Scuba Diving – September 2019

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90 / SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 SCUBADIVING.COM

M

orehead City, with its pristine

beaches and picturesque Cape

Lookout, might appear to be a quaint

tourist town, but below the surface lies an

addictive diving destination that offers

world-class photographic opportunities.

A three-hour drive east from the state

capital Raleigh puts you within reach of

historic wrecks with artifacts and abun-

dant marine life—especially the sharks

that outshine the rest.

IF YOU HAVE ONE DAY

Book a charter and explore some of the

many nearby wrecks. Advanced and ni-

trox certifi cations are strongly recom-

mended for maximizing opportunities

to enjoy popular offshore destinations

that lie deeper than 60 feet. Captains se-

lect sites visited based on sea conditions

and which wrecks most guests on board

prefer. The U-352, Papoose (W.E. Hutton)

and Aeolus are the most requested sites.

While the German U-boat is fantastic to

dive in good visibility, sharks rarely fre-

quent this site. Captains visit different

locations each day of the week, so divers

rarely dive the same site twice.

IF YOU HAVE TWO DAYS

You should try to book a charter for each

day, but prepare photo equipment ahead

of time in case weather forces a dive

cancellation. Take your telephoto lens-

es to capture wild horses on the Rachel

Carson Reserve or Shackleford Banks.

If weather conditions are in your favor,

plan a wide-angle adventure with sand

tiger sharks circling wrecks and possibly

dusky or lemon sharks midwater. South-

ern stingrays and shark teeth often rest

in the sand on the edges of wrecks. These

wrecks are several hundred feet long and

cannot be seen in one dive. Find an in-

teresting point near the anchor area to

maximize time, and wait for sharks to ac-

climate to your presence.

IF YOU HAVE THREE DAYS

Tec divers can book special charters

and take advantage of their training to

enjoy the deep wrecks on decompres-

sion dives. Conditions favor the north

or south for visibility, depending on the

time of year. Northern wrecks such as

the Caribsea might be better destina-

tions later in the summer, but can be full

of life anytime, and even include man-

ta rays or tarpon. If you’re interested

in citizen science, take photos of sand

tiger sharks in profi le to submit to the

Spot a Shark USA program [spotashark

usa.com]. Data shows the Atlas is a good

shark destination, but they also frequent

the Schurz, which has no entry points for

penetration.

NEED TO KNOW

When to Go Book charters early before

hurricane season ramps up in the fall.

Dive Conditions Thick wetsuits (5 mm to

7 mm) required with 72ºF to 78ºF water

temps; visibility ranges from 5 to 100 feet.

Operators Learn to dive, rent equipment

and book your charter through Olympus Dive

Center [olympusdiving.com].

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NORTH CAROLINA

Jump into boundless photographic opportunities

with big animals and historic wrecks

BY JENNIFER IDOL

A sand tiger shark prowls near the stern of the

Aeolus, a wreck popular among divers.

JENNIFER IDOLis the fi rst woman to

dive all 50 states in the U.S., author of

An American Immersion, and a PADI

AmbassaDiver. She’s also a member

of the Ocean Artists Society.

North Carolina

Atlantic

Ocean

Morehead City

Raleigh

Rachel Carson

Reserve

Shackleford

Banks

Cape

Lookout

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