Virginia Beach Diving?

[TNTdive]

Hi, I have not been diving in the Virginia Beach area and am looking for any good dive sites that are not too far away. I have a small boat (21') and trying to find out if there are any recommendations of places to go (with gps coordinates is a plus). This would make for a nice day and good justification for my other expensive toy (the boat). Thanks.

 

[Randy g]

The lighthouse is something like 13 miles out and alot of people fish, dive and spear there. Most of the wrecks are alot farther out. Seems like most dives are 1-2 hrs by boat but I am no expert on the area and I am sure some of the longtime regulars can fill you in with more details.

 

[Wil]

TNT,

I've posted some of these in the past ands gladly post again. These are numbers I use on my boat (and have hooked with them). Use caution if you download GPS numbers from any one of those "Internet sources" (you know the ones). They are notoriously off, sometimes by a mile and sometimes less, it's a long ride offshore to find out.

Safe diving,
Will

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
Big "D" Barge: (must be done on an incoming tide)
36 59.776N -76 06.104W

Tower Reef Area:
Steel Barge:
36 54.145N
75 43.289W

Santori:
36 53.845N
75 46.856W



Triangle Reef Area (A bit far for a 21ft {single engine?} but that depends on your experience and comfort)
Morgan:
37 00.072N - 75 24.466W
37 00.071N - 75 24.450W

Trepca:
Bow 36 59.946N - 75 24.532W
Amidships 36 59.939N - 75 24.540W
Stern 36 59.932N - 75 24.542W

Luckenbach:
36 58.570N - 75 24.824W
36 58.543N - 75 24.835W

PaddleWheeler:
36 58.860N - 75 23.411W

Cuyahoga:
36 57.930N - 75 22.813w

Kurn:
Aft Bow Section 36 58.177N - 75 21.522W
Fwd Stern Section 36 58.195N - 75 21.516W

Haviland:
36 59.446N - 75 21.804W

Clark:
36 59.330N - 75 21.785W

Webster:
36 59.707N - 75 21.664W

Garrison:
36 59.582N - 75 21.801W

 

[TNTdive]

Will/Randy,

Thanks for the reply. I got spoiled living in Miami and having a wrecks and good dives not far off the shore. Plus, it seemed like it was easy to find some good sites with coordinates.

Will, thanks a lot for all the different sites and coordinates. With the weather "hopefully" turning the curve and warming up, I am looking to getting wet soon (well in my dry suit for a while). My boat is only a single inboard, but in great shape. Up till now mainly only used for family boating trips...hoping to start getting the diving in this year.

Anyone know if the Lake Rawlings Polar dive is a good event (this coming weekend 28FEB10).

Thanks again,
Ted

 

[Wil]

Ted,

Watch the Mid-Atlantic forum, sometimes I post when and where we'll be headed. If you're considering going the same direction, like to the Triangle Reef, we can join up in the area. If there's a problem it's always best to have another vessel nearby to assist.

I'm always on ch16 and ch68 while I'm offshore. I also have a sidescan onboard, which makes hooking into the wrecks less chalenging. Gennerally, it's not hard to hook the wrecks, but sometimes with a sea state, it's frustrating.

Oh, lastly, this ain't Miami; Dry Suit: Yep, Dive Light:Yep, Hood: Yep, Gloves: Yep, Wreck Reel; Yep. Now go and enjoy!

Safe Diving,
Will

 

[Drewski]

Hi Ted:

Wil is an OUTSTANDING Captain (the REAL Navy kind) and he's giving you great advice.

BUT, please remember, the Atlantic is a VERY unforgiving ocean north of Hatteras, especially in the winter. Conditions change very quickly up here, with fast moving high pressure systems prowling about. It can be glass smooth when you leave and 3 to 5 only a few hours later. The same is true during the summer, but the water is warmer and "survivable."

Please be careful and good luck!

Andy

 

[DennisW]

I would be happy to go out with you sometime (after it warms up a bit, like in July - August). Everytime I have tried to schedule a dive (not very many mind you) over the past couple of years, the trip has been weathered. So, I have driven to Lake Rawlings when that happens. I get pretty bored at Lake Rawlings. Most of my diving has been in Florida so, I am basically a warm water diver and I'm not much interested in diving when the temps are less than 70 degrees. Call me a wimp, it's ok.

 

[RAD Diver]

Lets go diving Will.

We can probably convince Andy also since he has a fully dry drysuit now.

Ted, the diving here is quite a bit different than Florida, I tend to like it more here.

Clear, warm water is over-rated, IMO. But I do also own a very good drysuit.

 

[Wil]

Gents,

Dry Suit diving certainly isn't a requirement around here, but it's nice over the winter to early summer. I dive with a Mares Semi-Dry and in the cooler months will wear a 2mm shorty to keep any water away from center mass. There are some....who wear a 7mm wet suit w/hood and gloves....that's fine too but you'll get chilled between dives. It's best no matter what you're diving to bring along warm clothes for the surface interval. If diving wet, you've got to get out of the suit, dry off, and dress warm on the SI.

I also have a dry suit that I will occassionally wear when I'm down for a long time or anytime I go to Lake Rawlings.

Andy is spot-on with the weather. Anyone who doesn't use the Marine forecast in planning their offshore day is simply NUTS! The sea can become a ugly companion at times, respect it. And, while we don't have the Perfect Storm conditions or the stuff I experienced rounding the Horn once, a 5ft seas state with a short wave interval will give you a real pounding and make for a very long ride home.

Bobby: I've got the boat at the house for maintenance. Installing a remote auto-pilot control, tearing down the anchor windlass for preventive maintenance, and giving the engines a good going over (replacing all the engine fuel filters). I'll probably have it back in the water in a week or so. After a good test run (might head up the eastern shore and sidescan some), I'll be reading for a trip offshore.

Safe Diving,
Will

 

[TNTdive]

Sorry I haven't been on the forum for awhile. Four kids (including twin girls) has kept me running lately.

A while ago I updated my gear for around here with the 3mm suit for the summer and either my 7mm or dry suit when it is colder (usually prefer the dry suit with the wet suit as my backup).

I was thinking about de-winterizing the boat this past weekend, but now I am planning on waiting till the weekend of 20 March. My oldest has soccer tournaments the next two weekends. Plus been waiting for the Marine weather to calm down a lot more over the weekends. Seems the weather is hitting us more and more on the weekend, and if it's looking to rough then I don't even consider going out on my smaller boat.

Will, I would like to take you up on your offer to travel out together, or if you need an extra diver/deck hand I could contribute to cut the fuel cost. I would like to go with someone who is experienced around here prior to just venturing off on my own. Prefer to learn from other experiences vice my mistakes.

Thanks,
Ted