Nubble, rather Folly Cove 9/2/03 -- mini-report

[mer]

Roman and I attempted to dive Nubble Light yesterday, Mon 9/2/03. A dive shop in Portland lied to him... so FYI: Nubble does not allow diving on Sundays AND state/national holidays.

So we drove back down to MA and hit Folly Cove. With the traffic and tide, by the time we got into the water it was almost 4:30. Of course, our day's misfortunes almost followed us into the water, as I had a leak from one of my BC's dump valves -- but Roman was able to do an in water fix and fix my mis-seated dump valve.

Once we got underwater twas a decent dive, saw some decent life. Typical stuff: skate, flounder, crabs, too many-shorts, stubborn legals, anemonae, urchines, a few stripers, and lots of tatog(?).. decent color too, for a cloudy day.
78 mins, 37'max, 17' ave (Roman's was probably significantly deeper ave than mine)
Air temp: 72, Surface temp: 60-61 down to first thermocline at 18-20ft, Mid-water temp: 50 down to ~30-34ft, Bottom temp: 46.
Vis 15'
I started freezing my butt of so I tried to hang out in the border of the first thermocline while we checked out the wall. Got skunked, but stopped really trying for lobster once I started getting a bit chilly. I need a drysuit.

Due to approaching sunset and chilling ourselves a bit with such a long dive, we decided to make the second dive at the bar.

 

[Devils_advocate]

Mer,

Regardless of the problems that occured much, it was still much better than my day.....doing nothing. I'm probably going to stay out of the water for a week or two, knee problems. But that won't hold Lola and I back for long. Although I'm already having withdrawls....and it hasn't even been a week yet.. So, Lola and I ordered drysuits to ofset the anxiety of not diving for a week or two maybe even until october. Man....I don't know if I can take it...I'm starting to get the shakes....time for a guiness.

-David

 

[reefseal]

You should have looked into diving some of sites Portsmouth Channel (Harts cove) or just outside (Great Island Common..)

Plenty of neat sites. Check out Portsmouth Scuba website for Channel Map

http://www.portsmouthscuba.com/flash/chanlmap.pdf

If ever you need any info on diving, ask for Jay at Portsmouth Scuba or send me a PM.

There are other sites you could have tried also on way back. (Fort Foster)

Luis

 

[MASS-Diver]

That's NE for you, late august and the water is still in the 40s at depth.

 

[Soggy]

Devils_advocate once bubbled...
Lola and I ordered drysuits to ofset the anxiety of not diving for a week or two maybe even until october.

What'd you get?

 

[Doder]

We both went with Dive Rites. I am still doing sizing for mine so I will probably be diving wet at the end of the month.

After that, no more cold water! Woo hoo!!!!

 

[mer]

Luis,

We thought about trying to hit something on the way back from ME, but didn't know of any good sites... and I didn't have Portsmouth scuba's addy or phone. Also, from what I've heard, you gutta hit the channel with just the right tide. We may have been near slack tide, but that's a dive I'd rather plan.

I'd love to go diving up in the Portsmouth areas one of these days, since I'm probably closer drive-time-wise to NH than Cape Ann.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[mer]

I really thought that the water temp at depth would go up a bit more by now, or at least that the thermocline that dropped below 50deg would have moved deeper, but I guess i'm just spoiled by last season.

I've really been thinking about a drysuit, but I don't have time with my job to research it right now. I will be unemployed in less than a month, and will have the time then, but then how prudent is it to buy a drysuit when unemployed??

I'll probably end up doing it anyways... I'm getting jealous of all you dry folks.

 

[reefseal]

Yes, you're right. Typically need to plan dive about 1 1/2 after high tide which is when slack is. Also, the water is much warmer in channel/river than in open ocean so can still dive wet.

What's nice is it could be stormy seas in open ocean and completely calm in channel.

Let me know when ever want to try sites in portsmouth. Now that summer boat traffic is died down quite a bit, better time to dive river.

LF

 

[mer]

Luis,

Thanks for the offer. I'm without job in Oct and will much more time to dive. PM when there is a day that works for you.

m