What is Myrtle Beach like this time of year? Oct-Dec?

[ScubaDoo83]

I have a family member living there and I am really itching to get some dives in. However I am in the mid west and am really busy with work and school. Is Myrtle Beach at all dive-able in these months? Would it be a dry suit situation. I have never visited this part of the states before. Thanks in advance.

 

[diversteve]

Coastal cuts way back in October and stops going out Nov/Dec. if that's any indication. No shore diving there either - too flat and sandy for miles.
Dive Calendar | Myrtle Beach Scuba Diving - Coastal Scuba

Express Watersports in Murrell's Inlet lists one charter this weekend, one next weekend then nothing till May.
Dive Calendar - Book Your Dive Online | Express Watersports

It gets too rough offshore in the winter months. You might catch a nice day but no one schedules anything on a what-if basis.

I think Charleston is basically the same if you were feeling ambitious about driving down. I've even had a Charleston Scuba charter cancel in May due to conditions.
Although we did get out with Express two days later.

 

[ScubaDoo83]

Great, thanks for the response. It would have just been a very accessible short trip but it looks like I may need to look a bit further south. I find it interesting there is absolutely no shore diving simply because of the lack of reef. What if you just wanted to practice new equipment or perhaps use a metal detector?

 

[100days-a-year]

Diveable year round in a wetsuit unless close to shore.Vis is variable due to various weather conditions and distance from land.May actually have better luck in NC.Express is awesome and the only charter I would consider in SC.

 

[Steve_C]

The problem with shore diving is not the lack of reefs. It is the plentitude of rivers and run off.

There will be dives from time to time out of NC. Aquatic Safaris runs out of Wrightsville Beach which is next to Wilmington. They still have some trips. I am diving next weekend. They will set up a charter at anybody's request but then some bodies have to book the trip. Currently they show the list below. ASI and ASII are the two boats. >6 means they need more divers to go. FULL means the obvious. Note however that they have a nice cancelation policy up to 5 days ahead so slots can open up the week before.

As the year goes on the water offshore tends to be warmer than the water inshore. Should still be around 70 at this time. I have dove in November. At the end of Nov. water was in the low 60s. Comfortable in a hooded 7 mil.

Sat, Oct 17, 15	8:00 AM	$80	ASII	>6	Dredge Wreck / Stone Tug
Sat, Oct 17, 15	8:00 AM	$105	ASI	5	Hyde / John D. Gill
Sun, Oct 18, 15	8:30 AM	$90	ASI	FULL	Hyde / Markham
Sun, Oct 18, 15	12:00 PM	$50	ASII	>6	Liberty Ship
Sat, Oct 24, 15	8:00 AM	$155	ASI	FULL	Fossil Ledge Wreck Reel and SMB Required
Sat, Oct 24, 15	8:00 AM	$105	ASII	FULL	Hyde / John D. Gill
Sun, Oct 25, 15	8:00 AM	$90	ASI	2	Hyde / Markham
Sun, Oct 25, 15	8:30 AM	$50	ASII	>6	Liberty Ship
Sat, Oct 31, 15	8:00 AM	$135	ASI	>6	Rosin Wreck
Sun, Nov 08, 15	9:00 AM	$90	ASI	FULL	Hyde
Sat, Nov 14, 15	8:00 AM	$90	TBA	>6	Hyde | Markham
Sun, Dec 06, 15	8:00 AM	$90	ASI	FULL	Hyde

---------- Post added October 12th, 2015 at 03:58 PM ----------

They dive the cooper river in SC year around. Black water diving looking for fossils. Might not be best if you are still in your first few dives.

Fossil Ledge and Rosin are deeper dives at around 100 ft. All other dives except possibly the Gill are definitely good for newer divers. Gill is fine with newishr divers but will run around 80 ft so need buoyancy control and ability to monitor air and depending on the person awareness of a mild narc. All ascents will be along an anchor line.

 

[TMHeimer]

I did 2 charter trips with Coastal in 2011. One in Feb. & one in March. The Feb. one was only one dive and some fishing (all sharks that had to be released). The March trip was 2 dives. Both trips to the General Sherman wreck in maybe 50'. Pretty decent.