NC or SC, where to go?

[acarter92]

Hi fellas,

I live in PA and was planning on going to Key Largo this January, but my new job messed up my schedule and I never got a chance to go. My girlfriend and I re-planned to go the beggining of June, but now I'm considering cutting my drive time in half and going to the carolina's instead.


From what I've read into so far it seems Morehead City is the big spot to go in NC, but it looks like most of the wrecks are pretty far out and too deep for us. I have my own boat (19' Center console) that I have set up for diving, but I try to stay within 15-20 miles if the weather is great. We also only dive air so it really isn't worth it to go much deeper than 100ft. Is there anywhere in the carolina's that has a handfull of dive sites within my limits? It would be nice to go somewhere new...

Thanks,
Austin

 

[diversteve]

You might look at Myrtle Beach. The first 6 on this list are pretty close. Tugboat/Airplane I have listed as 11mi. wreck so I assume it was. It's shallow - about 50'.
We also did the Perry wreck and were back by about 1PM - IDK how far out it is. I have it at 70' and I believe that would've been just about laying on the bottom.

Express Water Sports - Myrtle Beach - Dive Sites & Prices Express has a 46' Newton though - IDK how that changes things. One of the days was a little pitchy once we got offshore.

Coastal also lists distances offshore for some of their sites: Myrtle Beach Scuba Diving Sites - Coastal Scuba I haven't been there but Barracuda Alley is only about 10mi. offshore.They built it as a dive training site so it's not real deep.

IDK if you're familiar with the area but in a lot of cases, the wreck is the only thing nearby except a lot of flat sandy bottom. So the fish life tends to congregate nearby. Many of these sites are part of either the NC or SC Artificial Reef Program so you should be able to get GPS numbers somewhere.

As far as vis goes, it's not Key Largo... Express lists viz on their page. I believe (not certain) this is the Perry. Lot's of jellies out there also so bring at least a skin. Even though the water in summer is really warm. We had to do the regulator purge thing to surface thru them. The viz wasn't as bad as this photo indicates but close. Some of the bigger blobs were the jellies.

View attachment 183254

 

[Steve_C]

Check out the Wrightsville Beach Area. If you look at the Charter list for Aquatic Safaris you will see several within 20 miles: Hyde, Markham, School House, Dredge, Stone, and a bunch of stuff closer in. A nice ledge at 23 miles.

 

[acarter92]

Thanks fellas.

Austin

 

[drrich2]

I'm 'Carolinas curious' myself, so I was attracted to your thread. I went to the 'About Me' section of your profile, but didn't see where all you've dove before. So I'll ask for some follow up info. that might help others help you, based on things I'd want to know and assuming you may not have dove that sort of place before.

1.) What do you want to see diving? Coral reefs or wrecks? Is seeing sand tiger sharks close up a big draw for you guys? If so, are you willing to dive deep and maybe use nitrox to get decent bottom time doing it?

2.) Are you guys prone to sea sickness? From what I understand some of these wreck trips can be fairly lengthly trips back & forth across the Atlantic, and that's a very different kettle of fish from a quick boat trip on smooth waters in some parts of the Caribbean.

Richard.

 

[acarter92]

I'm 'Carolinas curious' myself, so I was attracted to your thread. I went to the 'About Me' section of your profile, but didn't see where all you've dove before. So I'll ask for some follow up info. that might help others help you, based on things I'd want to know and assuming you may not have dove that sort of place before.

1.) What do you want to see diving? Coral reefs or wrecks? Is seeing sand tiger sharks close up a big draw for you guys? If so, are you willing to dive deep and maybe use nitrox to get decent bottom time doing it?

2.) Are you guys prone to sea sickness? From what I understand some of these wreck trips can be fairly lengthly trips back & forth across the Atlantic, and that's a very different kettle of fish from a quick boat trip on smooth waters in some parts of the Caribbean.

Richard.

Like I said, I have my own boat and won't be doing anything really far out, I like to keep it within a half hour- 45 min ride so I can hi- tail it in if the weather gets rough. So far my diving has been lake dives PA, the Thousand Islands, and the Keys all with the boat. We don't get seasick (or never have I should say) and have been in some pretty rough stuff before.

I'm mostly interested in the wrecks, and she is mostly into the fish. The sharks interest me, but not a reason I'd make a trip. Eventually I'll get my Nitrox cert, but right now I'm still having enough fun with air. I work on a supply boat in the Gulf and am gone 2/3's the year, so when I'm home the last thing I wanna do is spend some of my 2 weeks off taking classes. We are both still BOW certified divers although many of the dives we do are considered advanced...

 

[anytime]

I would stay in the Murrells Inlet/Garden City area. Spend one day out of Murrells Inlet and dive the Copper Pot, MI 60, or many of the other artificial reefs in that area. Then another day you can trailer the boat to Georgetown, SC which is 20 miles south. You can dive the City of Richmond and the top of the Vermillion wreck. The deck on the Vermillion (tons of big marine life) is in about 80ft and it is a huge wreck, but it sits in 120'. Those two dives out of Georgetown are great as the water is usually much clearer down there. There are many other wrecks out of Georgetown but those are the best two, within the 20 mile area.

 

[acarter92]

Well, I appreciate the help fellas... After talking it over we decided to stick to the plan and go to Key Largo. However we are hoping to make a trip to SC towards the end of summer instead and incoorperate a visit to Charleston into the trip (always wanted to go there).

Thanks,
Austin

 

[Steve_C]

Charleston is worth the stop.

 

[maniago]

Buddy of mine is hosting a trip to Hatteras first week in June https://semdive.com/event/cape-hatteras-dive-trip/

He's a one man dive op, but the boat is Capt Dave Summer's. Wife and I have done this 3 yrs running now. Not sure if he's filled all the slots, but worth a check if you want. We're just normal people. Gonna try to do some spearing this year....

Here's some silly good video of last Oct diving off Dave's boat on the Dixie Arrow. Sealed my love for Hatteras.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DaC_M5AZ9s