Wreck diving boats in NC

[DCDivenut]

My buddy and I are looking to do some NC wreck diving this summer (1st trip in July) since we live in Washington DC. Here is what I am looking for...

1. I am moderately advanced with AOW and Nitrox and have been diving for a few years but my buddy is a little fresher and will have just gotten his AOW in June so he is the controlling factor on dives so no mixed gas to 185!!!

2. We would both prefer to go with a smaller operation and pay a few bucks more if necessary to avoid the cattle boat factor.

Any shops y'all can reccommend? I have done a google search and looked here and come up with some ideas but are there any specific yeas or nays based on the above criteria?

 

[RICHinNC]

Take a look a look at www.aquaticsafaris.com good dive op. You will find most NC boats are small 12 packers. It can get a little crowded but not too bad. I was just out at the Hyde and Markham this weekend and saw a huge turtle and several sharks.
good luck
rich

 

[cornfed]

I like the OBX Dive Center in Nags Head. The conditions aren't like Hatteras or Morehead City but the are better than VA Beach and the rides are much shorter.

 

[dwright]

I like Diver Down Captain Bobby Cox runs great trips but sometimes hard to get a spot on the boat.

If you want a six pack type of trip, check with Discovery Diving Capt. Leroy runs the Captain's Lady. They have other bigger boats that run out of their shop as well.

The other big operation in Morehead City/Atlantic Beach is Olympus Dive Center They have a couple of boats that handle 12-20 people depending on the boat.

Depending on your comfort level and experience with currents and real ocean diving (not Cozumel or the Keys) I would recommend doing a half day trip out to the Indra for your first NC Wreck Dive...I may get slammed for saying this but it's a good one to get your feet wet.(so to speak) We actually dove that wreck on Memorial Monday due to bad weather offshore and had a great time with about an hour on the bottom (about 70fsw)

 

[zboss]

My buddy and I are looking to do some NC wreck diving this summer (1st trip in July) since we live in Washington DC. Here is what I am looking for...

1. I am moderately advanced with AOW and Nitrox and have been diving for a few years but my buddy is a little fresher and will have just gotten his AOW in June so he is the controlling factor on dives so no mixed gas to 185!!!

2. We would both prefer to go with a smaller operation and pay a few bucks more if necessary to avoid the cattle boat factor.

Any shops y'all can reccommend? I have done a google search and looked here and come up with some ideas but are there any specific yeas or nays based on the above criteria?

First - I would strongly recommend that your buddy get his Nitrox certiifcation and both of you guys dive Nitrox capable computers. It won't matter that you have your nitrox if you limit your dive time based on your buddies air. Also - Air affords such little downtime at 100-105 feet.

Second - Olympus is named as the top dive operator in the US and after diving them this year I can understand why. I would not say that their operation comes even close to cattle boat standards.

I did an extensive write-up of my trip:

http://www.scubaboard.com/t58140.html

Stay Wet!

 

[Lead_carrier]

I agree with zboss about the nitrox. Get your buddy certified and it will make a lot of difference in both bottom time and safety.

If you're wanting to do the Nags Head/Hatteras area. Outer Banks Diving is the best that I can recommend.

Diver Down and Aquatic Safaris both have excellent operations if you're going down that far.

 

[MAK52580]

I second Outer Banks Diving. I dived with them this weekend actually and they were great. Ask for the crew on the Dolphin. It is a new boat for them and it is bare bones, but it was cozy, only took 6 of us out and gave us all the individual attention that you could want.

 

[cornfed]

I like Diver Down Captain Bobby Cox runs great trips but sometimes hard to get a spot on the boat.

We just got screwed over by Diver Down. We had spots reserved for a weekend in August and had paid our deposit. Yesterday we were told since it wasn't a 3 day charter we would be placed on a standby list and wouldn't know until a day or two before the trip if we would be on it. Oh well, there are other boats down there...

 

[jeadiver]

I'll Second the Outer Banks Diving in Hatteras, I've been diving with John for years and have never had a bad experience. In Morehead, I've used both Discovery and Olympus, both are safe adn proficient operators. If you are going all the way to Carolina Beach, a great 6 pack opertor i've used is Tom Collins on Spearit. Good fast boat and he know some awsome sites.

Spearit

 

[Quetzal]

Just had a nice trip w/ Aquatics Safaris. Only downer was that we were told by Rob on the phone that there would be no spearing but then when we get down there the captain said that was BS. Luckily I had brought my gun anyway and the mate loaned my buddy his gun so we both had fish to clean when we tied up. Was a great day for diving 1-2's and 40' Viz. on the Gil and at the 23 mile ledge. temps in the low 70's high 60's. You guys that don't dive after Labor Day are really missing out. Oh well more fish for us that do.