New Diver from Charlotte, NC

[tblanks17]

Hi All!

I am a brand new diver in the middle of certification and looking to learn more about SCUBA. I have currently completed my pool sessions of SSI OW and will be completing my cert in March down in the Florida Springs.

Any suggestions for local diving or ways to progress and finding buddies, please let me know!

 

[DiveProKoko]

Hi All!

I am a brand new diver in the middle of certification and looking to learn more about SCUBA. I have currently completed my pool sessions of SSI OW and will be completing my cert in March down in the Florida Springs.

Any suggestions for local diving or ways to progress and finding buddies, please let me know!

Welcome! Glad you found the board as it's a great resource! I used to live in NC and it's where I got certified way back in 1998. I live out west now, but there is great diving right off the coast of NC. The wrecks/U-boats are pretty good! You can also do the various "shark tooth dives" there. Also, as you know, you're pretty close to FL. We used to drive down and do long weekends diving in the Keys, etc. Great times! Good luck with the rest of your cert!

 

[Marie13]

Finding buddies: your local dive shop, SB, FB. If you’re not on FB, hold your nose and give them as little info as possible. There are tons of FB groups dive clubs in different areas.

 

[Colliam7]

Hi All!

I am a brand new diver in the middle of certification and looking to learn more about SCUBA. . . .

Any suggestions for local diving . . .

In Charlotte, you are very close to an excellent inland dive site, the Lake Norman quarry operated by the Piedmont Diving and Rescue Association (Piedmont Diving and Rescue Association). It is a membership organization, with a modest annual fee, but that membership provides 24/7/365 access to any/all of their three quarries. One of those three - American Quarry - is just a bit farther away than Lake Norman, but not all that much. It is located in Salisbury.

Now, some folks may pooh-pooh quarry diving - colder water temperatures, lower visibility, less colorful marine life, etc. But, for contiinuing your development toward becoming a DIVER, quarries are an excellent, readily accessible, and affordable, choice of a diving site.

As has also been suggested, you are in a state with access to some of the best ocean / wreck diving in the country. Although the travel times are a bit long, you can dive out of Wilmington, Morehead City / Beaufort, or Hatteras, with Wilmington probably being the closest.

 

[ScubaCLT]

I’ll second the PDRA quarry. It’s super close to Charlotte and has some fun dives that make it easy to practice skills during. The visibility is variable, but still a great resource nearby.

 

[GreggS]

I’ll second the PDRA quarry. It’s super close to Charlotte and has some fun dives that make it easy to practice skills during. The visibility is variable, but still a great resource nearby.

Not only that, but the Lake Norman and American quarries both have aerators installed. I dove Lake Norman 2 weeks ago and the temp at 93 feet was 72°. American was 80° at 43 feet. So these quarries are quite warm now top to bottom. My wife and I dove American in just our bathing suits last week and didn't get a bit cold.

We dove JMR today but the aerators aren't installed there yet but are in the process. The compressor is in place but I didn't look to see if the power had been hooked up. Hopefully they will have the aerators going next year.