Favorite Dive

[SeaYa52]

Where and when was your favorite/most memorable dive?

[techdiver]

Bianca C - Grenada. Have made the dive twice, both times with Aquanauts Grenada on EAN30. Pretty cool to "swim" through the pool on deck at 120'. Someday hope to get enough techdivers together to take our double manifolds down to spend more time on the wreck. Another great dive, just completed, was the Hilma Hooker - Bonaire. Contacted Ocean Adventures and did a rebreather intro with the HH as 2nd dive. Max depth 97' with 62 min. run time with no deco. School of tarpon inside wreck and better vis than I've encountered on the Grenada dive.

[techdiver]

Should add, recent dive on the RMS Rhone with Dive Tortola was good. Could have been better if we'd been able to make both dives on her. Currents precluded making first dive there, but came back for 2nd dive and therefore could not spend the time at depth that would have allowed us to look around a bit more.

[Capt_BJ]

Living Seas @ EPCOT

 

very fun to be part of the exhibit for a little while. very unique experience

 

every other dive ... they all seem to run together ... put this one will always stand out as different

[10X]

A shark dive in Bora Bora.

 

We had a professional videographer in the group so I ended up with a video that shows the sharks and me. Neat!!!!!

[Hilary]

My favorite dive is always the last one I've done!! <LOL>

[w&k]

Delray Ledges

 

Wendy

[bruce-r]

Just about all my favorite, most memorable dives have been in cold water. The diving in British Columbia is fantastic, especially in the winter. Of course this doesn't mean I don't enjoy diving in warm water as well.

 

 

Male wolf eel.................The Emerald Sea................ Brooding Anemonies

 

And I don't have any really good photos of the Giant Pacific Octopus on my site, or I would have posted one of them too.

[JOE I]

I guess the correct answer for my favorite dive would be "My next one" which hopefully will be two weeks from now in Cayman and Cozumel while cruising on NCL's Majesty.I love Cayman and Cozumel! I also love the Florida springs (Ginnie, Paradise,Blue Grotto,Devil's Den,etc). My all time favorite dive was the wreck of the Papoose off Cape Lookout,NC.The Papoose was a large tanker and a World War Two U-Boat vicitm.It lies about 30 miles off Morehead City, NC out in the blue water of the Gulf Steam.I usually dive it every summer but my favorite occasion was June 2004.The Papoose lies upside down in about 125 feet of water.Vis was about 100 feet that day and the water about 78 degrees.The other "nuts' on the charter were spearfishing so I dived solo and got away from them. They headed for the torpedo break in the center of the wreck and I stayed on the stern underneath the huge rudder (keep in mind the wreck is upside down).While cruising at about 115 ft I saw a large turtle, followed by a huge ray.As I turned the corner I was engulfed by 39 very large Sandtiger sharks(8 to 12 feet long).I counted 39 but there could have been more,could have been less-who knows when you are a little Narced?The Papoose has become one of the breeding grounds for the Sandtigers along with the Naeco, Caribe Sea,Atlas, etc.Sandtiger look wicked with their open snaggle-tooth mouths and all of those teeth--but they are very curious and docile--as long as you dont spear fish right in front of them.They are such beautiful and interesting creatures and I have never felt threatened by them. Some of the "nuts' did manage to get a few bite marks on thier new twin-jet fins while spearing.I dont go waving T-bones at chained Dobermans and I dont wave a speared grouper at a 12 foot shark--Can you say "Stupid"?The wrecks are also covered with large Jacks and huge Baracuda--those stubborn cuda's scare me alot more than the sharks.The Papoose is a must dive if you like historical wrecks and big animals.If you are diving Morehead City dont miss the Naeco,Caribe Sea, and U-352 as well.North Carolina is world class wreck diving and the secret is starting to get out!!!!

 

Joe

[SeaYa52]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the heads up on this exciting dive. My husband is finally getting certified - so we will have to check out the Papoose this summer. It sounds great. Was this a dive shop you booked through - or did you get your own group together. We'll be in Morehead (Ocean Isle) for New Years - and go down to visit friends there often - will definitely check this out.

