Maine: Camden, Rockland & Lincolnville Divers?

[AlaskaDiver]

08/09/08 Today's:

I'm in Lincolnville Beach, Maine delighting in the pink summer evening and seeing the boats in the harbor as I write this. It had rained for 2 weeks before I came. It was a spectacular day with bright sunshine all day 78F.

Dove the Breakwater today in Rockland. The left side was fun with a chilling sharp halicline and thermalcline at 20 ft. Temp of water 54F. Below 20ft, 61F, shallows 72F. Tide was going out. Saw many huge lobsters and red crabs here too. Sand dollars like true dollar coin size. Rocks full of a variety of marine invertebrates and sponges. Surgy at shoreline.

Second dive was also BW. Less life, with very heavy silt. Wind had picked up. Sport fishing boat - wreck covered in kelp. Lobsters & crabs out all over the rocks. Wreck at extreme low tide was at 19' with GPS ball sticking out.

Tomorrow 08/10/08: Acadia for Somes Sound around 11:30a. An afternoon dive shallow.

 

[spectrum]

Tomorrow 08/10/08: Acadia for Somes Sound around 11:30a. An afternoon dive shallow.

From the dump, boatyard or a Sergeant drive ledge?

 

[poe67]

I am thinking the boat yard... the rocks along the wall offer a nice variety of sealife.

Joe

 

[AlaskaDiver]

Sunday's Dives were
#1 Sargent Point on Somes Sound (parked next to the volley ball nets and walked down to the ledges). A few kayakers on the beach. Water temp was 61F at low slack tide, 58F at depth. Viz was awful 0-10'. I remained next to the shoreline for the most interesting stuff as the bottom elsewhere was pure muck. Saw many old but broken bottles (old fashioned Coke, some crockery, an old torpedo bottle). Lots of lovely creatures (more green urchins than ever thought possible, scallops, horse mussels, lobster, crabs, flounder, sea vases, sea peaches) within 10 feet of shoreline including an octopus in its den in 4' of water! Tide began to change and I noticed my dive flag running out strongly. This was a dive for beginner to intermediate divers due to the rapid current change and the rocky access.

Met SB's poe67 in the afternoon at Litter Hunter's Beach on the Park Loop road. Parking was easy, although the site was unmarked. Jerry Shine's book was accurate (4.9 miles from Fee Station). It was a steep ascent down some wooden stairs and out across some medium sized stones to the water. Entry was fairly easy due to the tide coming in and being almost high. The underwater topography was greatly varied and hosted everything from crabs & lobster to sea peaches & sea vases. Big boulders made for some interesting canyons to explore. We got a bit off course and navigated back to the wrong cove. Entry into the new cove was very dangerous due to the large rocks just below the surface of the water. I know why all those stones are round! Re-entry into the water was almost impossible due to the pounding waves. Ascent up the rocks was strenuous. Maintaining a slow methodical approach to maneuvering the rocks and a good sense of humor was the easiest way to tackle the steep cliff. This is neither a dive for beginners nor those who are physically out of shape. Water temp was 55F. Visibility was expected at 5-10'. A light canister is recommended. poe67 was an excellent dive buddy.

 

[poe67]

Yes, it certainly was an intersting dive! Never thought about hiking in scuba gear before!

 

[Saltair]

That entry at the Somes Sound Dump site is super easy at high water, but certainly gains a degree of difficulty or two are the tide drops. Hunters Beach is a great dive, and the vis does get better when it hasn't been raining for three weeks. Hopefully we will see the sun up here again on a steady basis again soon!

 

[poe67]

Yeah... I've seen alot better vis at Little Hunter's before. When you went in at the dump site, did you go in by the ledges on the right side? It is a lot easier that way instead of straight over the rocks.

 

[AlaskaDiver]

Access to dump site was via ledges. Easy little ledge to sit down and rest a bit before making the trek back to the car.

Monday, 08/12
Dove the Rockland Breakwater on the right hand side. This time I was finning nonstop and made it to the light house at the end! The first 1/4 was very mucky and even the crabs seemed to stir up the sediment. Once out much further, larger fish and plumose anemones were visible. The boulders on the breakwater were huge and had nooks and crannies where colorful sponges grew. Lots of lobster traps abandoned in place at the edge of the breakwater. I liked the variety of things to see along the wall. It was shallow so I used the remainder of my tank from yesterday's dive.