Nevertheless, they should equip themselves with a dive computer to monitor dive time and track remaining breathable air. Our experienced instructors will guide you through classroom sessions and open water dives to help you develop the knowledge and skills needed for each specialty. The water surrounding this site is often warm and clear due to Gulf Stream currents and the structure still provides enough coverage to allow reprieve in the event that a current is present. But remember not to directly touch on them because sharks may misunderstand that you are provoking them. Wreck Diving in Wilmington, NC. })(jQuery); Your session is about to expire. North Carolina has two main airports, which are located in Durham and Raleigh, and it takes you about 90 minutes to reach the coast, no matter where you depart from. Diving the Proteus is an incredible experience that will leave any diver wanting to experience more of the blue Carolina waters. With inlets north and south of Bald Head Island, blockade runnersvessels engaged in maintaining the blockadehad the option to choose the best avenue of entering and departing the Cape Fear. Members login here. Hyde is a boat accessible salt water dive site, located in Wilmington, NC. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Nowadays, Wilmington also maintains a few intact shipwrecks below its water surface, which are reminiscent of significant events in the past. Wreck diving is not safe for all divers. The Proteus was once a luxury passenger liner that sank in a collision in 1918. The Hyde is a purpose-sunk wreck that is a stunning part of the North Carolina Artificial Reef program. Enjoy a shore divers paradise in the best way at Bonaire's #1 dive resort! The Hyde is home to a huge variety of marine life and every dive brings the chance to see something new. 5 Best Wreck Dives in North Carolina's Famous "Graveyard of the Its estimated there are thousands of wrecks, dating as far back as the Spanish fleets of the 1500s. The Axiom i3 is AquaLung's most comfortable and easy-to-use BC yet. For anyone interested in diving into history, the Atlantic waters in this area provide one of the most unique concentrations of shipwrecks from 1861 to 1865 and can be accessed on a diving excursion. Scuba Diving the Graveyard of the Atlantic and North Carolina Coast, 2023 Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. Your email address will not be published. U-352 is the most famous wreck in the North Carolina underwater world, drawing thousands of scuba divers who flock here to explore every year. hogfish: Avg Viz: 51-60ft/16-18m. D. from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, Watts joined the N.C. Division of Archives and History in 1972 as the state's first underwater archaeologist. It is reported that there are 12 individuals already spotted in these waters, giving you extraordinary shark dive trips. We also offer a range of diving trips and excursions to help you put your new skills to use and explore the beautiful underwater world of Scuba Diving Wilmington, NC. The water surface here is calm, where almost no strong currents can be found. Each one of these fascinating structures lay in blue waters with a feel and visual display much different from traditional tropical settings. We offer a wide selection of PADI SCUBA diving courses, all of which are taught by experienced instructors. The Hyde isintact and sits upright on the bottom with a lot to see. Average viz: 36-40ft/11-12m. 7 Proteous No top ten list for North Carolina would be complete without including this gem of a wreck. Looking for good Dive Sites around Wilmington NC | ScubaBoard On May 9, 1942, the U-352 was cruising close to the North Carolina coast in search of enemy targets when she picked a fight with the wrong ship. View Member Topics. Water Temp: 81-85F/27-29C. Today, as the Executive Director of the Institute for International Maritime Research, Inc., and owner of Tidewater Atlantic Research, Inc., Watts continues to research and investigate shipwrecks. Watch this video and learn some valuable tips for protecting yourself underwater. The charter is with Aquatic Safari's out of Wilmington, NC. 2 Papoose The wreck of the Papoose has a convoluted history since in actuality it is the wreck W.E. They are extremely professional while setting you up for a successful and fun trip. Scuba Diving in Oahu: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners. Learning to dive is relatively easy and well worth the time and effort. Another victim of a German U-boat attack, the 430-foot Atlas tanker was sunk on April 9, 1942, only a few miles from the wreck of the Caribsea in 115 feet of water. