North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!!

debersole · 18th July 2007, 11:14

Okay, there were no "bears", but we did have lots of lion fish and sand tiger sharks. I just got back from several days of diving the wrecks off North Carolina on my Sport Kiss rebreather. There were four of us all on a Sport Kiss -- myself, my daughter, Walt Stearns, and Alan Studley. We hit the U-352, the Schurz, and the Carib Sea. It was a great trip. The lack of bubbles and prolonged bottom times were great for photography.

There are more photos here:
debersole.com
Doug

jhaaja · 18th July 2007, 11:26

Cool pictures! What kind of set up you have for taking pictures?

JH

Jordan · 18th July 2007, 12:33

Thanks for sharing. I'll be going to dive on the Midnight Aug 24-26 with my Optima and am excited to be with swimming with those southern rays and those big, lazy sand tigers. Your pics got me in the right gear. It looks like you brought along a 40 for bailout...that's probably what I'll do (or maybe just a 30) and a 2nd stage with an oxygen bailout QD. Hopefully we'll have nice weather....but if not, it's off to the beach to embarass ourselves with surfboards.

JCdesign97 · 18th July 2007, 12:46

Excellent pictures, Doug - thanks for sharing. I was on the Midnight Express in May the very weekend BEFORE my Optima training. The NC trip was planned long before I even knew I'd be getting the rebreather; needless to say it was both a good last hurrah for open circuit diving, but also a tease for what it would be like on a CCR!

I'm hoping to be back down there with the Optima yet this season.

Cheers,

Depth-junkie · 18th July 2007, 19:29

Dived out of north Carolina myself in 2001, it's a long way for me from the UK. But as the wifes brother lives out there, 1yr i thought we could go visit for a few days then go diving for a few as well whilst we were there

I have to say some of the diving we did was fantastic, i have never seen so many big sharks on 1 dive. Plenty of good wrecks as well.

Would like to get back out there 1yr and hit some of the deep stuff, but it does not seem like the UK with boats offering 60-100m stuff for individuals to book on

If any of you local lads know of anyboats offering the deeper stuff let me know, as i would like to get back out there 1yr.

Nice pics.

ATB
Gareth

debersole · 18th July 2007, 23:31

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

We dove with Olympus Dive Center (Olympus Dive Center - Home) and most depths were 80-110 fsw. My daughter and I had 30 cu ft bailout bottles which thankfully went unused for the whole trip.

My camera setup was a Canon 300D with either my Canon 10-22 mm lens or a borrowed 15mm lens (thanks Walt!). I shoot with a Sea & Sea housing and dual Sea & Sea YS-120 strobes.

**Gill Envy** · 19th July 2007, 00:07

no Sh*t! North Carolina? who woulda' thunk! I had no idea there was diving like that to be had in that area. hmm, maybe we'll have to make a trip out there one of these days...great Shots!!

PnL · 19th July 2007, 04:43

Thanks for sharing - very nice pictures indeed.

decoweenie · 19th July 2007, 05:06

Doug,

Excellent pictures. Thanks for sharing...

Jeffrey C Gershen · 19th July 2007, 11:45

What makes NC great is illustrated by those great pictures. A mix or cold water pelagics and warm water pelagics all in the same spot on terrific wrecks in 3-5ml diving. You can easily be surrounded by schools of barricuda on your hang and schools of sand tigers drifting through the wrecks. Viz is usually always 60+.

There is no end to the range of diving and the skills required. Deep, 150 -200+ dives are easily found, just check other charters than Olympus. They are a great group, have a terrific set up, but more often than not, unless things have changed, cater to a less tech oriented crowd. There are also extremely reliable!!!!! Nice to know they are Rebreather friendly. Also the charters out of Hatteras can get you to the deep stuff as well. And there are plenty!

The only problem with the Outer Banks is that the seas are unpredictible, so bring golf clubs.

Or you can always catch rays at Atlantic Beach and visit the Civil War Fort in Beaufort. Also don't forget NC barbecue, vinegar based an unf#^$##@ing believable. There is a great drive-in in Beaufort that everyone knows about. Just ask.

Do I sound like the Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps, but I just love the place and have never been disappointed!

18th July 2007, 11:14	#1 (permalink)
debersole Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Dolphin Azimuth Other Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Classic Kiss Dolphin Azimuth Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lakeland, Florida Posts: 207	North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! Okay, there were no "bears", but we did have lots of lion fish and sand tiger sharks. I just got back from several days of diving the wrecks off North Carolina on my Sport Kiss rebreather. There were four of us all on a Sport Kiss -- myself, my daughter, Walt Stearns, and Alan Studley. We hit the U-352, the Schurz, and the Carib Sea. It was a great trip. The lack of bubbles and prolonged bottom times were great for photography. There are more photos here: debersole.com Doug __________________ www.debersole.com
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18th July 2007, 11:26	#2 (permalink)
jhaaja Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 883	Re: North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! Cool pictures! What kind of set up you have for taking pictures? JH
(Offline)

