Getting wet in NC.

[Ghost Diver #]

Haha I dive those quarry's in a drysuit, with and without undergarments. If I drop down below the thermocline I get chilly! There's is tons of places to dive in NC....depending on where you live becoming a member of the PDRA is a great way to meet awesome people/divers.

 

[GreggS]

Got to watch those vicious bluegills though. I did part of my swimming requirements for DM there, so just a swim suit. Finished swim and was hanging on the dock and a bluegill came up and nailed my one chest hair. Emerged from water with blood running down my chest.

Yeah, we had to be careful. But it was hot as blazes that day and we just didn't feel like putting on the wetsuits for our second dive.

BTW, we just registered for the Treasure Hunt at Fantasy yesterday. You going to be there this year?

 

[GreggS]

Haha I dive those quarry's in a drysuit, with and without undergarments. If I drop down below the thermocline I get chilly! There's is tons of places to dive in NC....depending on where you live becoming a member of the PDRA is a great way to meet awesome people/divers.

The wife and I belong to PDRA. We enjoy going to all the quarries, but American is the closest to us. And we live only 4 miles from Blue Stone Dive Resort and love it, too. And although BSDR is full service, PDRA is a much better deal so we go to those quarries far more often.

 

[Marie13]

Got to watch those vicious bluegills though. I did part of my swimming requirements for DM there, so just a swim suit. Finished swim and was hanging on the dock and a bluegill came up and nailed my one chest hair. Emerged from water with blood running down my chest.

I call them the Pirhannas of the Midwest. I’ve heard of them nailing the nipple of a male diver in only board shorts here at my local quarry on the rare occasion it got really warm on the shallow side. I always wear a hood so my ears don’t get molested.

 

[Steve_C]

Y

BTW, we just registered for the Treasure Hunt at Fantasy yesterday. You going to be there this year?

Depends on the weather at the coast. I book a number of dives in the spring spread over the summer. The local dives groups CDC, DUDC, Gypsy have a knack for picking those days for events. Maybe they are trying to tell me something? So it will depend on how the coastal dives are shaping out. I sometimes go to events of any of the three as it fits my schedule.

 

[DiverDownD3]

Dove Caribsea Friday before last and it was 71F on bottom. Dove Atlas Tanker on Wednesday, 74F at 100'

 

[Desendant]

There are two online groups. They are centered in Raleigh but have members from all over the state. They have a number of events each year and a good source of dive buddies. Raleigh Area Divers. Down Under Dive Club.
They both live on facebook. Closest quarry to you may be Mystery Lake. Fantasy Lake not too much further. Also you will see a lot of requests for divers for ocean trips. Where is southeast NC? Close to Wilmington?

Thanks for the dive group recommendations....and yes I am about 30 minutes west of Wilmington.

 

[Desendant]

Quarries are cold but ocean is warmer, can be nice and warm in summer. A 7m and 3m in your dive closet should get you through most conditions; add a hood and gloves for cooler temps. Get your open water cert and do some dives, then at some point progress to nitrox and AOW, maybe wreck too, and enjoy the heck out of your local diving.

I invested already in a good quality 2/3mm suit with boots and gloves. I am interested in learning Freediving also for spearfishing the coast so I think I am going to pick up a hooded 7mm for early late season spearing. I know the owner of Frontline Freediving here in Wilmington so should beable to get a good deal on a custom suit as most of the standard sizes don't match my height and weight.(6'2" and 195lbs) All that I see are XL and hold a lot of water around the mid section when I dive, upper and lower fits great just to much extra room around the waistline.

As for AOW and nitrox... most of my Certs are going to be offered through our local community college as "in-service training" so they are free for me. The Department just has to sign me up and I am luck to work for a great department that doesn't hesitate sending officers to training. Should have AOW and Rescue by September.