NC - Diving from the Outer Banks?

[Distraction]

Does anyone know of good shore-entry sites to dive along the Outer Banks?

Also, I have my own boat, and will be staying on the Sound side. Any good diving in the Sound? What about within 15 miles or so of the beach? (It's a 19' boat...I don't want to take it much more than that offshore.)

I don't want to take a charter because I can't afford them. One of the reasons I enjoy diving is that I have all my equipment and a boat and can do it on my own (with a buddy) without paying bunches of money for someone to take me. I just throw that out there because I know there are a ton of dive charters down there and didn't want to simply be referred to one.

Thanks!

Matt

 

[MikeS]

Matt,

If you find or hear about any good shore dives, be sure to let us know. It would be great to have a backup plan for those times when we make the 7 hour drive only to get blown out.

Mike

 

[herman]

Hi Matt,

I have heard rumors of a shore diving spot or 2 on the OBs but as yet I have not located them. I kind of doubt the vis would be much anyway. Most likely not anything in the sound to see either, again vis should be very poor. There are some art reefs in the sound but I suspect they are not worth bothering with. Off shore you may want to try one of the artifical reefs http://www.ncfisheries.net AR-160 has a 440-ft liberty ship in 66 ft that is only a few miles off shore. That sounds good.
Next question is, are you and your boat ready to go off shore? VHF,GPS and some offshore experience is a must. Oregon inlet is pretty bad a lot of the time. You will also need a 3rd person as a boat sitter. This person MUST be able to handle your boat.

 

[Walter]

Shore dives, unless in a very protected area, are not usually an option when blown out. In rough conditions, it's usually easier to dive off a boat than off the beach. Breakers can beat divers - literally.

 

[Distraction]

Thanks for the fast replies!

I don't really consider 10-15 miles 'offshore', because I do it all the time off of VA Beach. Definitely have the GPS, VHF, along with backups (charts, compass, backup VHF), and all the requisite safety equipment (flares et al).

Having said that, I've never taken my boat out of Oregon Inlet and I hear horror stories...basically standing waves because of the ripping current, rolling breakers, etc. That's a little intimidating.

I'm also used to 1-2 foot viz, so anything better than that I always consider a bonus.

If I find out about shore dives, I'll definitely post what I know...still hoping someone here will tell us.

I'll be staying down for a week in May, so I'll have the luxury of waiting for a calm day to do shore entry.

 

[MikeS]

Walter,

I think the outer banks themselves provide a large measure of protection. All three weekends that I actually made it to NC last year there were days where the operator wouldn’t go out to the “off-shore” sites but would and did go to the “in-shore” sites. A shore dive might be an alternative to a $95 two-tank inshore dive.

Mike

 

[herman]

Sounds like you have some ocean experience and have some understanding of what it takes to go off shore (out the inlet). The reason I responed like I did was, I run a 24ft out of Southport and I see things you would not believe.....like 14ft jon boats out 10-12 miles, no radio, no GPS- shoot I doubt they even have a compass. I have seen flat water going out and be taking breakers over the bow comming back in. I have not gone out Oregon Inlet myself but I have spent some time in a 15ftr fishing around the bridge, that current rips at times. I suspect an outgoing tide stacks up some rough waves. If you have not been there, there is a nice free boat ramp just north of the Oregon Inlet bridge.

We do get blown out on the off shore wrecks 10 or more miles out if the wind is blowing off shore but the closer in wrecks <10 miles or so will still be diveable. I have see totally flat water out to 3 miles with no waves at all on the shore during small craft warnings. It just depends on the wind and waves.

 

[Distraction]

I can appreciate your thoughts about the boating...I've seen plenty of idiots out there myself. Try fishing the Chesapeake Light tower in June during Spadefish season. 14 miles offshore, with 14ft jonboats weaving their way in between the (no lie) 75 other boats out there.

I always check the weather forecasts, but we all know all too well how accurate NWS can be with their wind/wave predictions. HAH!

I don't know exactly where I'll be staying, but is there a good source of dive locations (such as GPS coords)? I would actually prefer the ones closer in just for time sake...faster to get there, faster to get home (in case the weather shifts).

And I'm curious about the viz in the sound. Are there interesting spots deep enough to dive? I'm assuming the sound tends to be calmer than offshore.

 

[herman]

There are some good fishing maps available that have the coords of the wrecks and reefs but they are a little on the expensive side, $40 for the last one I bought. All mine are for about Wilmington south or I would be happy to send you come coords. For the short term, using the art reefs is most likely the easiest/best way to go. The link I had above was not correct somehow, but I have fixed it. The loran coords and lon/lat are given on the site along with a description of what is sunk there and a general site map.

Take a look at this site, it ,may have some useful info as well http://www.nc-wreckdiving.com/shipwrecks.html

I have never tried diving the sound but I suspect 6 to 10 ft is about as good as the vis gets. Unless you can find an old wreck, I doubt there is much to see except sand. If you do find something, let us know, I may have to give it a try.

 

[Distraction]

So I found out that we're actually staying in Avon, NC, which is closer to Hatteras Inlet than Oregon Inlet.

Any thoughts about that area?