Recommendations For End Of May?

[chadmeister]

Hello NCers!

I will be visiting your awesome state soon with my partner and assuming I'll have the time, I'd love to get a quick dive here or there.

How cold is the water towards the end of May?

Any recommendations on who I can dive with also? I don't think I will be lugging my equipment with me on a transatlantic dive for only a day of diving so I'd need to rent the gear... I am also looking for an LDS that is less about making the money, more about the quality... even if it means spending a little more...

Thanks!
C

 

[DiverDownD3]

Depends on where are you going to be? I can only speak for coast, most notably Morehead City. You can expect offshore water bottom temps (~25+ miles out) to be in the middle 70s. The inshore wrecks (~10 miles) you can expect to be in the high 60s-low 70s. With the wrecks so far out it is not unusual to have a charter cancelled due to high winds, so keep this in mind if you are going out of your way just to dive.

Morehead City area there are really only 2 operators, Olympus and Discovery. There is also Tortuga Charters (6-pack boat) but they don't have rental gear. All are reputable businesses and they are going to show you a good, safe time. As you can imagine with only 2 operators pricing is pretty much identical.

I've never dove with any of the charters that run out of Wilmington, but from what I hear you want to either dive with Aquatic Safaris or Patriot Dive Center.

There is a quarry up around the Raleigh area. I've personally never dove it so I'll let someone else speak to that. There's a poster named Steve that frequently post on here, he might be able to give you a report of what to expect there.

Good luck, have fun!