OBX Diving 07

[aquaman_06]

Kelly and I just got back from the Outer Banks, NC. We had some really good shore and boat dives out there. We went out on Tue. the 10th to dive the Advance but the high seas caused that dive to be cancelled. The boat cruised over to the wreck of the Zan Gray and that is the one we ended up diving.

Viz was alright 15-20 feet (nothing great) but there were tons of fish, inverts and all kinds of stuff to see. We spotted a baby Sand Tiger Shark (maybe 10+ inches) and two girls who were on the boat spotted a large 7 ft+ sand tiger. We saw plenty of blennies, gobies, Atlantic Spadefish, Tilefish, Amber Jacks, and of course Trigger fish.

The beach dives lacked the big fish but there were tons of small fish. Does anyone know what species of coral lives out there. The coral we saw was totally white, almost like a bleached Favia Brain coral, although it had short nearly clear tentacles coming out of it. The two girls from the NC Aquarium on board the boat didn't know what it was.

 

[bikediver]

Thanks for the report. What shore dives did you do?

My club had a big trip to Hatteras over July 4th. Water is much warmer and clearer there. Viz typically 60-100' and lots of big sand tigers. See photos and report at

www.atlantisrangers.org/HAT2007.html

Steve Smith
www.atlantisrangers.org

 

[aquaman_06]

bike,

We did the Huron, Carl Gerhard and Kyzicks. Viz was not so good on some of the wrecks and 10 feet or a little better on others. The current was very entertaining though. Everyone was telling me that conditions over at Hatteras are much better then those in Nags Head and off the coast of Wanchese where we were at. My family rents a home in NC each year and this is the first time I've gone and been a certified diver and Hatteras was just shy of two hours from the place they rented so we stuck in at Nags Head.

The charter dives on the Zane Gray were really exciting. Viz wasn't perfect but I'd trade a bit of viz for nice warm water any day! Next year I think they are headed to Avon which is a good bit south of where we were at this year and much closer to Hatteras so hopefully I'll get to check it out.