tion to a variety of fish, Murray says the reefs offer in- 

 teresting flora. 



But whether it's reef or wreck, John G. Stewart, an 

 assistant professor of physical education and a diving 

 instructor at N. C. State University, cautions that 

 diving offshore can be rough. Typically seas off the 

 North Carolina coast run one to three feet. Anything 

 rougher can cause problems for the diver — reduced 

 visibility underwater, stronger near-surface currents, 

 greater likelihood of seasickness, difficulty in boarding 

 a bobbing boat. Stewart and Eastep say that only ex- 

 perienced ocean divers should dive in rough seas. 



Although some hazards do threaten the safety of 

 scuba divers, others have been overdramatized. 

 Movies such as "Jaws" and "The Deep" play up the 

 ferocity of underwater creatures such as sharks, 

 barracudas and eels. But Eastep and Stewart say 

 these movies exaggerate the danger from such 

 creatures. The rule of thumb: You leave the creatures 

 alone, and they'll leave you alone. 



Although diving seems to be an enticing sport. 



many people abandon its ranks after their instruction 

 or after only a few dives. Of the 250,000 people cer- 

 tified for scuba diving nationwide each year, Stewart 

 says only 10 percent continue to dive regularly. As 

 reasons for the high dropout rate, he cites the cost of 

 equipment (from $700 to $1,500), the lack of good div- 

 ing sites, an unfavorable initial open-water experience 

 and the lack of diving companions. 



In a 1984 survey of subscribers. Skin Diver 

 magazine found that divers are most often male (86.9 

 percent), between the ages of 25 and 39 (60.8 percent), 

 have an average household income of $43,000, and at- 

 tended or are attending college (80.8 percent). 



The average Skin Diver subscriber has been in- 

 terested in diving more than 10 years and has been 

 diving for six and a half years. Almost one-fifth of the 

 respondents are members of organized dive clubs. And 

 most divers have auxiliary interests or hobbies such as 

 wreck diving, cave diving, underwater photography, 

 shell collecting and spearfishing. 



— Kathy Hart 



Photo by Mark Hooper 



A school of spottail pinfish swim near a natural underwater reef 



