Diving in North Carolina

[cruzbound]

Dear All,

Thank you for the wonderful information you provided. I think it will be better for us to forego a diving trip to NC for just a long weekend - it seems since the weather can be unpredictable, we should plant to spend more like a week there so we can get some diving in. Maybe summer of 2016 - already have early summer 2015 dive plans.

Once again - thanks so much for the input.

cruzbound

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Hi all,

We have never been diving in NC so I was hoping to get some general input from those out there who have. To help you help me, I will tell you a bit about us - we have been diving for about 4 years and just recently advanced certified. Our normal dive destinations are tropical - Cozumel, Hawaii, Caribbean and Florida Keys. We have about 80 dives under our belt.

Here are some general questions I would be interested in getting information on.

What is the visibility like?
What about the water temp - I am contemplating either a Labor weekend trip or a weekend at the end of October?
What mm wet suit does everyone use?
I am geographically challenged - so where should we be looking at to stay and dive in NC?
Any specific companies I should check out?

I think these questions will get the ball rolling. I am sure once I start getting some of my general questions answered, I may have more specific questions.

Thanks,
cruzbound

 

[tbone1004]

Can be 5 ft, can be 85ft, depends on the day unfortunately, generally 25-30ft+

end of October is in low 70's, early September is only a few degrees warmer

Whatever you are comfortable in in 100ft of water with low 70's. That time of year is typically 7mm steamers and with or without a hooded vest depending on personal preference

Beaufort NC is the general area. Jacksonville and New Bern are closest "cities" I use the term loosely, at about an hour away. There are places to stay in those areas, ask the shop you're going out with

My preference is as follows

Atlantis IV, best charter on the coast, hands down, bar none, non negotiable, anyone that tells you otherwise is either a moron and a liar, or has vested interest in another shop. That being said, good luck getting on, they are already booked through the end of the year and may or may not have individual or pair spots on certain weekends, weekdays you will have more luck. Bobby and Renate are the best of the best and the price premium to dive on their boat is well worth it. It is a LONG boat ride out there and the big boat makes it worth every penny
Atlantis Charters Home

After that Olympus, Discovery and Aquatic Safaris are kind of tied in there, the rest of the charters aren't bad but they are all pretty generic six packs.

Diving in North Carolina - NCDivers.com ? Charters and shops ? Index page
This forum hasn't been particularly active in the last couple of years, still has posts and updates from a few guys, but there is lots of good information on there in the trip reports that you can read through.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/carolinawreckdivers/
public facebook group where you can ask these questions and will likely get a bit larger response pool

 

[tomfcrist]

What is the visibility like?

That depends greatly on time of year and if a storm has passed through. Barring a storm, September and October viz ranges from 30'-100'+.

What about the water temp - I am contemplating either a Labor weekend trip or a weekend at the end of October?

Water temp will depend on WHERE in NC you are diving. If you are Diving out of Nags Head you may hit the cooler water of the Labrador Current, whereas if you are diving out of Hatteras, MoreHead City or Wilmington you very well may be in warmer gulfstream waters. I would plan on between 60-85 degrees, but its easier to just check the surface temps via
Sea Surface Temperature - IMCS Coastal Ocean Observation Lab

What mm wet suit does everyone use?

That time of year I have seen people out there in anything from 3mm shorties to drysuits. Basically depends on your tolerance to cold.

I am geographically challenged - so where should we be looking at to stay and dive in NC?

There are basically 3 main locations to dive from. The Outer Banks has dive boats in Nags Head and Hatteras. There are also dive boats in the Morehead City area, as well as in Wilmington.

Any specific companies I should check out?

I would suggest trying to dive with either Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City Olympus Dive Center | The better way to dive North Carolina , or Aquatic Safaris in Wilmington Aquatic Safaris - NC SCUBA Diving Charters & Certification Lessons . Both are top notch dive operations that run large vessels and are well equipped to handle divers on vacation(rental gear and such). Olympus even has a Lodge style bunkhouse across the street from the shop($30 per person per night)

I believe Bill McDermott from Outer Banks Dive Center OBXDIVE :: Nags Head, NC has decided to get out of the business, but there are a few 6pk boats in the OBX. Capt JT's - Under Pressure Dive Charters in Hatteras NC and Virginia Beach VA


I would plan my trip with a lunar calendar if I were you, as the full moon can bring some killer currents around here.

 

[Steve_C]

Some other things to think about.

It is NC. Weather switches around all the time.

Flexibility - Some charters require up front money and you are locked in. Others, like Aquatic Safaris allow you to cancel up to 4 or 5 days before.

Hell bent to dive - Some boats will try to get out no matter what as long as it is fairly safe. Other boats are more conservative. I can handle rough water but prefer not so I am fine with a conservative boat. Aquatic Safaris is more conservative than some and tries to cancel by 6pm the day before when possible.

Length of dive - Do you like short dives on deep stuff or prefer more bottom time. I tend to like more bottom time so I try to avoid the 120 ft or so dives. Keep to 105 and up.

