Best diving close to Charlotte late September?

[Driznik]

My wife has been doing some work for a client in Charlotte the last few months, and I'm looking at flying down to meet her and do some diving the last weekend in September. Our plan is to fly into Charlotte, drive to the coast on Friday night or early Saturday, do two tanks, and drive back on Sunday, flying out on Monday.

I've got a few questions I'd really like some help sorting out.

This is clearly a subjective question, but where do the best charters leave from - ideally the best charters a reasonable drive from Charlotte? From the maps I've seen it looks like we're in for at least a three hour drive in the best case scenario. What wrecks would you consider to be NC's defining dives?

Ideally I'd like to see the Sand Tigers. From Google, the only references I could find suggested they were more common in northern NC. Most of the references I saw talked about seeing them in June. Are the sharks around all year, or only during a specific period of time each year?

What is the average viz like? My wife just got certified in Cozumel last May and she isn't completely comfortable with low viz diving - even with a line she doesn't like not being able to see the bottom on descent. Would she be comfortable diving the Carolina Coast?

From what I could find at the NODC site, it looks like we should be expecting water temperatures in the low-mid 70s. Does that sound right?

Thanks in advance,

Drew

 

[herman]

My wife has been doing some work for a client in Charlotte the last few months, and I'm looking at flying down to meet her and do some diving the last weekend in September. Our plan is to fly into Charlotte, drive to the coast on Friday night or early Saturday, do two tanks, and drive back on Sunday, flying out on Monday.

I've got a few questions I'd really like some help sorting out.

This is clearly a subjective question, but where do the best charters leave from - ideally the best charters a reasonable drive from Charlotte? From the maps I've seen it looks like we're in for at least a three hour drive in the best case scenario. What wrecks would you consider to be NC's defining dives?

Ideally I'd like to see the Sand Tigers. From Google, the only references I could find suggested they were more common in northern NC. Most of the references I saw talked about seeing them in June. Are the sharks around all year, or only during a specific period of time each year?

What is the average viz like? My wife just got certified in Cozumel last May and she isn't completely comfortable with low viz diving - even with a line she doesn't like not being able to see the bottom on descent. Would she be comfortable diving the Carolina Coast?

From what I could find at the NODC site, it looks like we should be expecting water temperatures in the low-mid 70s. Does that sound right?

Thanks in advance,

Drew

Hi Drew,
Lets see, from a driving perspective I would think Wilmington (Wrightsville/Carolina Beach) would be your best bet. Depending on lots of things water conditions vary greatly but mid to high 70's would be close for the Wilmington area. Aquatic Surfaris and Cape Fear Divers are to of the better/well known ops.

Some things you should know about our diving. It's very often not for the timid. Our blow out rate is around 50% and we go in seas up to around 8ft. We do get glass slick days with vis 100+ but you need to be prepaired for heavy seas and vis 20ft or less. An average trip is 2 to 3 hrs off shore and depths are typically in the 80 to 130ft range. Current ranges from none to rippin. I don't mean to scare you off but you do need to understand this is not Coz or Fla diving. There are no DMs in the water, you are on your own. If you are still interested I have a suggestion. Once you decide on a date, come over to the NC board and see if you can find a couple of NC divers to join you. A couple of experienced NC buddies would be a great idea. There is a link below my sig to the NC board.

 

[flounderer]

Herman hit all the points about NC diving nicely, I'll add about the sharks.

The best times to see them out of Wilmington is July and August. There may be a few in June but they get pretty thick during the months to follow.

Pat

 

[Driznik]

Thanks guys. That helps a lot.

I've got some experience with similar conditions in California and on the St. Lawrence, but with less than 10 dives, I can't imagine my wife would be comfortable with them. The more she likes diving the more I get to dive, so I'm reluctant to put her in situations she's going to hate.

I'll talk to her about it and see if she wants to give it a try, or if I can get a day in without her. If I do, I'll definitely try to look up some local buddies.

 

[mred]

From charlotte, you can be in Charleston, SC in about 4 hours ... there are some nice dive site down there ... but this week we have been hammered with rain, and so the water around Charleston is going to be really stirred up for a few days ... (still getting rain from soon to be huricane ernesto)

 

[Driznik]

Thanks mred, we'll look into Charleston too.

 

[mred]

If you make it down there, make sure you check out the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum ... they have the uss yorktown there, as well as a sub, a destroyer, and other ships ... it is a good place to spend some surface time.