What does it take to blow out a NC U-352 dive?

[Bigeclipse]

All,
my dive vacation is finally here (This Sat-Tuesday) but the weather is looking terrible according to the forecast. Looks like A.M. showers with possible thunder storms and 10-15mph winds. So what does it take for boat captains to call dives out there? I know every captain/boat is different but just trying to get a feel if we are likely screwed as of now or not. Thanks!

 

[tbone1004]

that far out? not much.... the 352 is a tough dive in the best of conditions, but it's a long way out there and it can be pretty gnarly under the water on a calm day. which boat are you going out on? Check with Raleigh Area Divers on facebook as well as there are a lot of active guys on there that are out in that neck of the woods on a regular basis

 

[DiverDownD3]

Operators out of our area have had horrible luck with weather this year. I know Olympus didn't go out for a week straight in June. Like tbone said it can get pretty gnarly out there. I would guess once waves heights get over 4' you will probably not be going, especially if they are stacked on top of each other. It just becomes really dangerous to get back on the boat at that point. If there are thunderstorms in the area, you aren't going.
Depending on what the winds and weather are doing they may take you around the Cape Lookout shoals and take you to the Caribsea.
Good luck to you, I'm supposed to go out on Friday.

 

[kgilb]

My local shop went out to 352 over the 4th and they said the conditions were borderline. 4+ foot seas winds under 10 knots. I'm told once the winds get over 10 knots that most boats will call the dive. It's been a rough summer so far, half of my charters have been cancelled.

Good luck! I hope you make it to the U-boat!

 

[Bigeclipse]

My local shop went out to 352 over the 4th and they said the conditions were borderline. 4+ foot seas winds under 10 knots. I'm told once the winds get over 10 knots that most boats will call the dive. It's been a rough summer so far, half of my charters have been cancelled.

Good luck! I hope you make it to the U-boat!

Yeah it will be a HUGE let down. Ive been waiting for about 4 months for this trip. We are going with Discovery Diving. I also do not get a lot of vacation and im using 2 days worth just for the driving down so it would be an even bigger slap in the face to burn those days for nothing. Oh well. Just have to pray to the scuba gods that the weather some how magically changes.

 

[Bigeclipse]

Operators out of our area have had horrible luck with weather this year. I know Olympus didn't go out for a week straight in June. Like tbone said it can get pretty gnarly out there. I would guess once waves heights get over 4' you will probably not be going, especially if they are stacked on top of each other. It just becomes really dangerous to get back on the boat at that point. If there are thunderstorms in the area, you aren't going.
Depending on what the winds and weather are doing they may take you around the Cape Lookout shoals and take you to the Caribsea.
Good luck to you, I'm supposed to go out on Friday.

any diving is better than no diving but it is my father's bucket list to see the U-352. According to the current weather report, it looks like we will be blown out all 3 days...

 

[Bigeclipse]

that far out? not much.... the 352 is a tough dive in the best of conditions, but it's a long way out there and it can be pretty gnarly under the water on a calm day. which boat are you going out on? Check with Raleigh Area Divers on facebook as well as there are a lot of active guys on there that are out in that neck of the woods on a regular basis

We are going on the 6 pack boat from Discovery Diving

 

[kgilb]

Ive been waiting for about 4 months for this trip. We are going with Discovery Diving.

Don't feel bad if you can't make it this trip. I know some people who have been blown out multiple times and it took them somewhere between 7-9 trips (I don't remember the exact number) before they finally dove it.

 

[Steve_C]

Wind speed is only part of the equation. The direction matters a lot and the duration (how long it has been that direction). The forecast for this weekend looks like SW winds. Which are not the best direction. Forecast looks like the more inshore stuff might be divable.

 

[DiverDownD3]

any diving is better than no diving but it is my father's bucket list to see the U-352. According to the current weather report, it looks like we will be blown out all 3 days...

I hate it for you, especially since you are coming all the way from New York. U-352 is the wreck most people come here to see. I've lived here my whole life and if there's anything I've learned about the offshore forecast about this area is never trust the forecast. So who knows, maybe things will change.

Like you said, any diving is better than no diving, hope you able to get to some good wrecks.