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); DiveAeris.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. Similarly, she is close to shore and easily accessible throughout the dive season. Today, it is a hot spot for shark sightings, vast numbers of grouper and big pelagic life, such as African Pompano, giant amberjacks and barracudas. As a consequence, the New Inlet area off Fort Fisher is the location of a concentration of wrecked blockade runners and a union steamer loaded with 215 tons of powder that exploded to facilitate capturing Fort Fisher. I went scuba diving here on 7/20/2016. On March 23, 1942, the 411-foot Naeco went down in a fiery mess at the hands of yet another German U-boat attack in World War II. Average viz: 41-50ft/12-15m. The site has little current, remains largely intact, and offers dive depths from 30 to 60 feet making the wreck a fantastic place for new divers or a place to complete training programs. The 390-foot luxury steam liner, Proteus sunk on August 19, 1918, in a collision with the SS Cushing approximately 20 nautical miles south of Cape Hatteras. If you want the fish he knows where they are. Water temp: 71-75F/22-24C. The Better Way to Dive North Carolina - Olympus Dive Center About Search Results. North Carolina diving isnt limited to shipwrecks, however. Water Temp: 76-80F/24-27C. The rough terrain, combined with treacherous waters, makes it hard to scuba dive here; thus, only seasoned people are welcome. Thread starter packman; Start date May 5, 2009; . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can also get premium experiences by deciding to stay in a hostel or hotel. Notorious for low visibility conditions as well as large schools of sand tiger sharks, this dive can be a top shelf experience when the blue water pushes in on rare days, exposing up to 100 sand tiger sharks in one spot. The fun part of the PADI Wreck Diver course is visiting wrecks, unlocking mysteries and starting to gain the knowledge and experience that allows you to see things that others overlook. Built and launched in the spring of 1864, Condor and its sister ships (Falcon, Flamingo and Ptarmigan) were. The maximum depth is 81-90ft/25-27m. The video you see is of the Playa and Hyde . In addition, offshore Cape Hatteras, cold waters from the north collide with the warm currents from Gulf Stream, leading to more storms and few good harbors to anchor. The scrappy USCG Cutter Icarus was on her game that day when the U-352 opened fired with torpedoes and missed. This dive site has an average rating of 4.18 out of 5 from 38 scuba divers. Here a diver investigates the boilers that remain. Water temp: 71-75F/22-24C. Today, the ship sits in two distinct pieces about a mile apart some 38 nautical miles due south of Morehead City. Water Temp: 71-75F/22-24C. This diving spot boasts rich sea life with hundreds of shipwrecks resting underwater. Unique terrain in North Carolina is the main reason why more than 5000 shipwrecks rest here. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Diving is so much fun, and Ive got a flair for it. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Most scuba diving activities in Crystal Coast are exploring shipwrecks as well as artificial reefs. The waters are crystal clear, and you can see more than 50 feet most of the time. Nowadays, various tropical fish species and pelagics make their home here. Those vessels represent a unique era in American history. At a depth of 110 feet, Aeolus is broken into three major pieces due to the storms severe impacts. Sunk in 1988, she is 215 ft hopper dredge resting at ~85 feet. Get PADI Open Water SCUBA certified or obtain your AOW certification and explore the beautifulworld below the Atlantic! Aquatic Safaris SCUBA Center 7041 Wrightsville Ave, STE A Wilmington, NC (910)392-4386 diver@aquaticsafaris.com. These ledges are between 27 miles and 42 miles offshore. Today, the ship sits in two distinct pieces about a mile apart some 38 nautical miles due south of Morehead City. North Carolina is lucky to have three scuba-accessible World War II era U-boats beneath her waters. For half-a-century I have been professionally engaged in researching, locating, and investigating North Carolina's shipwrecks, many of which lie beneath the waters surrounding Wilmington and its island beaches. Mostly