18th July 2007, 12:33	#3 (permalink)
Jordan ebt called me stroppy! Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2005 Location: North Florida Posts: 224	Re: North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! Thanks for sharing. I'll be going to dive on the Midnight Aug 24-26 with my Optima and am excited to be with swimming with those southern rays and those big, lazy sand tigers. Your pics got me in the right gear. It looks like you brought along a 40 for bailout...that's probably what I'll do (or maybe just a 30) and a 2nd stage with an oxygen bailout QD. Hopefully we'll have nice weather....but if not, it's off to the beach to embarass ourselves with surfboards. __________________ Is it clear? No. Well, let's go anyways. "Those who would sacrifice a little freedom for a little order, will lose both, and deserve neither." Thomas Jefferson
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18th July 2007, 12:46	#4 (permalink)
JCdesign97 My unit can beat up yours Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: PA, USA Posts: 359	Re: North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! Excellent pictures, Doug - thanks for sharing. I was on the Midnight Express in May the very weekend BEFORE my Optima training. The NC trip was planned long before I even knew I'd be getting the rebreather; needless to say it was both a good last hurrah for open circuit diving, but also a tease for what it would be like on a CCR! I'm hoping to be back down there with the Optima yet this season. Cheers, __________________ Cheers, John
(Offline)

18th July 2007, 19:29	#5 (permalink)
Depth-junkie 10/52 Psycho Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Wrexham Posts: 291	Re: North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! Dived out of north Carolina myself in 2001, it's a long way for me from the UK. But as the wifes brother lives out there, 1yr i thought we could go visit for a few days then go diving for a few as well whilst we were there I have to say some of the diving we did was fantastic, i have never seen so many big sharks on 1 dive. Plenty of good wrecks as well. Would like to get back out there 1yr and hit some of the deep stuff, but it does not seem like the UK with boats offering 60-100m stuff for individuals to book on If any of you local lads know of anyboats offering the deeper stuff let me know, as i would like to get back out there 1yr. Nice pics. ATB Gareth
(Offline)

18th July 2007, 23:31	#6 (permalink)
debersole Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Dolphin Azimuth Other Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Classic Kiss Dolphin Azimuth Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lakeland, Florida Posts: 207	Re: North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! Thanks for the kind words, everyone. We dove with Olympus Dive Center (Olympus Dive Center - Home) and most depths were 80-110 fsw. My daughter and I had 30 cu ft bailout bottles which thankfully went unused for the whole trip. My camera setup was a Canon 300D with either my Canon 10-22 mm lens or a borrowed 15mm lens (thanks Walt!). I shoot with a Sea & Sea housing and dual Sea & Sea YS-120 strobes. __________________ www.debersole.com
(Offline)

19th July 2007, 00:07	#7 (permalink)
Gill Envy Shearwater Copis Diver Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Evolution Other CCR Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: seattle Posts: 1,294	Re: North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! no Sh*t! North Carolina? who woulda' thunk! I had no idea there was diving like that to be had in that area. hmm, maybe we'll have to make a trip out there one of these days...great Shots!! __________________ Gill Envy ...Because I wasn't born with gills! ><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°>><(°>
(Online)

19th July 2007, 04:43	#8 (permalink)
PnL Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: rEvo Other Rebreather/s: rEvo Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 173	Re: North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! Thanks for sharing - very nice pictures indeed.
(Online)

19th July 2007, 05:06	#9 (permalink)
decoweenie Crash Test Dummy Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cairo Posts: 5,510	Re: North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! Doug, Excellent pictures. Thanks for sharing... __________________ "...after a while you get bored offering advice to a bull that like to keep butting the fence with its head rather than walking through the open gate..." - Rebreather World PM
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19th July 2007, 11:45	#10 (permalink)
Jeffrey C Gershen New Member Current Rebreather/s: Evolution Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pound Ridge, NY, USA Posts: 56	Re: North Carolina Diving -- Lions and Tigers and Bears.....Oh my!!! What makes NC great is illustrated by those great pictures. A mix or cold water pelagics and warm water pelagics all in the same spot on terrific wrecks in 3-5ml diving. You can easily be surrounded by schools of barricuda on your hang and schools of sand tigers drifting through the wrecks. Viz is usually always 60+. There is no end to the range of diving and the skills required. Deep, 150 -200+ dives are easily found, just check other charters than Olympus. They are a great group, have a terrific set up, but more often than not, unless things have changed, cater to a less tech oriented crowd. There are also extremely reliable!!!!! Nice to know they are Rebreather friendly. Also the charters out of Hatteras can get you to the deep stuff as well. And there are plenty! The only problem with the Outer Banks is that the seas are unpredictible, so bring golf clubs. Or you can always catch rays at Atlantic Beach and visit the Civil War Fort in Beaufort. Also don't forget NC barbecue, vinegar based an unf#^$##@ing believable. There is a great drive-in in Beaufort that everyone knows about. Just ask. Do I sound like the Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps, but I just love the place and have never been disappointed!
(Offline)

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