Trip Report - Atlantic Beach, NC

[offthewall1]

In a word - WOW!

I've been diving the wrecks of North Carolina for a decade now. I've gone back year after year because pound for pound it is the best diving our planet has to offer. This year, it exceeded the hype!

Diving aboard the Atlantis IV with Bobby, Renate and Paul, we were treated to the most exceptional diving I've ever experienced there. If you go to North Carolina, you want to be on this boat.

We got in a full week of diving (not blown out at all.) The seas were calm with 1-3 foot rollers all week. It was beautiful and sunny most of the week. The surface water temperature was about 82 and it was a very comfy 74-76 on the bottom at 100ft. I dove a 3mm all week - a few dove 5mm's.

The visibility was not as great as I've seen... it was 30ft-60ft on the bottom but vertically to the surface I'd say 100+. Often we could see the boat floating above us. Visibility below was limited primarily by the fish life. We often found ourselves in schools of baitfish so thick we couldn't see the diver next to us. It felt as if we were in a thick bowl of fish stew.

Now I've dove all over the world... in many conditions, with many animals from Dolphins to Whales to Sea Lions to sharks... and I unconditionally state - after thousands of dives - the Proteus dive this week was the #1 best dive all-time!

This was an adrenaline pumping dive with an estimated 40-50 Sandtiger sharks circling us, brushing past us, going between our legs and even hanging out with us on our safety and deco stops. They were extremely friendly - much more so than in years past. You've got to see the video and pics to get the idea!

We also encountered large groups of sandtigers on the Caribsea, Spar and Indra. That's right, I said the Indra. Which amazingly produced the best visibility of the week.

Aside from the sharks, typical Barracudas and schools of baitfish, we encountered large Jacks, Southern and Roughtail Stingrays, schooling Atlantic Spadefish, Cobia, Angelfish, Spanish Hogfish, Arrow Crabs, large Toadfish and too much more to list.

The diving in this area stays great well into October... so if you get the chance and are looking for a weekend get-a-way.... the best diving on the planet is right down I95

You should have a significant amount of open ocean dive experience before heading down - as strong currents, heavy seas and deep depths are often the rule of thumb... but with all that said, when conditions are as they were last week - it's Caribbean diving - only 10X better.

Don't Miss: The Proteus, The Spar, The Caribsea, the Indra, The Aeolus

Other Solid Choices: The USS Shurz, Ashkabad, Papoose, U352

Great Dinner at Floyds in Morehead City $$$$ but worth every penny

Cheers

 

[lulubelle]

Wow, you DID get some cadillac conditions. I've been diving her for 3 summers, and I can count on one hand the days I have had like that. 30-60 feet of vis would be terrific, my last two dives have been more in the 10-20 foot range.

I AGREE about the Proteus and the Caribsea, they are my two favorite dives to date and neither of them are easy to get to, even the Caribsea because of it's location. When we dropped on the Proteus, we couldn't see anything BUT sandtigers, up, down and sideways. The vis was only 20 feet or so and we could still count 30 of them. I grinned up at my DB and we both knew that we would just continue down the anchor line and descend directly into them. We had a similar experience on the Caribsea.

Glad you enjoyed my home away from home.

 

[Drewski]

This was an adrenaline pumping dive with an estimated 40-50 Sandtiger sharks circling us, brushing past us, going between our legs and even hanging out with us on our safety and deco stops. They were extremely friendly - much more so than in years past. You've got to see the video and pics to get the idea!

The sea condition has been unsettled this year, meaning fewer divers get out to that wreck. Call me crazy, but I think they miss us...

 

[NC Wreck Diver]

We got to Morehead a few weeks ago. Nice sea conditions, but the vis was a little low. Day 1 was two on the Caribsea (Sand Tigers galore), and Day 2 was one on the U-352 and one on the Spar (more Tigers). My only disapointment was I couldn't hunt. No guns with sharks in the water, boat rules. I was happy to get to the sub, so my buddy (first trip to NC) could see it. I took my Riffe, but there are not to many gamefish on the wreck. I've been on the U-Boat many times, but it was worth the look on my buddy's face. I would rather do the Naeco or the Papoose (my ashes will be spread there!), or the many good spots (the rock piles) to go for grouper.

I hope you get the chance to get to NC again. But I-95... what a killer around DC and beyond. I go down Route 13. Dive safe.

I'm glad you had a good trip. I've been diving NC since the mid 1980's, and I have had a few weeks like you described, and many that were pretty rough. But it's still the best place in the world to dive. I'm scanning Ektachrome Slides right now of the Aeolus (shot on my Nikonos V) before it was broken up. I'll post them when they are finished.

 

[RAD Diver]

Bobby & Renate have a nice boat & make the rough seas a bit more comfortable.

