Need help diving in Maine

[DavidInNH]

What??? Are you kidding me or are you serious? My inlaws are in Mass and the divers there tell me that viz is 3 feet! I never dove there just because of the discouragement. If this is true then I will be dragging my dive gear next time I am there.

I measured 40' visibility a couple of weeks ago on Cape Ann. Rare, but accurate.

 

[poe67]

Then there always is boat/shore diving around the Acadia National Park area in Bar Harbor. Check out our website at http://www.underwatersuperhero.com. On the calendar page you can see some of our upcoming dive charters and events. Typical vis in this area is 15'-20'. We have had some awesome dives with vis up to 50' in the spring when the water is cold.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Then there always is boat/shore diving around the Acadia National Park area in Bar Harbor. Check out our website at http://www.underwatersuperhero.com. On the calendar page you can see some of our upcoming dive charters and events. Typical vis in this area is 15'-20'. We have had some awesome dives with vis up to 50' in the spring when the water is cold.

The link is not working. are you guys also on facebook?

 

[poe67]

Thanks. It looks like our hosting provider is down. We do have a Facebook Group... Log In | Facebook

 

[Jeff Godfrey]

I just did two shore dives at Eastport ME, at the old dock last week. Twenty five foot of visibility and water temps in the mid fifties, toasty. We spent time surrounded by a large school of Pollack and the bottom was covered with sea scallops, old bottles and broken plates. This site has a twenty foot tidal range so dive only at slack. We did to 70 minute dives with a much longer walk to the water at low tide.

I also dived Monhegan Island while we were there. It was a very nice dive with plenty of photo opportunities. The shallows were matted with an invasive sea squirt (didemnum) so there are not as many opportunities there. We dived Monhegan with Sea Ventures. They have a nice boat with a knowledgeable captain and mate.

 

[poe67]

Yes, Eastport does have some amazing diving!! Soft Corals and all. Our Dive Club is heading up there on the 29th to do some diving. Monhegan is pretty amazing too. Sinbad, our website is back up and running.

Cheers!
Joe

 

[spectrum]

Unless you are going to be boat diving (and the boat diving industry in Maine is virtually non-existent) dives are made from shore. The boats that operate are mostly on a trip per week basis. The exception is probably Eastport which is said to have the most spectacular marine life on the east coast. Here the tidal excahnge is on the order of 18 feet so diving is generally limited to slack tides.

Visibility can be real nice in the colder months but nearly all of the critters are taking refuge in the deep offshore water. The plant life color can be spectacular but the hours of high sun (which may not be too high) are limited.

The most comfortable diving will be from late June to Late September with 2 months either way being entirely enjoyable. If you dodge storms and post storm river discharge you can have delightful visibility within camera range any time of the year. Buddy spotting ranges of 20 feet + are not uncommon. IMO nice vsibility has been especially abundant over the last few years.

Pete