Kiawah Island, SC

[prostuff]

Hi All,
We (The Family) will be down oin SC during the March Break.... What can we expect for diving? Any recomendations for Dive Op's.
Use to diving the Great Lakes, so we would be bringing our own gear.... Dry Suites still?
Also, any worries diving doubles??
Thanks for your help!!
Joe

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

Hi Joe, far as I know, there is no good diving off of Kiawah. You will need to hook up with a dive op out of Charleston.

There is some great shell collecting at the end of the island. In March you should be able to find a great many of them if the kids are into that kind of thing. When you get to the beach, if you turn to your right and walk along the shore as the tide does out, you will find tons of welk shells. Many people think they are conks, but the are really welks. It is a good mile and half or better to the end of the island from the public park area. I have done some surf fishing off the beach there. It will be too cold to surf fish when you are there. Have seen a lot of nice dolphins at the end of the island where the river dumps out. There are some nice nature boat tours that you can get out of Bohicket Marina. Not sure I am spelling Bohicket correctly.

This web site might of some help charlestondiving.com

 

[Flightlead]

you will find tons of welk shells. Many people think they are conks, but the are really welks. There are some nice nature boat tours that you can get out of Bohicket Marina. Not sure I am spelling Bohicket correctly.

or whelk or conch

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

or whelk or conch

welk

http://www.oldpearcepottery.com/images/Welk.jpg

They look most like these:
Shell Horizons, Inc - Product Details - Florida Welk


You might also find some sand dollars or olive shells. I have found more sand dollars north of the there along Sullivan's Island or Isle of Palms. The olives tend to wash up more toward the south along Edisto.

 

[SCdiver2316]

There is only one shop here that currently runs charters in Charleston Charleston Scuba and they don't start charters until May. You could give them a call and see if its possible they would run a private charter for you , you never know. However that will probably be expensive. Offshore the water temp is in the 62-66 degree range, thats at the Comanche wreck, approx 40 miles offshore, 105' depth. We last dove there on Dec 20th and the temp was 68 degrees, all we wore was 3 MM suit + 1MM fleece lined skin with a beanie and we were fine. Actually got a little chilly near the end of the 2nd dive but not bad at all.
Another option is go to charlestondiving.com and under forums post under matchup, looking for someone to take us out diving. I've gone with a few people thru that method. Some people don't mind taking people out just chip in on the expenses, fuel, ice . etc.

 

[prostuff]

Hi All,
Thanks for all your input. Looks like we will have to ask around when we get down. The wife and kids will love all the shells!!!
As far as the "Cold" water..... dove last week in a local lake (Ice was blown out due to a short thaw) 34Deg. @ depth!!!! Winter sucks!! LOL
Joe

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

You can ask around on the island, but I have been there. There is not shop on the island. The closest place to dive is out of Charleston with Charleston Scuba or to link up with a local on Charlestondiving.com The water is too green in the area and there are bull sharks in the water. There is a major fossil ledge just off the shore in Edisto, but no one dives it because you can see at all, but the bull sharks can see and smell you.

There is some black water river diving in the Cooper River in Charleston. The dive for teeth and other fossils. Off the Wall Dive Charters has two weekends that they will be on the river. OFF THE WALL DIVE CHARTERS (864)944-DIVE You can click on the schedule. For some reason October 2008 pops up, scroll down to the bottom of the page and select March. It is black water, low viz, solo, cold diving with current, boats and gators. No divers to date have been attacked by gators. Folks usually try to surface away from the banks and use a safety sausage. We have lost a few divers to boat props and a snorkeler lost his arm last year. The local news posted pics of said gator with the guys arm in its mouth. He was pretty lucky to live--the man of course. They hunted down the gator and took back the arm, but I don't think they were able to put it back on.

If you want to dive this time of year, you will need to have something set up before you show up. We don't have the availability of diving opportunities that a warm clear water destination has.