Sandy

[JOE I]

Sandy,

 

The last 3 trips to Morehead I dived with the Diver Down which is owned by Bobby Cox. Bobby pretty much charters the boat to dive shops but will take individuals if there is room.The Diver Down docks at Atlantic Beach at the Fisherman's Inn.I have also dove several times with Olympus Dive Center.George Purifoy owns Olympus and is a legend among NC wreck divers. George discovered many of the wrecks including the famous U-352.George runs a first-class and safety first operation--no spearfishing and no deco diving.Bobby caters to experienced and technical divers and pretty much anything goes as long as they trust you. I have also dove with Discovery Diving in Beaufort.Olympus is on the main dock area at Morehead City.Be sure to check out the Olympus shop as George has many artifacts from the U-352 on display.All three operators have good websites with lots of info about diving "the Graveyard of the Atlantic". The World War Two and U-Boat history is simply fascinating as we had a major war going on 20 miles off our shore and we were getting our butt kicked--thus all the tankers and freighter wrecks just off shore.

 

North Carolina wreck diving is not for beginners!!! Most operators will want you to have Advanced certifications due to the distance and the depths.This is the OPEN ocean and most of the better wrecks are 100 feet or deeper.New divers can dive some of the in-shore wrecks (Indra,Suloid, Hutton, etc) but these still are 10 miles off shore.You should be very comfortable doing 120 foot dives and boat diving before trying the Papoose.You also better like SHARKS!!!The diving is usually not that difficult as long as you constantly check your air supply and always know where the anchor line is.The seas can be flat calm or flat out calamity so make sure to take some Bonnie or the Patch.I had about 65 dives under my belt before my first NC trip and I was lucky enough to meet an instructor from New Jersey who let me hang out with him for my first deep dives on the 352 and Papoose. I now have just about 300 logged dives and I am very comfortable solo diving as long as I got my pony bottle with me.We usually dive EAN 30 % and I can do the dives with my 80's but you might be more comfortable with 100's. I find I am always out of time long before I run short on air, but I dont do Deco diving--I do take my computer to the limit but I am always at the anchor line while doing this.

 

I see you live in Charlotte. You should come down to Lake Jocassee,SC next summer and practice for Morehead. If you can dive the underwater forrest at 120-150 feet in Jocassee you can just about dive anything!!! Jocassee goes to over 400 feet deep, so lots of techies hang out there.Whenever I start to feel a little "big Headed" with my skills- I just go talk to Bill Routh at Off the Wall Charters about his dives to the Attakulla Lodge at 318 feet under Jocassee--then I realize that I dont know sh-t about diving!

 

Joe

[SeaYa52]

Hi Joe,

A big thank you for the information. I only have 16 dives under my belt - mostly in Florida, the Carribbean , and Hawaii with my initial certification and dives in South Carolina. I'm getting my advanced certification this Spring, but DH will only be getting his open water. We'll be doing some dives in Fla this Spring before we head to HAwaii & TAhiti this summer. I'm an Aquatics Instructor - so the depth doesn't concern me...but the sharks might...haha....especially in the numbers you describe. Thanks for the suggestions - I will try to talk with George the next time we're at the beach.

Have a great Thanksgiving! Thanks Again.

Sandy

[techdiver]

Geez, I thought we were talking about dives off cruise ships here. Yes, the Papoose is great, but I've always felt the Proteus was more beautiful wreck. It was the first NC wreck I ever did and also first encounter with Sand Tigers. It's also the only one I ever saw a Manta on. And the Coimbra has always been one of my favorites, got tales to tell of trips there. And just seeing the remaining helmstand on the Ayuroaca is enough to draw you back again. And from the shots above, I gotta dive BC. Wolf Eels have always fascinated me.

[JOE I]

Techdiver,

 

Sorry, I thought Sandy's question was "Your Favorite Dive" not your "Favorite Dive from a Cruise Ship". I hope I did not boar you with info on NC.OK, my favorite cruise ship dive would have to be Palancar Gardens in Cozumel.You will always remember your first dives in Cozumel with the current, clear water,and amazing fish life.I am looking so forward to diving there next week if I can ever get over the month long cold I got diving Jocassee Halloween weekend.I finally went on antibiotics yesterday when I discovered I could not even begin to clear my ears.I sure hope they start to work or I will be posting about my favorite snorkeling site!!!!

 

Joe

[cruzegirl]

Well my favorite dive whether off a cruise ship or not off a cruise ship happened to be a little of both..... It was in Hawaii.......Dive one dive in Honolulu and then one off Maui.... it was my first time with warm water and I loved it.... But I've had great dives off California with the cold water too....

In Hawaii there were wonderful little reefs and so many colorful fish.. Very beautiful.... Saw several eels too.... loved it....