Where to dive @ OBX

[mds1980]

Hi all! I'm going to be spending a week in Avon, NC in two weeks and am thinking I'd like to get a dive or two in while i'm there. I'm a brand new diver, just got my ow cert in june. I've only made 7 dives thus far (counting my certification) and they've all been in quarries. I'd really like to get some saltwater dives in and gain some experience in the ocean, but don't want to get into anything over my head. Do any of you have any suggestions? Thanks for any tips/info you have!

 

[Diveral]

Try Discovery Diving in Beaufort or Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City. Go out on an inshore dive trip to the Indra.

Discovery Diving Co., Inc. - North Carolina Wreck Diving in the Graveyard of the Atlantic

Olympus Dive Center

AL

 

[scubapolly]

Try Discovery Diving in Beaufort or Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City. Go out on an inshore dive trip to the Indra.

Discovery Diving Co., Inc. - North Carolina Wreck Diving in the Graveyard of the Atlantic

Olympus Dive Center

AL

Umm... Morehead is a 4 hour drive from Avon so I wouldn't recomend that.

In hatteras the only one I've dove with is JT on the Underpressure I know he is full Sept 6 & 7 (because we booked the whole boat), but might be available Friday or Monday. He is a 6 pack.

All the ops in Hatteras:

UnderPressure - Limit 6 passengers, can sleep on the boat night before trip, no need for hotel, air fills available on board.- Hatteras
Capt JT's - "Under Pressure" Dive Charters
CALL Capt JT @ 757-537-6524
(NC diver Screen name: beenaround)

DiveHatteras- Website states they are currently boatless
DiveHatteras.com - NC shipwreck diving at it's best!
703.818.1850

Ghost Fleet Dive Charters- Manteo- Limit 6 divers
Ghost Fleet Dive Charters :: Dive Charters Outer Banks, NC :: Graveyard Of The Atlantic
(252) 423-0451

OBX- Outer Banks Dive Center- Nags Head
Outer Banks Dive Center, Nags Head, North Carolina
252-449-8349

 

[Diveral]

Polly you know the area and operations better than I do so I'm definitely going to defer to you on the ultimate recommendations. But the main reason I suggested the Morehead area for the OP is the OP's admitted inexperience and lack of Salt Water Dives. The OP has a grand total of 7 OW dives with none of them being in Salt Water. I put myself in their shoes and thought if this was going to be my first Salt Water dive where would it be? My first answer is Florida but they will be in North Carolina so that's not going to work.

So in North Carolina where would I want to dive knowing now what I'd wished I'd known then. I've dove in the Nag's Head, Hatteras, Lookout, and Wilmington areas. So out of those four, knowing the wreck and water conditions prevalent in those areas what are the easier and better dives for for a new diver's first salt water dive with the diver actually seeing the most and enjoying the experience? Wilmington was first choice with the Indra a close second. The Indra is closer to them and they are going to be in NC for a week. A four hour drive isn't that bad for your first salt water dive and they can go out on an afternoon trip so they don't have to get up at 2 am. After they cut their teeth on the Indra and they feel comfortable in saltwater diving NC wrecks then they can dive the closer wrecks around Hatteras and Oregon.

AL

 

[mds1980]

Thanks Polly! Definitely not wanting to make an 8 hour round trip! After looking around, I'm thinking of doing a guided beach dive or two. All of the trips that were still open are quite a bit deeper than I've been in the quarries of Ohio! No one that I'll be on vacation with dives. With my inexperience, I don't want to end up going past my comfort level just yet! When I make it back next year, I'll have made enough dives, have my AOW cert and be confident in getting to the 80+ depths!

 

[mds1980]

Al- thanks for your response also. The Indra would be exactly what I'm looking for if it were closer! If I were going to have someone else to dive with, I would probably definitely make the drive to Moorehead. A trip I may look into planning with some of the people I dive with here in Buckeye country!

 

[scubapolly]

Thanks Polly! Definitely not wanting to make an 8 hour round trip! After looking around, I'm thinking of doing a guided beach dive or two. All of the trips that were still open are quite a bit deeper than I've been in the quarries of Ohio! No one that I'll be on vacation with dives. With my inexperience, I don't want to end up going past my comfort level just yet! When I make it back next year, I'll have made enough dives, have my AOW cert and be confident in getting to the 80+ depths!

