Winter Diving in Maryland?

[Skarn]

Hey all,

I have a 7mm wetsuit, but I'm in the process of getting a drysuit and was wondering if anyone actually dives the bay in the winter? If so, I'd be interested in joining you.

Thanks,
Skarn

 

[UntamedSpirit]

Hey all,

I have a 7mm wetsuit, but I'm in the process of getting a drysuit and was wondering if anyone actually dives the bay in the winter? If so, I'd be interested in joining you.

Thanks,
Skarn

Never tried it, but may be game if the water temp is over 45F
I've got an 8/6

Maybe I'll get a dry suit next year

 

[Skarn]

Actually mine is an 8/7 semi-dry. Just picked it up today (ordered it before I realized I really want a drysuit)

I did Bainbridge this October and at 90ft. it was 38deg and while it was cold, I could stand it. Apparently it's 38deg past 40ft there year round.

Skarn

 

[offthewall1]

Quarries are about it around here in the winter... and some of them close... so check around and see if any are still open... Some also have depth limits in the winter... like I think Bainbridge says no deeper than 40 or 50 ft in the winter... the info's on their website.

 

[paddler3d]

Hey all,

I have a 7mm wetsuit, but I'm in the process of getting a drysuit and was wondering if anyone actually dives the bay in the winter? If so, I'd be interested in joining you.

Thanks,
Skarn

Did you post something similar on FB?

The question is does anyone really even dive the Bay in the summer?

They have the fall oyster dives. You have the Black Panther in the Potomac. There is some fossil hunting off of Calvert Cliff. There are some 'artificial reefs' in the Severn. I don't know what else there really is to see, because therein lies the problem...crappy vis.

I would say that most MD divers head to DE, VA, or NC for a fair amount of wreck diving.

We have a variety of quarries...Millbrook, Hydes, Bainbridge, Guppy, Willow, and Dutch which are all public quarries.

Mt. Storm in WV is heated, sort of. It is the cooling source for a power plant.

The vis in the Bay is pretty crappy.

There are groups of folks that will be diving at Guppy and at Bainbridge for sure this Saturday...a New Year's thing. I did the semi-dry thing for years on the New Year.

This will rub OTW1...

If you are jonesing for some warm clear, very local, water, contact Atlantic Edge. They do a paid diver program with the National Aquarium in Baltimore. You get to blow two tanks in a couple of the exhibits. The one exhibit is 13ft deep...that HP100 with 3k lasts a long, long time. I think they do it Saturday night after the aquarium closes.

Of if paying isn't your idea, and you are and advanced diver with at least 60 logged dives, they, NAIB, will be hosting the written test to become a volunteer diver January 11th, around 6 or 7pm. Go to their website for more info.

Seriously, unless you clean boats, there isn't a lot of diving in the Chesapeake.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[Md Spear]

Skarn.......you missed it by 25 or 30 years.Back then it was 15 ft of vis starting in October.
I probably have 50 plus Cheasapeake Bay dives from 1970 to 1987. Not anymore.Today ,its not only vis, but a water quality issue. Maybe a MOP level IV toxic exposure suit would be inorder today, ,to eliminate dermal entry into your system.Its kinda like diving in Fecal soup. If you got even a drop of this water in your mouth , would you want to swallow it? NOT!!!Every time we get big rains that raise up the water table all those old time septic tanks release their spuge into the rivers and the bay. Always a new supply of nasty stuff re-inocullating the Bay waters. Dont drink the cool aid and dont get any bay water in your system..That being said ,its still a great place to go boating and sailing.

 

[Skarn]

MD spear,
Actually I didn't miss it! I dove with a friends Dad back in 1989...he would find possible wrecks on his sonar and we would hook it with the anchor and follow it down. Yes the vis sucked but honestly, I like that kind of challenge.

And seriously, the bay isn't that bad for water quality! I did the Polar Bear plung a few years back and they still do it annually! If there were any danger risk I don't think it be allowed and sactioned by the MD State Police. I water ski and jet ski in it and I've never had an issue! I think the talk of how "contaminated" it is is severely over hyped IMO. But admittedly, I haven't tested it or researched it myself.

Paddler: Yes, I did post that on FB. Yeah, I know about the quarry's....I did half a dozen dives this past October in Bainbridge.

Oh well, looks like it's quarry diving for local until Spring/Summer. I do plan on hitting OC a few times this year and I'm headed to the Bahama's at the end of January.

Thanks for the info all,
Skarn

 

[Md Spear]

well every time after a big rain I walk the docks and the banks and I see gray nasty water. and it smells.

Remember : DONT Drink the Coolaid. you dont have to be a lemming and follow the herd off the cliff.

send your own water samples into the lab. see if you can drink it. but be carefull when you do

 

[waterpirate]

I dove the lower bay late this fall. Vis and current were issues on some dives not on others. The bay is littered with wrecks and when the fall weather closes out the ocean in 2011 we will be back in the bay to extend our season.
Water quality data is what you make of it. Dillution is the solution for polution. That being said the upper bay or near the shoreline is bad. Out in 60fsw not so much of an issue.
Eric

 

[Skarn]

send your own water samples into the lab. see if you can drink it. but be carefull when you do

LOL, I don't plan on drinking it!

Skarn