" here or at thedecostop.com, you can make your own ear wash.

Have fun, be safe and keep diving!