I just moved here from Ohio (Cincinnati) a little over a year ago. We've been having crappy vis lately which will be much like the quarries! The waves and current are what will make it very different no matter if you do a boat dive or a shore dive.

the thing with around here is the sea conditions can have a bigger effect on the difficulty of the dive more so than the depth. Last week we sat over a 50 foot wreck in raging seas and made the call to not dive, then the next day had a relaxing dive on a 100 ft wreck.

I haven't done a lot of dives in the Hatteras area, to be able to suggest a specific wreck, but someone at any of the shops I listed should be able to steer you in the right direction be it an inshore wreck or a shore dive.

As diveral mentioned there are lots of areas to go for your first dive that would be more gentle. Fl Keys would also be my recommendation. Lots of stuff for the family to do while you dive and many easy dives. Diving here is NOT like that. A couple of must haves in your dive kit for diving NC Some sort of SMB- (surface marker buoy, aka see me sausage) and I'd also recommend a strobe. I also strongly recommend you do some sort of guided dive. You will pay a little extra for it, but at this stage of your diving it is probably worth it.

 

[JayJudge]

Up by the Nags Head area, the Laborador current is in play- green water, colder by 15 degrees. Of the Hatteras area wrecks, the Dixie Arrow is usually a nice, not super deep wreck-I think 90 to the sand or less, usually has good vis, and sandtigers. The beach dives can be difficult, and you get all sorts of sand in everything. Like your regs. Honestly though, and this is not to dissuade you from diving in NC (think Morehead, think the Mutiny with Atlantic Beach Diving- sorry, gotta plug the boat I work on) if your grand total is only 7 dives, that means 4 of them are checkout dives, meaning 3 dives after, I would get more experience before trying NC. And when you do, you will have a much better time. Get your Nitrox and Advanced cards. Find someone else who is experienced (whether a DM or just a buddy), and then come to NC. You will be much happier.
-J

 

[Diveral]

I definitely agree that most salt water NC diving and new divers are not a good mix. I still believe the OP's best option if he wants to do some salt water diving on his trip is the Indra. Agree that Florida is the best salt water option for the new diver in our region of the country. However if he's got a guide or a good dive buddy (MENTOR) the Indra on a good or decent day is doable. If I lived close I'd take him, I like the Indra. Heck, I could even show him how to get lost on the Hutton (Ario) for a second dive if we weren't doing a twofer on the Indra.

The Dixie Arrow would be a good dive on a day with low current and good vis. It's been 20 years since I dove her. I wouldn't pick it as my first ocean dive but it'll make a very good 1st hatteras dive.

Matt, do you ever go to the Florida Panhandle? It's about an 13-14 hr drive from Columbus They've got some good diving and it's usually easier than North Carolina. I'd bring my buckeye friends there first if y'all are driving. The Florida keys are fantastic as well if you are flying.

AL

 

[scubapolly]

Up by the Nags Head area, the Laborador current is in play- green water, colder by 15 degrees. Of the Hatteras area wrecks, the Dixie Arrow is usually a nice, not super deep wreck-I think 90 to the sand or less, usually has good vis, and sandtigers. The beach dives can be difficult, and you get all sorts of sand in everything. Like your regs. Honestly though, and this is not to dissuade you from diving in NC (think Morehead, think the Mutiny with Atlantic Beach Diving- sorry, gotta plug the boat I work on) if your grand total is only 7 dives, that means 4 of them are checkout dives, meaning 3 dives after, I would get more experience before trying NC. And when you do, you will have a much better time. Get your Nitrox and Advanced cards. Find someone else who is experienced (whether a DM or just a buddy), and then come to NC. You will be much happier.
-J

Agree with the Mutiny being a good op but the point is avoiding an 8hour drive from where he is staying.

Just dove the Dixie Arrow about 3 weeks ago and I don't think it was anywhere near 15 degrees colder than MHC. Easy enough to get by with a 3mm suit in either local. And coming from Ohio quarries they are going to feel like bathwater anyway. All the same, a bit deep for for the OP. Just going by the certs he needs to be under 60 feet.