Is Maine a Good Place to Scuba Dive?
Uhhh… Depends who you ask, I guess.
Technically, Maine does have good dive spots and there is some wildlife you can see but if you’re going to compare it to other dive spots around the U.S., it's not necessarily the best place to go under.
Is There Scuba Diving in Maine?
Scuba diving in Maine gives you an underwater perspective on what makes our coastal state what it is: lobsters swimming backward, harbor seals playing around, and our local fish friends living in their natural habitat.
While it may be tempting to grab a lobster for later, it is illegal to just grab them and take them home so definitely don’t do that. You’ll see lobsters, flounders, crabs, seals, and maybe even some of the world’s largest jellyfish or a great white.
Where to Scuba Dive in Maine
Most diving in Maine is limited to shore entry but there is a charter boat that takes folks diving from Monhegan Island. Some popular places to scuba dive in the state are Saco Bay Biddeford Pool, Portland Head Lighthouse, Nubble Lighthouse, and Acadia National Park.
All of these sites offer so much more than just scuba diving, so you can have an all-day event or a vacation just out of these destinations.
Summer months are obviously the best time to go since Maine gets so cold; even in the summer, our ocean temperatures range from 50 degrees to 37 degrees as you dive deeper. As for visibility, you’re only going to see about 10-30 feet in front of you.
Scuba Diving in Maine
I would definitely recommend rocking a 7mm dry suit if you’re going to hit the waters here in Maine and we actually have a lot of dive shops scattered throughout the state. I wore a 3mm wetsuit when I was certified to dive in Miami but I know that wouldn’t last me very long in these practically arctic waters.
I think if I hadn’t gone diving in Southern Florida then I would be more interested in checking out what’s in these dark waters, but once you dive somewhere tropical, the thought of seeing a lobster swimming backward isn’t the most enticing thing. I feel like our water here must be super dark under there?? It would freak me out!!