Hatteras Update

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Akyla

Contributor
Messages
137
Reaction score
27
Location
Frisco, NC
We got out on Tuesday 6-8 and made a run to the Proteus and Dixie Arrow.

Sea conditions were excellent with a 5-10kt breeze from the SE and just a 1 to 2 ft wave. The water conditions at the Proteus were pretty good with the surface temps at 77. Little to no surface current and clear blue down to 65 feet then the viz and temp fell off until at the bottom it was 72 and the viz down to 40, maybe 50. A good bit below normal, but still plenty to see all the fish and the sharks as they parade past.

Anchored right at the very stern with the line passing the steering quadrant on its way to the bottom. Most all the divers stayed nearby with one group making it to the boiler area amidships, where they reported a large shoal of sharks hanging in the current above the boilers. When I went down to get the anchor, there were plenty of groupers and sharks hanging out under the stern where the anchor was. On the drift off, there were many more out in the sand off the wreck as well.

We then hit the Dixie Arrow on the way in and there the surface current was a respectable 1/2 kt making using the granny line a must. On the bottom the current was lighter, but the viz and water changed remarkably. The bottom 30 ft had only about 30 ft of vis and was 70. There were also hundreds of jellyfish going past, each carrying up to a dozen or so little white fish swimming safely in the tenacles. Not so for us as a brush with some of them left you a bit tingling. After the dive one of the divers said they felt a bit like Nemo dodging the jellies - he just wasn't orange. Other than the jellyfish swarm there were lots of fish, some rays and a few of the sharks to see. Pretty good second dive.

Good start for our June. Looks like the water is finally warming and clearing up from the slow start of this spring.
 
We had a great time diving with Dave and crew on the Lions Paw on Tuesday. I'd highly recommend them. Its worth the hour drive, if you're staying in Nags Head area. They run a solid operation-- check them out at www.divehatteras.com

I was AMAZED to see so many sharks on the Proteus. I started counting them, and stopped at 25, so I'm guessing there were 30+. I've encountered sharks before, but never that many on one wreck! Viz was also a nice surprise, since my only prior dive had been from Nags Head. The blue water we saw on Tuesday, and 50 feet of visibility was awesome. :cool3:
 
Yeah that was a great run the other day! You guys run a great operation, and I look forward to divng with you again...next time I won't drop my weight belt...or bounce off the keel...
 

Back
Top Bottom