Diving On Hatteras Island

[jesstotheocean]

I will be staying in a beach house in the Avon area next year for a week and I would love to do as much diving as I can. Does anybody know of any dive shops/locals who do shore diving. I can't afford to pay $85 for a charter boat per day..

 

[dwright]

As far as I'm aware of, that's about the price it's gonna be no matter where you go in NC for a day. Some operations run half day trips for $50ish where you get 2 short dives (25 minutes or so). It's mostly because the wrecks are a good distance from the dock and they have to charge that much to make it cover expenses and make a little profit. Good luck and happy diving

 

[hex92]

I don't know of any shore diving in Hatteras. There are a few sites further North in Nags Head.

If gas prices stay high (which is a good bet) charter prices will probably increase next year.

 

[Jason B]

While searching the web for info on the Huron I came across info on some other shore dives in the same area.

Off the shores of Kill Devil Hills, an unidentified tugboat rests about 300 yards south of Avalon Pier, approximately 75 yards off the beach, in 20 feet of water.

The Triangle Wrecks -- Josephine, Kyzickes, and Carl Gerhard -- sit about 100 yards offshore, about 200 yards south of the Sea Ranch Motel, in about 20 feet of water. These vessels sank in 1915, 1927, and 1929, respectively. You can access these wrecks by boat or swim from the beach.

The USS Huron, a federal gunship that sank in 1877, taking 95 crewmen to the bottom. This wreck is about 200 yards off the beach at MP 11, resting in an estimated 26 feet of water

Explorer – Tugboat, lost on December 12, 1919. Milepost 11, just 100 yards north of Huron. 150 yards offshore in 20 feet of water.

Oriental – The Boiler Wreck. An iron-hulled transport ship. Built in 1861. Lasted only 9 months before she grounded in fog in 1862. She lies off Pea Island in 20 feet of water.

The freighter Metropolis, also called the "Horsehead Wreck," lies about 3 miles south of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse off Whalehead Beach in Corolla, 100 yards offshore and in about 15 feet of water. This ship was carrying 500 tons of iron rails and 200 tons of stones when it sank in 1878, taking 85 crewmen to a watery grave. Formerly the federal gunboat Stars and Stripes that worked in the Civil War, this is a good wreck to explore in the off-season. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, you can drive up the beach and swim out to this shipwreck site.

 

[hex92]

I will be staying in a beach house in the Avon area next year for a week and I would love to do as much diving as I can. Does anybody know of any dive shops/locals who do shore diving. I can't afford to pay $85 for a charter boat per day..

Just noticed that your profile says that you have 0-15 logged dives. Hatteras may not be the best place to go diving if you are relatively new to the sport. The typical boat ride to and from the dive site is 2+ hours and the seas can be pretty unpleasant. The dives are typically in the range of 80-120 feet so Nitrox and big tanks are definitely a plus. I know that I wouldn't even consider diving off of Hatteras or Morehead, NC without at least a 100 cuft tank (I own 120s).

That said the vis is typically great and you are almost guaranteed to see sharks.


YMMV but IMO diving off shore of NC is not for novice divers.

 

[dwright]

I didn't look at the number of dives, but I have to agree with Hex. This time of year especially, the seas get a bit "bumpy" and the dives are not simple. I'm not familiar with the shore diving that Jason mentioned but that might be the way to go if you can find a buddy.

 

[wfmiller]

Just got back from diving off NC with Olypus over the weekend. Had 2 great days of diving with the seas just about flat and the bottom temp on day 1 was 73 degrees and day 2 was around 69-70.

What I wanted to comment on though was the dives were around 126' day 1 and 120' or so day 2. My partner and I both dove 100's with air. Most of the boat dove nitrox and it seemed to us that we all had about the same bottom time which I thought was a little strange. Don't know why that is? Just something to ponder on for our next trip when we dive nitrox too.


QUOTE=hex92]Just noticed that your profile says that you have 0-15 logged dives. Hatteras may not be the best place to go diving if you are relatively new to the sport. The typical boat ride to and from the dive site is 2+ hours and the seas can be pretty unpleasant. The dives are typically in the range of 80-120 feet so Nitrox and big tanks are definitely a plus. I know that I wouldn't even consider diving off of Hatteras or Morehead, NC without at least a 100 cuft tank (I own 120s).

That said the vis is typically great and you are almost guaranteed to see sharks.


YMMV but IMO diving off shore of NC is not for novice divers.[/QUOTE]

 

[Quetzal]

QUOTE: "My partner and I both dove 100's with air. Most of the boat dove nitrox and it seemed to us that we all had about the same bottom time which I thought was a little strange."


I just got Nitrox Certified, I have 2 dives on Nitrox and only 31 dives total, so this is a question not a comment. Whats strange about that?

 

[Jason B]

I think what he was thinking was that nitrox allows a longer NDL. What he may have not taken into consideration is air consumption at 126 ft on a single tank.
Out of curiosity, what FO2 were they diving?

Jason

 

[Quetzal]

NDL? F02 I know.