Nubble next week evening dive

[oldflounder]

Thanks for the dive last night at Nubble Paul [aka Petrieps]. It's fascinating how much of an effect wind has on creating currents. It was really howling through the channel between the mainland and the island. You don't see it that strong right there too often. I would like to do another evening dive at Nubble next week. I want to get a lot of them in before the days get much shorter. Once it starts getting dark at 6:30 or 7 I loose interest in evening dives.

Anyway I am watching the conditions but it is too early to pick a specific day. I am thinking Thursday or Friday. The holiday weekend is upcoming and I don't know what my family plans are for it but it probably does not involve diving for me.

Does anyone have any interest in joining me???

ps - I am doing a dive at Fort Stark on Saturday morning. Anyone interested?

 

[petrieps]

The pleasure was all mine Joe. It was a memorable first experience at Nubble. Strange for me to see that many keeper lobster and not be able to catch them.

 

[mathauck0814]

Flounder - when you dive at Stark, where do you head? We did a handful (~6 or so) dives there over the course of the summer and struggled to find more than 10 feet of water and very little to see. The only route I think we didn't explore was looping around the point to the right into the channel for concern of traffic - but is there anything there other than ease of entry/exit and good parking?

 

[oldflounder]

Flounder - when you dive at Stark, where do you head? We did a handful (~6 or so) dives there over the course of the summer and struggled to find more than 10 feet of water and very little to see. The only route I think we didn't explore was looping around the point to the right into the channel for concern of traffic - but is there anything there other than ease of entry/exit and good parking?

Hello Mat.........I am not sure we are talking of the same place......were you at Fort Stark in Newcastle, NH. At high you are easily at 30' min and there isn't much boat traffic unless you are out in the middle of the river. I usually go along the eastern shore of the fort or just out in the middle of the site. It is fun to dive off the end of the jetty and out toward the green can but it is a long walk to get there with the gear on...........Joe

 

[mathauck0814]

Same place - sounds like we're entering in different spots. We had been walking off the beach and heading north (keeping the rocks on the left). My last 3 dives had an average depth of 12'

 

[oldflounder]

I assume you are talking about the beach on the river side and not the beach on the harbor side. If you go in at the beach on the river side and go along the shore to the North then you are traveling over terrain that is intertidal zone and is exposed rocks at low tide. So yes you would be at 12' max because the tidal change is about 11' here.
There is not much to see there except for seaweed beds. You need to get out into the river more for depth and things to see. The lobster buoy lines run along the edge of the "sandy bottom" / edge of bedrock where there is a depth of 40-45' at high. Most people dive in the middle of the "bay" off the beach entry. I like it more to the S for scenery but you have to get across the ledge "foot" that sticks out into the river quite a ways. It is shallow and can have wicked surge and alongshore currents on rough days. Once you get past it you are ok for the most part. But don't plan on coming back the same way. I usually get out down along the shore or near the jetty and just walk back to the car. You would do best to stay in the "bay" if you are not used to the area. This river has tricky alongshore currents. You need to get a feel for where they are going to take you during the different times of the tides or you may end up with a long walk back....Joe

 

[oldflounder]

Anyway -------I'll be at Fort Stark for a high tide dive at 10 if anyone would like to join up and I am watching the weather for an evening dive later in the week at Nubble...........Joe

 

[oldflounder]

It is looking like Thursday night might be the only evening this week that will be do-able at Nubble. Friday the traffic heading North is going to be jammed on the turnpike and earlier in the week it looks like winds are going to be out of the N which is not good for that site. Will be posting as the time gets closer..........that is, if we still have power after today's windstorm!