Beginner Wreck Dives?

[SIR VEYOR]

Hi All,
I've got a friend going with some of his friends going on a "guys trip". Sounds like one certified diver and the rest either getting certified, or it's been a long while for them. As I've just finished a dive trip, he asked me where is a good place to go wreck diving. So I started looking for beginner wreck dives and easy wreck dives, but limited results.

As we're talking mostly "less experienced" divers, the criteria would be:
1. Shallower wrecks to aid in air consumption
2. Easy wrecks, no penetrations likely, possibly a swim-through at most
3. Warm water, because this is a vacation after all...
4. A variety of wrecks or fish/sealife

A little searching here suggests possibly Bermuda, and BVI. How about a few more suggestions/opinions about these and other places? I'm thinking the "Mighty O" isn't going to be a great choice for anyone with poor air consumption...

Thanks in advance,
Sir Veyor

 

[paddler3d]

There is a lot of awesome wreck diving in NC. I wouldn't call them exactly 'beginner' wrecks, but I would take a competent newbie. They tend to be in the 100ft range, +/- 20fsw. The water is typically warm because they are in the Gulf Stream. Penetration is not necessary because there is a lot to see outside. The wildlife is 2nd to none! They tend to draw some BIG fish and plenty of them. I've lost my dive buddy >10ft away because of all the fish.

Typically what makes these advanced dives is they tend to be a long ride out. A lot of the good wrecks are in the 20-30mile range. Weather can be rough. There can be current. There can be bad vis, >40ft. They tend to be deep.

Go to Youtube and search North Carolina SCUBA and a lot of videos will pop up.

 

[Chugwhump]

I would suggest SE Florida for beginners.
Warm water compared to most of the rest of the USA.
Lots of shallows wrecks off of Broward, Dade, and Monroe Counties in the 30'-65' range.
Palm Beach County is really close, but typically deeper wrecks.
Easy cheap flights.
More dive boats than you can shake a stick at.
Pretty inexpensive.
Good support in the area...essentially a dive shop evey mile along the coast.
Good hotels and whatnot as a prime tourist/vacationer destination.
If however you are looking for Dive Travel per se, and want to get off the beaten path, South Florida may not be what you are looking for.
We are after all, the sixth borough of New York City.

Chug

 

[Dive n00b]

There are a bunch of great and relatively shallow wrecks to dive at Stuarts Cove in Nassau Bahamas. You'll find a lot of info about them if you search the forums. Its where we dove our first wreck on our first post certification dive trip. Actually my avatar pic is from one of the Willaurie which was the cherry popper for us. Saw our first shark on that dive too. Experience of a lifetime.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I would second the south Fla suggestion. The Oriskany will be a great dive for your guys trip in a year or two. Take or rent some big tanks and go but, be prepared its deep, can have current and it is a fairly long boat ride from shore.

 

[paddler3d]

In Largo, you have the Duane and Eagle (love those two), followed by Spiegel Grove and the Bibb.

You also have a lot of great reefs, well better than they were in the 80's.

So you can do your deep dive on the wrecks and then your next dives on the shallower reefs.

I think the wrecks are only 6 miles or so off shore.

 

[Wisnu]

If you can travel half of the globe then Tulamben Bali - Liberty Wreck, is the best.
More than 100 m length WWI cargoship fully encrusted with very beautiful soft and hard coral, 30 m from shore, start from 5 m depth, no or mild current; fish soup, muck / macro diving on sandy parts; 1.3 m resident great baracuda, school of jackfish and huge bumphead parrotfish, ect. and if lucky - mola-mola.

 

[Louie]

Hi All,
I've got a friend going with some of his friends going on a "guys trip". Sounds like one certified diver and the rest either getting certified, or it's been a long while for them. As I've just finished a dive trip, he asked me where is a good place to go wreck diving. So I started looking for beginner wreck dives and easy wreck dives, but limited results.

As we're talking mostly "less experienced" divers, the criteria would be:
1. Shallower wrecks to aid in air consumption
2. Easy wrecks, no penetrations likely, possibly a swim-through at most
3. Warm water, because this is a vacation after all...
4. A variety of wrecks or fish/sealife

A little searching here suggests possibly Bermuda, and BVI. How about a few more suggestions/opinions about these and other places? I'm thinking the "Mighty O" isn't going to be a great choice for anyone with poor air consumption...

Thanks in advance,
Sir Veyor

If you're willing to travel a bit, The Red Sea (with the Thistlegorm wreck being a highlight) might be worth considering. The northern region - based in Hurghada or Sharm El-Sheik - is a popular destination for "beginner" level divers and you can do either land-based or a liveaboard. The Red Sea is excellent for variety and sealife and you won't be disappointed.

Someone else mentioned Bali and the Tulamben wreck. If you can get over there, Bali is an excellent choice.

 

[robint]

ditto.............. South Florida, Ft Lauderdale area. There are literally hundreds of wrecks there and over a dozen are in 40-60' depth water. Easy wreck diving with tons so fish. The dive ops there dive them regularly, with beginners. (My avatar right now is one of those wrecks!)

The Ancient Mariner, United Caribbean, Sea Emperor, several tugboats, ...
Here are a couple of pictures.

The dive boat we used is no longer there, but check out:
Visit One of the "Top Ten" Scuba and Snorkel Dive Locations, Sunny Sourth Florida, with South Florida Diving Headquarters
their website has a listing a photos of all the wrecks.

robin

 

[diver 85]

Why wreck diving ---only??.....Why not head to Roatan, maybe?, can do the El Aguila, the Odyssey, & the Prince Albert----then do some real divng.......