Nubble South Cove 3/20/2010 1st day of Spring

[oldflounder]

I'll be doing the South Cove at Nubble on Saturday at 2 in the afternoon, conditions permitting. I've been over there several times and really enjoy it. Depth at high is 30'. There isn't much marine life to see right now. Just lots of ledges, boulders, etc. Right now there are no lobster trap lines so it is a good time to explore it. If the seas are rough that day it will be a nogo on that side of the channel. It's the first day of Spring and a good time to get out and treat that cabin fever. If anyone shows up and wants to do it I'll be happy to escort you around if you can find me. Friday I will make another posting and see if anyone wants to join me.

 

[spectrum]

Do you enter and exit off the south or do you use the usual access and run the channel back and forth?

I've seen some days when the south side was inviting.

Pete

 

[oldflounder]

You can do either but the easiest way is just to go into the North Cove and surface swim or dive over to the south. The south cove entrance is very easy if the seas are flat or moderate but you have to climb off a big step-down boulder which is tricky when you are fully geared up. Going in over there you attract a large crowd of on-lookers. The ideal way would be to go in an hour before high and gear up down there at the entry point and have a non-diver stay there and watch your gear so no one messed with it while you were under. It is also a long walk from the place we normally park. Supposedly the upper lot is one hour max parking and the lower lot is no limit so we all park there. I have entered and exited there several times and it is extremely easy if the conditions are right. If you get on those ledges in rough seas you are in for a beating. I would caution you not to go over there if the waves are crashing on the ledges. There is a wicked richochette surge off those ledges during rough seas. The danger is you can get seasick/dizzy very easy down there from the washing machine effect. I have and I rarely get seasick/dizzy. The entry point is an intersection of 2 gullies in the rocks straight out from the step-down boulder looking out toward the rocks just off the S end of the island...Joe

 

[oldflounder]

The best places to explore on the south cove are against the parking lot and over to the right 100' or so. There is a large patch of 4-8' boulders piled up that have a lot of marine life in the nooks and crannies. It isn't very deep but it is great for beginners and a fun place to just look around for critters. The other side/island side of the cove doesn't have much to offer. Again I caution - don't go over here 2 hours either side of high tide. You will get stuck in low tide conditions and the exit may be a rough climb out. There is no ocean current in here but there is a lot of surge under certain oceans. Also be aware that this area is heavily fished certain times of the year and in the summer there are a lot of lobster trap lines in the water.

 

[spectrum]

I have parked to dive from the upper lot without hassles. I have also found the regulations online and saw no mention of time specific parking spots. You should be fine using the most logical spot available.

Thanks for the scoop on the south side.

 

[oldflounder]

You're right - there is nothing in writing or posted about a 1 hour limit in the top lot. I don't know if I heard it by word of mouth from another diver or read it in a posting somewhere. I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket for parking too long up there so it's probably a moot[sp?] issue.

 

[oldflounder]

One thing I forgot to mention about the south cove is the interesting grooves in the ledgy bottom of the rocks against the p-lot. You geologists out there might find this worthy of study. Over thousands of years the ocean surge has gouged grooves in the rock by rubbing stone against stone. There are very noticeable 12" by 12" [more or less] short channels on the bottom carved out by mother nature. They are so out of place they catch your eye right away.

 

[spectrum]

You're right - there is nothing in writing or posted about a 1 hour limit in the top lot. I don't know if I heard it by word of mouth from another diver or read it in a posting somewhere. I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket for parking too long up there so it's probably a moot[sp?] issue.

Maybe it was a crusty local wanting to park up there!

 

[oldflounder]

I went in about 1:30 [high 3] with another diver that hadn't done Nubble before. The viz was poor - less than 10' with lots of tiny particles floating in it. Has the algae bloom begun? We went over to the south cove since the conditions looked favorable. Slight winds were out of the west, gentle 1-2' seas, not much wave action along the ledges, negligible current through the channel, depth along the bottom of the parking lot ledges/edge cove bottom at 20', water temp 38-39. Very little marine life to see yet. Did see a 1 1/2" crab - haven't seen any of them here for a few months. Didn't get much exploring done but had a fun dive.
For a second dive I stayed suited up and went over to the Portsmouth Peirce Island Dog Park to practice my skills dealing with the currents there. The viz was even worse there - couldn't see the tips of my fins.