Maine Diving

[slackercruster]

I had heard that Maine offers a lot of beach dives due to the amount of coastline in its territory. Are the beach dives decent? If so, where is a good source to go for information so I can plan an upcoming trip?

Thanks

 

[cecilb63]

here's a start

http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/USA_East/Maine/index.htm

 

[spectrum]

If your going to be in the Wells/Cape Elizabeth range PM me. We're getting out about 5 days a week lately. 12 sites in that range come to mind immediately.

The critters are thick and we're in our nicest water of the year for the next month or so.

Pete

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Allen,

Taking a look at your diving history, it is probably important to caution that most dives around here are relatively shallow and the visibility is less than what you may have experienced in other places.

Right now is some of the best diving of the year in Maine. As Pete mentioned, there are plenty of locations. And it's not just the coast, there are a lot of lake dives that offer excellent opportunities as well.

Maine shore diving is fun and normally pretty laid back.

Jeff

 

[slackercruster]

Thanks for the help.

Can I get by with a 5 mm and hood or do I need a drysuit in Aug or Sept?

Also regarding the viz what do the numbers look like for this time of year?

Thanks

 

[Ken abucs]

You can probably get by with a 5mm if you're tollerant to the cold. I normally dive in 7mm. Vis can vary between 5 - 35 ft, with 15 - 25 ft the norm. Most shore dives range from 20 to 40 feet, so neoprene compression isn't an issue. There are some charters available, especially in Cape Ann, MA area. But 5mm will probablly be too thin for anything that deep. If that sounds interesting to you, bring the dry suit.

Ken

 

[spectrum]

I dove a 5/4 fullsuit with a hooded chicken vest last Saturday in Kennebunkport. Runtime was 72 minutes We saw 53F at 35 feet. I felt cool at depth but we were roving through ledges and we came and went from the coolest water. I don't know if it's me or my gear choices but I seem to handle cold better than most.

I could have made dive two the same way but swapped up to my 7mm fullwuit with the same vest and added 6LBs for the second dive of similar profile.

The water will hang in there quite nicely thouugh August before starting to slowly cool in September.

Sunday we found 49F in 25 feet diving from Wells beach, that was a surprise!

Be sure that your suit is part of the dive planning process.

Pete

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Thanks for the help.

Can I get by with a 5 mm and hood or do I need a drysuit in Aug or Sept?

Also regarding the viz what do the numbers look like for this time of year?

Thanks

I used a 5mm "jumpsuit" with (5mm?) hooded vest Saturday at "The Nubble". No idea the water temp but was told it was in the upper 40s. I was good to go for 30 minutes. I'd have been warmer with the 7mm suit but I did not bring it with me. I did determine though I don't need a WB with the 5mm suit. I need a 5-pounder with the 7mm.

 

[slackercruster]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I appreciate it.

This spring I was touring FLA and was very disappointed in south FLA as it was pretty congested and I had a hard time doing any beach parking with my car and small trailer. Yes, they had some spots for cars, but their design is not RV friendly when it comes to beach parking for the most part. How is Maine when it comes to the 'sherpa factor' of close parking to shore dive spots? Also does Maine have much seaweed or kelp to dive in?

 

[spectrum]

The dozen sites that I mentioned aboove all are such that me and amd my wife, both 50ish second year divers can get fully geared up at our van and walk into the water.

Nubble light is probably the most challenging entry as it is mainly one big slab of sloped and slimy ledge. Even there tide and technique go along ways.

Most sites are park/beach/sight seeing locations that often have sanitary facilities open during tourist season in addition to good parking. Some sites can of course get busy. We dove at a site on Wells beach this morning and over 25 folks must have stopped while passing asking if were ready to leave. Some of them stopped whjile my wife and I were dripping wet in full gear!

Some areas had moderately big (by Maine standards) kelp that we can swim about and often see it in slioutte when looking up to higher ledges. More attractive IMO is the colorful plant, algae and sponge growth that tends to be stout bottom cover.