And I love those sites, but can't imagine making the run to the Proteus from MHC when it's such a shorter run from Hatteras. Plus a 2nd dive on the Tarpon makes a great day.

 

[CaptJT]

Funny how you had to come dive Hatteras by way of Morehead to get the best dive ever. The boats in Hatteras don't do the long run to Morehead to get that, but they have to come up here to get the best dive ever.

 

[offthewall1]

Funny how you had to come dive Hatteras by way of Morehead to get the best dive ever. The boats in Hatteras don't do the long run to Morehead to get that, but they have to come up here to get the best dive ever.

Not looking to pick a fight... but I will say this...

The Proteus rocked... but the Spar is a very very close second. The other thing I'd mention is that the Indra had a large number of Sandtigers as well this year and the vis was exceptional... as good or better than the Proteus. The only question we had was have the sharks always been there and we just couldn't see them - LOL. In years past the vis on the Indra was 20ft at best. This year it was easily 80ft. We could see up and down the wreck and the sharks swimming I'd say 40 - 50ft off the wreck. These sharks would have never been seen or noticed in years past. They are a much shy'er group than those on the Proteus, Caribsea, Spar, Papoose, Aeolus and Hutton. They just refused to come in to the wreck.

I think the Proteus is very worthy of being a top spot... but there are more options I think out of Morehead. Over the years, the Shurz, Naeco, Hutton, Papoose, Aeolus, Suloid, Bedfordshire, Box Wreck, Ashkabad and the aforementioned Spar, U352 and Indra have all produced exciting dives.

The Atlantis IV is a pleasure to ride on for a long ride like that. I've been out there in 6-8 foot seas on the Atlantis IV and she handles the water much better than the crew boats packed like sardines.

Cheers to having to argue over the best diving on earth... just know that it's all in NC - regardless where your home port is!

 

[Drewski]

LOL, you guys...

1 min of Sand Tiger bliss on the F. W. Abrams, an inshore wreck on the way back from the Proteus:

[vimeo]12935171[/vimeo]

A very friendly and lonely shark, that one was.

 

[CaptJT]

I think the Proteus is very worthy of being a top spot... but there are more options I think out of Morehead.

Done Morehead as a customer and am done with that. Always 2-3 cattleboats on each wreck and then there is always someone who wants to dive the U352 aka The Steel Dick. Just shoot me if I ever have to dive it again. I will say this Morehead is the second best place I've ever dived..............everywhere else is tied for first. Just kidding , Morehead is fine, just way to many boats which is why they come up here and we don't go there. 6-8ft seas you "should" stay at the dock or you get stuck diving the Indra.

 

[NC Wreck Diver]

Done Morehead as a customer and am done with that. Always 2-3 cattleboats on each wreck and then there is always someone who wants to dive the U352 aka The Steel Dick. Just shoot me if I ever have to dive it again. I will say this Morehead is the second best place I've ever dived..............everywhere else is tied for first. Just kidding , Morehead is fine, just way to many boats which is why they come up here and we don't go there. 6-8ft seas you "should" stay at the dock or you get stuck diving the Indra.

Hey Capt JT:

OK, you make some good points. I've been to Morehead since 1986, and it is my favorite place to dive. I've been on most of the wrecks; always a good dive, but had some really rough years too. Like yourself, I have been on the U-Boat too many times, but this year I brought a guy who never saw it, and he was wide-eyed. It was worth it. Years ago, we would get on the Pelican for a week. Since we were the largest group, we decided where the boat would go. But many groups of two or three divers (especially on the weekends) really wanted to go to the sub. So we would do one to let them get their buzz. I'm still peeing my pants about the reference of 'The Steel Dick.' That is just too funny. I've normally just said "OK back to the frickin' tube," but I'm stealing your's.

We really dive Morehead to spearfish. I can't really take my Riffe of of Jersey. It's a little too much gun for low vis areas. Anyway, when you are banging Grouper and Pompano (gigging Flounder too) in NC, our home waters are a little less exciting. So, during the week, when the U-Boat crowd has gone home, we would hunt for the rest of the week on some popular wrecks, and some obscure spots that were great for hunting (the rocks, etc,).

I'm with you on the Indra too. I hate that wreck. I guess because I know I'm blown out for offshore diving. But, as per other posts, and a few guys I know down there, the vis is really good this year. The tigers are on just about every wreck now. I remember if you wanted a shark dive, you had to hit the Papoose or the Caribsea. Now, they are everywhere, like rabbits. I typically hunt around them (and the population wasn't as high, even on the 'shark wrecks') without a problem, but now the crew boats are telling us we can't. We were bummed.

Thanks for the reference. I'll never forget it. And when I slip it out to my NC crew, and they are stinking up their wetsuits with pee, I'll remember your post...(I'll take all the credit, but remember your post). Thanks for the material.