a low-lying debris field, with the exception of the prominent stern and propeller, she was popular dive for artifact hunters during the 80s and 90s. $('.av-instagram-follow').on('click', function() { In addition, excellent light conditions and crystal-clear water facilitate underwater photography. olympusdiving.com/PhotoGallery/VideoGallery/tabid/115/Default.aspx. $('.av-instagram-follow').css('color', '#FFF'); I run a free diving and spearfishing shop here in Wilmington and I send everyone I can to this operation., Awesome local crew of divers who know the BEST spots for teeth, wrecks, and all around great dives. Thank you for visiting our web page! Its introduced thousands of people to the underwater world through their PADI Open Water diver course, where the adventure of exploring the Graveyard of the Atlantic begins. The added feature of the regular appearance of clear warm Gulf Stream water makes it an impressive dive. All divers should follow safe scuba-diving practices, never dive or swim alone, and always check weather/surf conditions in advance. (function($){ Like other dive spots here, Wilmington offers you thrilling encounters with sand tiger sharks. Or did you miss some essential details in the article? Coptrainer - 9/04/2016 10:49 AM. The R.R. Whatever you call the Indra, she is a legendary wreck site in her own right. This site requires that javascript is enabled. The following detailed reviews will provide you with valuable information about what to expect to see underwater, safety tips to consider, and who should dive there. Watch Video: Scuba Diving in Wilmington, NC. Sand tiger sharks were roaming all over the place, and vis was great. Wreck of the Porta Allegra aka "Lobster Wreck" Since wreck-diving is for experienced divers, visitors are encouraged to contact local dive shops and outfitters. Bottom times are dictated by no-decompression limits. NC Wreck Diving - John D. Gill - YouTube While diving on the wrecks is open tothe public, no disturbance of a shipwreck or recovery of anything is legal without a permit from the state. Toll-Free: 1-877-406-2356, 2023 Wilmington and Beaches CVB All Rights Reserved. Sand tiger sharks are the most common inhabitants of Aeolus. Thats because this area witnessed the highest density of shipwrecks in the US. The marine life in Nags Head is abundant thanks to the large number of shipwrecks on the bottom. Whether youre a beginner or an experienced diver, we have the courses and expertise to take your skills to the next level. Apeks has announced a new technical dive computer that is fully compatible with trimix, sidemount and CCR diving. Do you have any questions associated with scuba diving in North Carolina? Despite an increased level of difficulty to visit, these wrecks have the benefit of experiencing fewer divers, making the sites less disturbed by human intervention, each year. Both choices are available, and you are free to choose which one is more comfortable. Meet new scuba divers, maintain a virtual dive log, participate in our forum, share underwater photos, research dive sites and more. Coptrainer: Avg Viz: 11-15ft/3-5m. All other trips are 2 tank trips with the option to add a 3rd tank for $50, weather and conditions dependent. Water Temp: 81-85F/27-29C. Worth every penny. Each suggestion is attached with its website link as well as the most outstanding services it gives. In truth, the U-352 is the wreck that first draws many divers to the North Carolina coast. Sri Lankan conservationists group mobilizes and educates volunteers to address marine environment concerns in his home country. For centuries, the often-treacherous waters off the Outer Banks of North Carolina have claimed hundreds of seagoing vessels. Looking to dive the Cassimir (11/11) and the Normannia (11/22) and needing a buddy. 5 Caribsea One of my personal favorites, the wreck of the Caribsea is one of those hit and miss dive sites. 12 Best Underwater Camera for Scuba Diving in 2023. Therefore, rescuing or salvaging sunken ships is not an easy task. Consequently, the United States focused a considerable amount of Navy resources on enforcing the Union blockade off the inlets that provided access to the Cape Fear River. The Hyde. Best Places to Scuba Dive in North Carolina. Thirteen men perished in the attack while 33 survivors were picked up by the Icarus and retuned to Charleston where they spent the rest of the war as prisoners. Hutton. First North Carolina Heritage Dive Site Dedicated at Fort Fisher Near