Maine Diving July 4th Weekend 2006
- Thread starter Xanthro
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Gidds:Hope you like black flies.I wouldn't try driving anywhere in ME during the 4th it will be bumper-to-bumber on I95 from the NH border to at LEAST Portland. I'm thinking of going on a camping expedition and hitting the southern dive sites on the way up and/or down and staying up in Acadia since according to the "Shore Dives of New England" book there are some cool sites up that way.
It's really not that bad except for a few peak hours, have no fear. This applies to the traffic and the black flies.
Going camping? http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/camping.html
Hey Gids (did I say that?
) I'd be happy to dive with you around Portland town. Let me know if I can work on any pre-screening activities.My wife and I did a lot of skin-diving in and around Acadia in 2004, I can suggest some awesome sites that I can't wait to get bact to for scuba dives.
Heading up the coast the Rachael Carson Salt Pond (it's a cove) in Bristol, down the peninsulla from Damriscotta is not to be missed.
Pete
Xanthro:It's not that large.
Besides, I don't know yet where we will be staying the whole week, because part of that will be determined by where some good diving is located. A few hours drive is not a big deal.
As mentioned Eastport is said to be spectacular. The diversity in mind bogeling.
Dive shops and air sources are few and far between so that better be part of the plan unless you are fully equipped with a compressor or a slew of cylinders. There are some charter outfits scattered as well, these at often BYOA.
From the Portland area you'd have good access to the sites north and south with several dive shops in town to provision you. You'd also have night life and plenty to do if the weather goes sour.
That's my neck of the woods, let me know if you want to get together.
Pete
Gidds
Contributor
Yup it's on the list Pete. As long as your wife comes along you are exempt from security screening but I'll PM you a link to the critter hand signals I use. He is lying about the blackflies people, I suggest getting one of those hats with the netting around it.
Gidds:He is lying about the blackflies people, I suggest getting one of those hats with the netting around it.
Black flys are a May phenomenon. By July it's the typical mosquito. On a warm evening when you get out of the water at dusk you may get a few attackers.
Gidds
Contributor
You must adjust the blackfly season for the appropriate latitude. I'm from further north than you.
Hijack over:
There is also some decent diving in lakes in Maine I am told. Something to considor although jetskis can be a problem.
Hijack over:
There is also some decent diving in lakes in Maine I am told. Something to considor although jetskis can be a problem.
o yeah thats right....Gidds:
i did do some diving im Maine..
up in West Grand Lake.... decent viz... kinda barren where i was tho. but it was nice.. id do it again.......
a boat is a big plus up there.... not to dive from but to get to the shore diving locatiolocation
Gidds:
Yes, it's usually more about silt and artifacts than the ocean life but it's a good refuge especially when the seas are angry. Sunken boats, ice shantys, crockery, fresh water sponges, everything else that's washed from shore or fallen from boats and occasional schools of fish. We have a local pond that is eel city after dark, real cool!
There's a nice "deep" water dive right at Sebago Lake SP. Set-up at a picnic table, out past the swim area and at about 20 feet the slope to 76 feet begins. It's night time and 44F below 50 feet at high noon on a sunny July day. Mostly moonscape but a few surprises and a nice easy site.
Lots of farm machinery said to be out in Mooshead, not far from shore. Reportedly it was custom do bring your derelict equipment out on the ice so it would disappear in April.
Pete
adshepard
Contributor
Okay let me set the record straight on a few things.
Only dive around slack tide in the Eastport/Lubec area otherwise you'll likely be in a bit of trouble. Tides run an average of twenty feet or more and thus currents are quite strong. There's a reason tidal power generation is being tried up that way.
The diving around Eastport beats anything else New England has to offer unless wrecks are your thing. Comparing Eastport to say Cape Ann is like comparing Cape Ann to your local municipal swimming pool.
In Lubec the only real dive site is West Quoddy Head and you need a permit to dive there from the park manager. It is also prone to huge swells/waves and is not always diveable.
You can also head over to Deer Island, New Brunswick for even more spectacular diving.
The only local air fill station is in Lubec. The shop has a few items to meet your needs but no rental equipment. The shop really is there for the urchin and salmon cage divers.
There are no black flys in the Eastport area once you hit mid June and the mosquito population is only a problem at dusk or in the deep woods.
If you're driving up the July 4th weekend traffic will be hellish until you're past Portland.
Eastport has the best Fourth of July celebration in New England. The parade, fireworks and other events are old-time American. It is also packed on that day making parking for diving difficult. That week a US naval vessel will be in port, usually a guided missile destroyer. Diving anywhere near the vessel gets the Coast Guard personnel nervous. How do I know that? I made them very nervous two years ago and I was at least 500 yards away from the vessel.
If you want to see eagles, whales, seals and porpoises there are plenty of them up there during the summer. Actually the eagles are always there.
If you want more information let me know. We have a home in Lubec and spend about two months total up there during the year.
Only dive around slack tide in the Eastport/Lubec area otherwise you'll likely be in a bit of trouble. Tides run an average of twenty feet or more and thus currents are quite strong. There's a reason tidal power generation is being tried up that way.
The diving around Eastport beats anything else New England has to offer unless wrecks are your thing. Comparing Eastport to say Cape Ann is like comparing Cape Ann to your local municipal swimming pool.
In Lubec the only real dive site is West Quoddy Head and you need a permit to dive there from the park manager. It is also prone to huge swells/waves and is not always diveable.
You can also head over to Deer Island, New Brunswick for even more spectacular diving.
The only local air fill station is in Lubec. The shop has a few items to meet your needs but no rental equipment. The shop really is there for the urchin and salmon cage divers.
There are no black flys in the Eastport area once you hit mid June and the mosquito population is only a problem at dusk or in the deep woods.
If you're driving up the July 4th weekend traffic will be hellish until you're past Portland.
Eastport has the best Fourth of July celebration in New England. The parade, fireworks and other events are old-time American. It is also packed on that day making parking for diving difficult. That week a US naval vessel will be in port, usually a guided missile destroyer. Diving anywhere near the vessel gets the Coast Guard personnel nervous. How do I know that? I made them very nervous two years ago and I was at least 500 yards away from the vessel.
If you want to see eagles, whales, seals and porpoises there are plenty of them up there during the summer. Actually the eagles are always there.
If you want more information let me know. We have a home in Lubec and spend about two months total up there during the year.
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