South Carolina

[TMHeimer]

Anyone have experience shore diving near Myrtle Beach? Maybe at Little River Inlet or Murrells Inlet?

 

[iztok]

I don't see much of a shore diving in the area.

Perhaps finding some rock jetty?

 

[diveprof]

Shore diving there has vis that is "as far as you can see"- though that is measured in single digit inches....
Boat rides are long but there is diving.

 

[gconner]

No shore diving in the Myrtle Beach area. The only thing to see is sand (if you can find water that's clear enough to see anything). If you want to dive in the MB area you'll need to get on one of the charters.

I highly recommend Express Water Sports in Murrells Inlet. However, this late in the season you're bumping up against the water temps dropping and most of the dive ops are shutting down for the season.

--Gary

 

[iztok]

You could drive North to Wilmington, NC and take a boat out there and do some wreck diving. Or even further up to Beaufort, NC.

 

[al248005]

I wouldn't recommend shore diving in the area. More than likely you are going to run in to horrible viz and there's probably not a whole lot to see. I would recommend a charter. Express watersports has a limited dive schedule through the end of November. I dove with them this summer and I plan on going back to them for more dives. They have a fantastic crew and a great boat. You should check out their calender at expresswatersports.com.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

+1 on Express Watersports. And another opinion that there is NO shore diving to be had there. When are you coming south?

 

[TMHeimer]

+1 on Express Watersports. And another opinion that there is NO shore diving to be had there. When are you coming south?

I'm booked for Feb. 13- March 31. I figure to do a charter with Coastal Scuba, but considering cost, I seek to shore dive instead of more than one charter. Have considered shore diving just N. in NC as well. Maybe in some of the back bays/inlets (prefer to avoid wicked currents).

 

[Lee Taylor]

Hello from SC...

We have dive boats that accommodate lake diving, river diving, and offshore diving. We have ledges, junk piles, shipwrecks, artificial reefs, and fossil beds. The continental shelf, close to the coast, will be shallow, very little visibility, possible rip currents, sand, sand, and more sand. Have divers done walk in SC dives? My guess is yes.

A good source for information on walk in diving will be the local dive stores.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

Nice long visit! That time of year is a bit cold for diving. Even when the air temps improve in March, the water temps are still low.

Please post how satisfied you are with Coastal. They have had some ups and downs, IIRC, and it would be nice to hear an update.

Express is down in Murrells Inlet - a short drive, and many good places to eat, too. Recent reports and personal experience indicate that they are still at the top of their game.

The rolling waves tend to keep the viz crappy at the shoreline. I'm not familiar with anyone who has been diving in the bays or inlets that are more protected.

If you feel up to a day or so side trip, the freshwater springs in Florida are around 300 miles or so further south, and the water temp is constant year round. Many SC shops do certification dives there in the cooler months.