For all these reasons, besides it being closer to my home and an easier drive I tend to dive with AS. I have no ties to the shop but have over a 100 dives with them. AS runs out of Wilmington, NC which is a bit further south than Beaufort.

From the spread sheet version of my log. Date, place temp, depth

10/24/14 Ledges 73 100
9/13/14 Gill 79-84 90
10/13/14 Gill/Hyde 72 80-90
9/21/13 Hyde 78 80
9/15/12 Gill 77 90
9/15/12 Stone Tug 78 60
10/15/11 Hyde 73 80

So around Labor Day water temp should be close to 80 at depth. I dive a 4/3 with a beanie

In October, water temp is mid to low 70s. I switch to a 7mm with hood or beanie. But I like to be warm.

 

[hroark2112]

I like going out with Aquatic Safaris from Wilmington and Discovery Diving out of Morehead.

Visibility can change at the drop of a hat here. I've had days on the Gill & Hyde where the Gill was 80'+ of vis, then we get to the Hyde and we're lucky to have 20'. The good thing is that it's a wreck, so as long as you know how to get back to the anchor line, you're going to get back on the boat.

If it's in the mid 70's, I'm usually still in a 3mm. Of course, I have a little bit of bioprene to keep me warm, so take that into account. If you're going out of Morehead or Wilmington, the farther out you go, the warmer.

 

[Rand]

No one mentioned it yet, but be prepared for a 3 hour boat ride out and back, sometimes in pretty rough seas. The ride will wear you out.

And don't expect valet service on the boat. They are a taxi, little else. There's no hand holding or hauling your gear around for you.

Weather changes frequently. Plan a range of dive days if possible so you get as many dives in as you can in case you get blown out.

The dives are deep and I've seen a lot of new/inexperienced divers who aren't familiar with their gas consumption rate misjudge how fast they'll burn through a cylinder and end up racing to get back to the anchor line and then shoot up it to the surface. This is not good at 100+ feet.

I'd recommend planning on the conservative side, like be at the anchor line with 1200-1500 psi left especially on wrecks you're unfamiliar with. Having a redundant gas source of enough volume to get you safely back to the surface is also a good idea. I always carry an AL40 if I'm not in doubles.

You should each have an SMB and spool to deploy it with, and be experienced with deploying it, should you have to surface away from the boat. The boat can't untie until everyone is back on board and you can drift quite a ways while waiting to be picked up. A wreck reel is also good to have.

Not trying to scare you from doing the trip, it's definitely worth it, but many people show up expecting the dives, the operation, and the experience to be like Caribbean diving and end up sorely disappointed.

 

[Steve_C]

It is always Captain's call on all the boats. However, on some you have a better idea of what to expect. On AS, for example, there is a specified goal (goals). He may decide it is too rough for the original goal but the dive you go to will never be deeper than the original one. One exception is if a run to Frying Pan turns into a Hyde but that is just turning 50 to 80 with a deck at 60.

All NC boats have some long runs but AS also has a number of dives int the 1 to 2 hour range such as the Gill, Hyde, and some of the nearer ledges like 23 mile.

That is another thing. NC has lots of wrecks but it also has some nice offshore ledges with lots of coral and fish life on them. Many of us NC divers like the ledges also. First good ones are top at 85 and bottom at 100-105. Out of Wilmington that would be 23 mile and Sue's.

 

[Tortuga James]

All great advice. You will not find a fleet of more seasoned, professional Captains in the world than from Hatteras to Carolina Beach. Each operation tends to cater to a specific sort of diver with similar skills, experience and desires.

The trick is to dive on a boat that has like minded divers for that day. Captains will make decisions on whether to run, or in what conditions are tolerable to run based on the group for the day. It usually hinges on the weakest link in the chain, if some of the divers on the boat are not capable of handling the current conditions on any given site, an easier spot will be chosen. If you are an experienced technical diver expecting to go to a further much deeper site, you will be disappointed when the decision is made to stay inshore and shallower. The opposite is, if you are new to the game you may be disappointed if you get to a deeper site where conditions keep you on the boat to not dive at all.

Specific to the original poster's questions, with less than 100 dives and none far offshore, you may want to pick an inshore site for your first dive. You will get comfortable with the topside challenges (the boat and the ride, entry to the water, the line system, and getting back on the boat) without the added stress of doing a deeper dive. Olympus and Discovery both run afternoon trips to the Indra at a reasonable price. I think AS runs some inshore afternoon trips as well. As for your geographical question: There is Hatteras, The Crystal Coast (Morehead City, Beaufort and Atlantic Beach), and Wilmington(Wrightsville and Carolina Beach.)

Each operation has it's own style, but all are professional and safe and do a lot of things in common.

Good luck, I hope you make it to North Carolina. When it is good, it is some of the best diving in the world.

 

[victorzamora]

Out of Wilmington that would be 23 mile and Sue's.

I dove with Sue at Sue's Ledge (yes, THE Sue)....and can confirm it's an awesome dive. Not as good as the Caribbean but nicer than most Keys diving I've done.