North Carolina

[Diver294]

Exactly how hard to find is decent shore diving over there?

Hey Strife

I'm working feverishly on shore dive info almost everyday. If there are any good sites to be had, I'll find them.

I'll have a boat soon, around 19 feet, and we'll see if that opens up some more options. The problem here on the coast seems to be SAND... sand and not much more. Any sites near shore are always either miles of nothing but sand or deep water channels with boats overhead.

I never thought I'd miss that rocky bottom in Massachusetts crawling with Lobsters and other critters.

Where the HECK are the exotic fish and spiny Lobster down here!?!

 

[Strife]

Hey Strife

I'm working feverishly on shore dive info almost everyday. If there are any good sites to be had, I'll find them.

I'll have a boat soon, around 19 feet, and we'll see if that opens up some more options. The problem here on the coast seems to be SAND... sand and not much more. Any sites near shore are always either miles of nothing but sand or deep water channels with boats overhead.

I never thought I'd miss that rocky bottom in Massachusetts crawling with Lobsters and other critters.

Where the HECK are the exotic fish and spiny Lobster down here!?!

Imagine how I am going to feel. I am coming from a tropical island with great reef and more colorful, exotic fish than you can shake a dive light at.

Not to mention being able to dive with little to no exposure protection over here. I am not going to know what to do in a full suit year round and dry suit half the year.

 

[Jason B]

Our wrecks have all the tropical fish...queen angel fish, butterfly fish, lion fish, sharks, rays. NC is the closest land mass to the gulf stream other than the southern tip of Florida. As for exposure protection, south of Hatteras, in the summer, it will be used more for protection against the wrecks as for warmth. I dive the with just a vest most of the summer (and I get cold easy). It might not be the tropics, but it isn't bad at all, not at all.

 

[swampduck]

Hey Strife

I'm working feverishly on shore dive info almost everyday. If there are any good sites to be had, I'll find them.

I'll have a boat soon, around 19 feet, and we'll see if that opens up some more options. The problem here on the coast seems to be SAND... sand and not much more. Any sites near shore are always either miles of nothing but sand or deep water channels with boats overhead.

I never thought I'd miss that rocky bottom in Massachusetts crawling with Lobsters and other critters.

Where the HECK are the exotic fish and spiny Lobster down here!?!

hi went to little river,sc and took the baracuda alley dive out of north mrytle beach,sc it was alsome lots to see. dived 1/2 day( had to rent everything forgot equipment at home) and did a 2 tank dive.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

good to hear that swampduck wish I could say that instead I went some new divers to blue-stone quarry OK place but water is definitely colder and less visibility LOL.
I am busy next few weeks give me holler later on toward end of month maybe we can get some us together and go on dive .
Hey don't forget your scuba board T Shirts

 

[hogfish]

diver294

In order to find the spineys and the good fish you are going to have to be in 85 foot or deeper which is usually about 25 to 30 miles offshore. I mate on a charter out of Carolina beach in Wilmington so drop me a note when you get ready and I will see if I can find you a spot. Most of our diving is usually 30 to 40 miles offshore in 90-120fsw so a nitrox cert is a plus but not mandatory. With a rec limit of 2 spineys a day you usually have plenty of time to pick out exactly what you want. An average spiney will go 10+ pounds so two will go a long way. We also do the gammet of wrecks in the area and also have great numbers for megladon sharks teeth!

 

[Charlie J]

hi went to little river,sc and took the baracuda alley dive out of north mrytle beach,sc it was alsome lots to see. dived 1/2 day( had to rent everything forgot equipment at home) and did a 2 tank dive.

Hi Swampduck - which boat did you use for North Myrtle? I'm new also and looking for some moderate dives until I do AOW in August.

BTW - I did all my OW at Blue Stone Quarry - have to agree that its cold (46 degrees at 40' Sunday - and me with just a shorty...) - but the vis changes a lot. Great place for training - staff is super.

 

[swampduck]

Hi Swampduck - which boat did you use for North Myrtle? I'm new also and looking for some moderate dives until I do AOW in August.

BTW - I did all my OW at Blue Stone Quarry - have to agree that its cold (46 degrees at 40' Sunday - and me with just a shorty...) - but the vis changes a lot. Great place for training - staff is super.

Hi there ncdiver2004, i used coastal scuba,out of north mrytle beach,sc. It was a good site to dive they have a web site the smae as their name if you want to check them out.

 

[swampduck]

good to hear that swampduck wish I could say that instead I went some new divers to blue-stone quarry OK place but water is definitely colder and less visibility LOL.
I am busy next few weeks give me holler later on toward end of month maybe we can get some us together and go on dive .
Hey don't forget your scuba board T Shirts

Hey will have to do that some time just get ahold of me ok.....tony

 

[Strife]

NCDiver2004

46 degrees in a shorty?! You tough. I wear a 3 mil full for anything less than 70 and sometimes 75 if I am going to be under for longer than usual.

Thanks to everyone for the info. As some of you can see from my previous posts, I don't know much about diving in NC. Over here is the only place that I have done any diving. Good to hear that I won't have to lose my fishies. I was afraid everything over there would be vitually lifeless. Not really wanting to have to drop money on a boat EVERY time that I dive (boat dives are great, don't get me wrong) but am really interested in shore dives or something similar.

Why would you dive in a quarry? Is there much life in them or is it something else altogether? I see alot on this board and others about quarries, but haven't quite figured it out.