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I love diving Morehead and Cape Hatteras during summers but how is diving during winter months? Does the viz drop down radically? Since my main interest in underwater photography, if it loses too much viz then my photos do not turn out that well. I have a dry suit so cold does not bother me but an idea of how cold would enable me to select a better undergarment. Also can anyone recommend a dive operator? I prefer Cape Hatteras over Wilmington and NC.
I've dove with Olympus out of Morehead City during the winter and the conditions vary according to location. Offshore wrecks are warmer (60's) and better vis than the inshore wrecks (50's). However, vis can vary from day to day and cane anywhere from a few feet to 20-30 feet.
The further offshore you can get, the better. Pappoose and Naeco are 2 good wintertime wrecks. You will not get the blue water we have in the summer, but chances are you will find good clean "green" water and viz up to 50'. They fact that winter is often overcast, or the sun never gets overhead can make the bottom seem a little dark. The biggest problem is the weather. It is pretty fickle in the winter, blows out of the North a lot. I decided this year to lay up Tortuga from 12/1 to 4/1/2012 just because almost all of my booked dates in the winter the last couple of years didn't run. If you can find several folks to make up a 6 pack charter, then your best bet is to plan short term when the weather looks good and try to get Capt Leroy (Captain's Lady- Discovery Diving) or Capt Tony (Thomas S-Olympus Dive Center) to run a charter for you. Both are 6 packs. Also watch Discovery and Olympus for planned trips on the big boats when the weather is looking good. It should be easy enough to walk on that time of year.
Good luck. If you do get out there you have a good chance of some great diving.
It is all weather dependant in the winter even more than during the summer season. I do not even book winter season trips and just go on the weather windows.
They pop open for periods of time from one to several days in a row, then slam shut with the standard winter blow.
You have to be ready to jump on the opportunity when it presents itself. Last year our last dive was the weekend before Thanksgiving and the conditions were spectacular. Then we had no other opportunities that we could jump on until May.
As far as the vis goes, Tortuga James is pretty much right with his reply. However, up here in Hatteras we are just a bit closer to the edge of the stream even in the winter. I have seen the edge of the blue creep in and give us some decent water even in winter but there is no predicting it. If you do get lucky and get out it can be worth the effort. At least you got the gills wet and tried.
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