Bermuda High

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Tortuga James

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Messages
807
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136
Location
North Carolina
# of dives
1000 - 2499
Summer generally brings us a weather pattern the local Old Salts call a Sou'wester. A semi permanent high pressure area forms off the coast. It is known as the Bermuda high. The nearly continuous clockwise flow hits the Carolinas as a sustained SW wind at 15-20 knots. Since our coast runs west to east at Morehead, it makes the southerly run to the wrecks difficult.

This year it started early and seems to be stronger than normal. When we are able to make it offshore, we generally have great visibility because the wind blows in the warm, clean water from the gulfstream. But often we cannot even get out of the inlet, especially when the SW waves are fighting against a strong falling tide, almost making the waves stand up in one spot. The Old Salts call these "Standing Men". Luckily this pattern usually breaks around the first week of August.

When we do get out the diving is generally excellent. The trick is to plan to dive multiple days, because unfortunately the odds are you will spend as many days ashore as offshore. It is part of what makes NC diving so challenging and rewarding.
 
Capt. James is right, the Bermuda high and inshore trough is in full swing for the next several days. The SW blow is going strong and we have a steady 25 with gust in the 30's off Hatteras. Looks like we will not be diving any of the July 4 weekend. I'm not crying too much cause this weekend last year everyone had to evacuate as a hurricaine was coming!
 
We made it to the Aeolus yesterday. It was pretty bumpy on the way out. 40' of viz and lots of bait, sharks and rays with cobia. Stayed inshore today at the customer's request. We had 30' on the Indra. We convinced the group to head to the Caribsea tomorrow. It's only 20' deeper and this group is more dialed in than they thought. So it is off to the east side we go for tomorrow.
 
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