Prep for NC

[vyperman]

NC wreck diving is a fantastic experience with great wrecks, sharks, barracuda, schooling and solitary fish, etc. It comes with additional risks that you should prepare. All of the advice offered in the thread should be seriously considered. Offshore can range from dead calm to 6' or greater with stiff current and the ride can be long but you will not forget the bottom time. AOW and deep dive certification is good, hire a guide or team up with experience wreck divers or go for deep dive/wreck certification for the first few dives, be prepared for current and surge, and be prepared to feed the fish if the surge gets to you. IMHO, bonine is much better and with less side effects than dramamine or scopolamine for minimizing nausea.

 

[packman]

Thanks for all the help. I am already nitrox certified, and I will def take the AOW and Deep Diver. We both own all our gear, but I only have a 3mm and she a 5mm. Will we need more insulation? I will prob be getting a hooded vest soon due to cold thermoclines around here in the "clear" lakes. Is the wreck diver necessary? I plan on trying to get a bunch of dives in before then, since air consumption is a prob for my wife and I. On Santa Rosa wall, we hit 85' for a while, and slowly shallower and were at 500psi (her) and 900 (me) at like 40-45 min. (counting the 3 min ss)

I went offshore this past Monday and was plenty comfortable in a 3mm wetsuit. The water temps were in the low 80s in the upper water column and ~75 on the bottom. As the summer goes on, the water temps can be expected to warm up to low to mid 80s top to bottom.

Personally, I would waste the time or money on a wreck diver class. It's a wreck, there's potentially lots of sharp metal to poke yourself with if you're not careful. Depending on the wreck, there may be cabling laying around and/or fishing line to get tangled on if you're not careful. If there's a current, swim up one side into the current away from the anchor line. Now you can drift back to the anchor line with the current. Watch your depth, air, and time. Don't penetrate the wreck until you've gained more knowledge and experience.

There you go, the wreck diver specialty in a nutshell. Now take that money you saved and get some more dives in. :cool2:

 

[Drewski]

Also, we will be staying at Ocean Isle, so prob diving out of Wilmington.

If you plan to go out of Wilmington, the only REAL choice (sorry guys) is Aquatic Safaris, an operation I'd describe as one of the premium dive services in North Carolina and the United States. Outstanding shop, captain and crew. Been out with them several times.

Their Captain and shop owner, Paul Gregory, is a member of this board and just happens to have a PhD in Chemistry from Virginia Tech. Not your usual crew,

They've never struck me as a shop all that interested in certs (in fact they never even asked to see mine) but WILL talk to you about your experience and make suggestions. I'd suggest you call them to discuss.

Here's a look at their people.

Here's the first video I ever posted about diving in North Carolina (this is the first ocean video I ever shot). It was filmed on a Aquatic Safaris January trip with an air temperature of about 35 degrees and the water at 70. Sorry for the poor quality!



The people in the video are all regulars of NCdivers.com, a GREAT bunch of folks. In fact, one guy in the sunglasses during the boat deck clip looks suspiciously like Captain James, from Tortuga Charters, LOL...

It was a FINE day of diving offshore in January of 2008. This trip started a long dive trip history with Bobby (RAD Diver) and Trina (his wife) who I met on this board (we now dive together all the time and I consider them family). Two days later I lost my job and my life completely changed (for the better).

Good Luck!

Andy

 

[Tortuga James]

The people in the video are all regulars of NCdivers.com, a GREAT bunch of folks. In fact, one guy in the sunglasses during the boat deck clip looks suspiciously like Captain James, from Tortuga Charters, LOL...

Andy

Yep, that was me. That was a great day. Ice on the boat in the am, shirts off during the SI in the afternoon.

 

[keithdiver]

Yep, that was me. That was a great day. Ice on the boat in the am, shirts off during the SI in the afternoon.

Hi Cap't how goes it? drdrdrdrdrddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddrggggggggg koolaid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jaydubya]

If you're going to be at Ocean Isle then Aquatic Safaris is the op you want. I recommend one of their Hyde/Markham trips as an ideal intro to NC wreck diving. Only 80fsw and plenty of sharks in the summer. Weekends fill up fast, so book in advance.

If you want you can send me a PM before you come. If I'm free I'd be happy to show you the Hyde and Markham. Leave the Normannia, Cassimir, and such for a couple of years down the road.