diving in north carolina

[scubeedoo]

I am looking to go diving on the cheap in North Carolina in May. I love wrecks and want to see the U-Boats there. There is an overwhelming amount of information on the web. On the cheap generally means I am going to camp out and try to get more shore dives in than charters, and that I will probably camp instead of renting a room or house (although that is still an option if I can get enough people to go)
Does anyone have suggestions where they believe the best campgrounds or cheapest accomodations can be found? Also, what about the best shore dives, keeping in mind that there are some inexperienced divers in the group. The inexperienced divers logically do not want to exceed 70 feet. Me, it doesn't matter. Ideally I would like to get campgrounds close to the dive sites etc... so travelling would be kept to a minimum.
Any help that can be rendered would be greatly appreciated!!!

[O-ring]

scubeedoo once bubbled...
I am looking to go diving on the cheap in North Carolina in May. I love wrecks and want to see the U-Boats there. There is an overwhelming amount of information on the web. On the cheap generally means I am going to camp out and try to get more shore dives in than charters, and that I will probably camp instead of renting a room or house (although that is still an option if I can get enough people to go)
Does anyone have suggestions where they believe the best campgrounds or cheapest accomodations can be found? Also, what about the best shore dives, keeping in mind that there are some inexperienced divers in the group. The inexperienced divers logically do not want to exceed 70 feet. Me, it doesn't matter. Ideally I would like to get campgrounds close to the dive sites etc... so travelling would be kept to a minimum.
Any help that can be rendered would be greatly appreciated!!!
To be honest, I don't know the answer to your question but I wanted to get subscribed to the thread so I can see what others post :D .

That being said, if you are diving with Olympus or any of the other larger dive ops down there you can sleep in the bunkhouses at the dive shop pretty cheap. What part of NC are you going to (Hatteras, Morehead City, Carolina Beach, ???)? I have only heard of one shore dive down there, but have never done it and don't remember the name of the site. NC is generally not a shore diving destination since all the wrecks are 20-50 miles offshore. I'll hang out and see if anyone else more knowledgeable posts.. Regardless of what you do, I think you will love NC diving.

[herman]

The only shore dive I am aware of is a spot on Radio Island, just outside of Morehead City. I have not dove it but I get the impression it's little more than sand and a few rocks. I may have bad info on this and would like to know if there is a good spot.

The wrecks are from 3 to 50 miles off shore and many are deep, 100+, but almost none are less than 50 ft. With the depths, long boat rides and common rough sea conditions, NC is not the best of novice locations. Some of the close in wrecks are pretty easy however.

Camping in May is not bad but any later in the year, the heat, humidity and buggs are almost unbearable. If you can give me the general area you want to dive, I may can point you to some campsites.

[scubeedoo]

I am not exactly sure where we are going to stay. I have only started to research it, and I am not at all familiar with the State of North Carolina. We love to camp though, and it a good way to save money especially since our Canadian dollar sucks.
Looking at the web it would appear as though most of the wrecks are chartered. Not alot of nice shore dives listed. I am sure there are some somewhere and that's what I need to find. I find the shore wrecks, I found where we want to stay. We will be chartering at least 2 days, but we have to kill time in the week with shore dives so we can get our "sea legs" since we have little experience in the Ocean (we are primarily fresh water puddle jumpers).
I really need to find shallower wrecks than 100ft. I have never brought my stepdad down that far, however I have brought him into very cold, low vis areas and he handled it like a champ. I'm sure he would be OK, but my Army buddy from Petawawa is new and a scary diver. I only dove with him once and I spent half my tank waiting for him and the guide to come down the line. It is unlikely we will bring him on the charter. He will have to sit at the site and chug beer instead.
Thanks for responding to the posting! I will let you know about the site you heard about. I'm sure there are many more divers who have seen that site before.


Cheers.

[herman]

Here is web site you may find useful.

http://www.nc-wreckdiving.com/

[MgicTwnger]

Great web site! Thanks.

[O-ring]

I really need to find shallower wrecks than 100ft.

..put the Indra at the top of your list. A lot of the inshore stuff I have been on has been nothing but rubble fields (Suloide, Hutton). Those rubble fields are "real" wrecks, not artificial reefs, so there is something to be said for history, but I would try to get out to the Indra (huge boat, perfectly on its keel, lots of nice swimthroughs and penetration if you are into that sort of thing) and probably the Hyde.

[scubeedoo]

O-ring once bubbled...


..put the Indra at the top of your list. A lot of the inshore stuff I have been on has been nothing but rubble fields (Suloide, Hutton). Those rubble fields are "real" wrecks, not artificial reefs, so there is something to be said for history, but I would try to get out to the Indra (huge boat, perfectly on its keel, lots of nice swimthroughs and penetration if you are into that sort of thing) and probably the Hyde.

