Nags Head shore diving conditions

[emcbride81]

I am headed down to Manteo tomorrow a.m. I am not going to be able to do a boat dive, but I know that there are a few shore dives near Nags Head. How are the surf conditions? If possible I would like to get one dive in, but not if the surface swim is going to be too difficult. Also, how strong are the long shore currents typically?

 

[Sapper_Ancient]

I stopped at Outer Banks Scuba on HWY 64 in Nags Head on Saturday the 13th and asked the same questions. I got treated like I was a waste of the shop keepers time. Hope you had a good dive.

 

[dweeks]

I dove there with Pam at Nags Head Diving this summer and had a great time. She dives there daily in the summer.

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Dan

 

[Spearo]

There are three sites that most people know. One in K.D.H. another in North Nags Head and one in Pea Island, there is very low vis. most of the time but the end July, August and early Sept. are best. These sites are the type you need to go there and "read the surf" every day as water/vis. changes from day to day. Diving before the outgoing tide is best and there is a long surface trip and a strong current at the Oriental (in Pea Island) most of the time. For the last few years a chain and bouy has been left on the site by the lifesavers, that will get you there but there are pcs. of wrecks all around.
I been doing them for over fifteen years and there is always changes due to the sand and currents.

 

[Drewski]

Speao,

Have you dived LST-471 near the Rodanthe pier?

 

[Spearo]

Drewski,

No, but I been down there in the area "looking around" several times. For me is a long trip by water from O.I. when there are closer hunting sites to do and going by car during good diving weather has been a turn-off due to the fact that finding parking is a problem but there are a few things there on my list.
There is an interesting site that i been told by an Old Salt many years ago and more recently by a freediver I help out several years ago just to the North, I need to run the fish finder over it some day and check it out. One of these days! LOL There is never enough time and when you got the time you don't want to spend it waisting gas but on a sure thing.

 

[Drewski]

Hey Spearo:

I'm also aware of at least 2 other beach wrecks in the NH and KDH area that I've not seen discussed on this board. They include the "Winks" wreck and the "Holiday Inn" wreck. These may be a little closer for you?

Andy

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Have fun Eric!

 

[Spearo]

Drewski,

I looked for the Winks several times about.. eight years ago but gave up on it, maybe it was covered at that time or maybe I was a bit off on location.
I know one part of a wreck (name unknown) in that area that came out of the sand one season and that same year (we had several bad storms and a N.Esterns) it went back under again, it's been seven years since and there has bee no trace of it to this day.

With the low vis. at the Winks and not been bouyed you can go over it and never see the thing but now that I know who does... it may be much easier. LOL
There should be a few "to bag" in there too as there is very little or no activity over it at all.

In season, let me know when you'll be in the area and we'll "pull a line" and find/mark the thing.

Andy.

 

[Akyla]

Spearo and Drewski,

I haven't dived the beach dives for many years (prob late 80s) but I remember the winks site to be pretty good. It got the winks name as it was near the winks store at Eckner and the beach road (prob close to mp3 or so). I used to find it by counting up like 4 or 5 houses North from winks and swimming straight out about 90 to 100yds. Wreck was in about 25 ft and stuck out of the sand pretty good, but like all the beach dives changes with the tide and waves. Drewski, if you go to Rodanthe to do the lst, try the Straitherly as well as it is directly off the end of the pier out about another couple hundred feet. If I can find my old log books I made a bunch of drawings of how to find the beach wrecks and might be able to post a copy, but many of the landmarks might have changed.

Anyway good luck with the dives.