NC Diving ? from Newbie

[HenrikBP]

I'm heading to Atlantic Beach for a long weekend at the beginning of September and am looking for recommendations for Dive Ops.

It looks like the following shops are in the immediate area:

http://www.diverdownscubadiving.com/

http://www.atlantischarters.net/

http://www.olympusdiving.com/

http://www.discoverydiving.com/

Does anyone have any experience with any of them; good/bad/indifferent? Other shops to consider?

Question about the diving:
I'm quite new to diving, all of 13 dives. I did AOW directly after OW. During my last dives I felt I had decent buoyance control and felt comfortable in the water but fully realize that my C-cards are just a learners permit. It seems like NC diving can be quite a bit more challenging than the St. Croix diving I've experience so far. I will be taking PADI PPB course and do a few days at Dutch Springs Quarry before my NC trip.

So my question is this; am I likely to get in over my head in NC or are there dive sites appropriate for newbies like me?

Thanks

Henrik

 

[DWJ]

Olympus is a good shop. I am concerened about your experience though. With NC diving your looking at 95 to 140 foot dives most being around 110. Unless you plan on deco your going to have short bottom times and your sac rate will probably be elevated a bit. I don't think your over your head but don't push it. Have a pony bottle with you if for no other reason than peace of mind which should keep your sac rate down. I dove with olympus last month on a liveaboard. My second liveaboard with them.

 

[HenrikBP]

Thanks for the feed-back DWJ.

I called a couple of the shops and in general their recommendations were to 1) dive with an instructor 2) start with their 1/2 day trips, which apparently don't go too far off-shore and go to sites with dives around 60 fsw. Both good recommendations.

My issue with their 1/2 day trips is that they run from 4 - 8 pm and only do one dive. If I'm spending the time and $$ I'd like to get two dives in.

Btw. I'm nitrox certified (one shop mentioned most people dive nitrox on their deeper off-shore dives) which might help my bottom time a bit.

Henrik

 

[JayJudge]

Another boat is the Mutiny
http://www.atlanticbeachdiving.com/
The crew is great and the boat has airconditioning. I do agree with DWJ, NC can have some factors to its diving. Sometimes, though rare, bad vis, currents are the norm, as is depth. A pony is a bare minimum, not a spare air. Olympus, to me, is a cattle boat. Most Morehead boats only stay inshore and shallow if the conditions are bad. As for practice dives, I would suggest Willow Springs along with Dutch. Getting experience in bad vis helps. Use Nitrox off the coast, the standard mix is 30. In all reality,(and this is based on my first NC/ocean dive), your air consumption will control the dive much more than NDLs, but the nitrogen loading will be lower. My other suggestion would be to find a buddy. DMs on certain boats take their buddies spearfishing, instead of touring. Its not too hard to find someone willing to buddy, post the days here or on NCdivers. We just ran to NC 2 weeks ago, and one of our divers had about the same number of dives, he did fine.
-Jay
http://www.trailertrashscuba.com

 

[HenrikBP]

Jay; thanks for the link and the information.

I had actually spoken to Amy at Atlantic Beach Diving, just forgot to include their link. Amy seemed very nice and knowledgeable.

I'll wait for my PPB course and ask the instructor to give me a (hopefully) honest evaluation of my skills and advice wrt. dives to do in NC. For now my thinking is to do a 1/2 day dive with a DM the first day, and then, based on the DM evaluation of my skills, do either another 1/2 day or full day trip the following day.

Thanks

Henrik

 

[xiSkiGuy]

I've done 15 or so dives with Diver Down. I've had nothing but great experiences with Bobby and crew.

 

[HenrikBP]

Jeff; thanks for the information.

Henrik

 

[fireflock]

Your plan to dive a half day trip with a DM/Guide is a good one I think. It gives a good chance to get used the the boat procedures and line system before heading offshore. Another option is to do some sort of class like Nitrox (including the dives), wreck diving, deep diving or whatever.... That way you will be diving with an instructor (probably the same person who would have been your guide) and will get some extra advice along the way.

Most people get into trouble in NC when they don't listen to the crew briefings (stay on the lines, fins on ladder, etc...) or when they have expectations that don't match diving conditions in the area (rough seas possible, long boat rides, deep dives, possible current). Most divers do fine if they listen to the crew, don't push things, and have a good idea of what to expect.

Discovery and Olympus are the 2 shops I would recommend for someone in your situation because they run the most 1/2 day trips.

Rich

 

[HenrikBP]

Rich; thank you. Yes, the half day with DM is my plan. I'll only be there for a long weekend, so 2 dive days max. But even a 1/2 day, one dive trip is better than no diving at all, right

Henrik

 

[fireflock]

Right!

The aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores (close to Atlantic Beach) is worth a visit if you get the chance. They have replica tanks of the U-352 and Caribsea (2 popular dive spots). Enjoy your trip....

Rich