Sounds great! I actually chased down some info from the Olympus dive shop that you suggested. They are actually providing a pretty good deal! $395.00 for both lodging and dives for Sunday May 18th to Thursday the 22nd. That is with charters from Monday to Tuesday. they also said they would find shallower wrecks for the novices and work their way deep later on in the week. I like that.
If I end up going with them, the shore dives are no longer an issue. If however the cheap buggers in the group cannot afford the Olympus...
Thanks for the excellent references O-ring!


Cheers

[O-ring]

scubeedoo once bubbled...


Sounds great! I actually chased down some info from the Olympus dive shop that you suggested. They are actually providing a pretty good deal! $395.00 for both lodging and dives for Sunday May 18th to Thursday the 22nd. That is with charters from Monday to Tuesday. they also said they would find shallower wrecks for the novices and work their way deep later on in the week. I like that.
If I end up going with them, the shore dives are no longer an issue. If however the cheap buggers in the group cannot afford the Olympus...
Thanks for the excellent references O-ring!


Cheers
The interesting thing about the inshore rubble though is that the Hutton was torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1942. Well, almost exactly a year later, the Suloide was steaming along and the captain saw the mast of the sunken Hutton and mistook it for a U-boat periscope. The quick thinking captain threw her full ahead and tried to ram the U-boat and crashed into the submerged Hutton sending his ship, the Suloide, to the bottom right near her.

[scubeedoo]

I am so excited about going! That is exactly what I want to see, U-boats and stuff. Most of the wrecks around here are piles of logs with an occasional boiler or prop. To see some REAL history is going to be such a thrill!!
May can't come soon enough! Thanks for the info!

[RICHinNC]

If you ever head over to the Wilmington, NC area.... you might want to try ... Aquatic Safaris.... just do a search on the net and you will find their web site. I have gone out with them about 3 times and have never been unhappy. Good luck...Y'all.

[cstreu1026]

I can offer some info from both my own personal experience and 2nd hand from my fiance. I have been to the outer banks in the last two summers. It very laid back and casual and if the weather is good it beautiful. Depending on you where you are headed the water can be chilly to down right cold. If you end up in the Nags Head area you can expect to need a dry suit or atleast a 7mm wetsuit because I don't think the water temps ever get above the mid 60's. The two times I have been we stayed at a KOA campground in Rodanthe which is in the middle of Hatteras Island. There is really isn't a whole lot there but it reasonably close to everything in Nags Head and about an equal distance to Hatteras. Now this where my fiance's experience comes in play since I have not been diving there. She has dived with Outer Banks Diving on more than one occassion (her family vacations there every summer). She has nothing but praise for the operation.

http://www.outerbanksdiving.com/

She has been raving about the diving there since I met her. If we can some how work something our we will probably go back late summer, though I am not sure how it will work out having taken off for our honeymoon in June.

[Lead_carrier]

If you're are going to the Outer Banks in the Nags Head area. There are a few shore dives, hire the local DM to guide you. Its is cheap and safer. Outer Banks diving can be very different from one minute to the next. This has a link to some good info.
They also have access to the U85 from up here.
http://www.obxdive.com/

If you're going to Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks diving is your only dive center. Not to worry, they are fantastic. Johnny is very safety consciece and his DM's are very attentive to their divers. (I do not work for them but if you see this Johnny I'll call in my marker later this spring.) Be nitrox certified and ocean experience is a big help.

www.outerbanksdiving.com

I usually don't go down over 3 or 4 times a year but it is some fantastic diving.
Have a great time. Anything else you need to know let me know and I'll help anyway I can

[DivePartner1]

herman once bubbled...
Camping in May is not bad but any later in the year, the heat, humidity and buggs are almost unbearable. If you can give me the general area you want to dive, I may can point you to some campsites.

The bugs really can be unbearable as late as September. Also, a back-up plan is a good idea. Heavy seas can interfere with diving with disappointing frequency. I know the diving is great, but this is why I usually dive Delaware instead: a wasted 5 hour round trip beats 14 hours in the car for a cancelled dive.

[RICHinNC]

DP1 has an excellent point. I have driven to wilmington only to have the dive cancelled. It can happen often. The reputable dive shops are very aware of the conditions and usually will call a dive if the waves hit 5 ft. Getting back on board the boat can be more a thrill than the dive sometimes!!

[O-ring]

...the dives are worth the risk. We have gotten blown out plenty of times and I look forward to getting blown out plenty more this season. Yeah, it sucks, but the diving is among the best in the world and I feel it is worth the drive, the risk of blowouts, and the rodeoish boat rides.

[DiverDave76]

Odds are more that you will have dives cancelled rather than actually get to dive. Seas can change quickly. From what I hear it is great diving....if you can hit it right. Never actually dove the area. I've had several trips cancelled myself. 0 for 3.

Maybe if I am persistent, one day I'll get to dive some of those wrecks.

Dave