Most wreck diving takes place off 

 the southern coast around Morehead 

 City and Wrightsville Beach, says Ron 

 Thrower, owner of Reef and Ridge 

 Sport Shop in Cary. But areas around 

 Nags Head and Oregon Inlet are also 

 very popular. 



"Most people believe that North 

 Carolina dives are cold, dark, deep 

 dives," says Farb, "but many of the 



Photo by Steve Murray 



they must be in good physical condi- 

 tion, have experience and maintain 

 their equipment. At the dive site, Farb 

 recommends basic scuba safety such as 

 having a buddy and keeping the dive 

 flag displayed. 



It's also necessary to carry a 

 compass and a signaling device since 

 wrecks tend to be disorienting. If 

 divers plan to enter a wreck they 



Divers leave surf after visiting a nearshore wreck 



the U-352. the first German U-boat 

 sunk by the Coast Guard during 

 World War II. Farb says the sub off 

 Morehead City is probably the wreck 

 dived most in North Carolina because 

 of its past and because it lies in warm, 

 clear water near the Gulf Stream. 



Divers looking to spot a school of 

 amberjack or to photograph delicate 

 corals can take the plunge on a number 

 of inshore or offshore wrecks. One of 

 the most colorful is the 528-foot John 

 D. Gill, says Jim Murray. Since the 

 Gill sank in 1942, it has collected 

 corals, sponges, sea fans and other 

 oceanic plants. Angelfish, barracudas, 

 eels and a host of different marine 

 species are prevalent, too. 



For those who want a souvenir from 

 their underwater trip, most wrecks of- 

 fer a treasure chest of goods. "There's 

 always a chance you'll find 

 something," says Murray. "When you 

 get to the more intact ones, you can 

 poke around inside and see what's in 

 there." 



Portholes, artillery, coins, tableware 

 and stained glass windows are popular 

 takes. But brass is the number one 

 find, says Linda Purifoy of Olympus 

 Dive Charter in Morehead City. Her 

 husband, George, brought home an 

 800-pound solid brass table from one of 

 his dives. And he's collected other 

 brass artifacts such as fittings, kitchen 

 utensils and a large clock from the 

 USS Schurtz, an oceanliner that sank 

 in 1918. 



Not everything is for the taking, 

 however. Salvaging is prohibited on 

 wrecks that lie within three miles of 

 the coast unless a permit is obtained 

 from the Underwater Archaeology 

 Branch of the N.C. Department of 

 Cultural Resources. Any historic ar- 

 tifacts found must be returned to the 

 state. 



Beyond the state's jurisdiction, div- 

 ing and salvaging is permitted on all 

 wrecks except those designated as 

 National Marine Sanctuaries. The 

 USS Monitor off Cape Hatteras falls 

 under this category. The Monitor 

 sank offshore during a storm, only 

 months after battling the Merrimack 

 in the world's first clash of ironclad 

 ships during the Civil War. 



Another ship, the USS Peterhoff, 

 comes under federal jurisdiction and is 

 listed in the National Register of 

 Historic Places. Divers must obtain a 

 permit from the U.S. Navy to remove 

 artifacts from it. 



dives are like the Caribbean." The 

 water temperature ranges from 65 to 

 80 F during the diving season, which 

 usually runs from April to November. 



During the season, a number of 

 charter services run to wrecks off 

 North Carolina's coast. At the 

 Olympus Dive Charter, for example, a 

 group of 10 can reserve a boat for $500 

 a day. For 25 people, it's $900. 



Offshore trips start early. The boat 

 usually leaves the dock around 6 a.m., 

 and depending on the site of the wreck, 

 the ride can be long. Captains locate 

 wrecks by using Loran-C or coor- 

 dinates from a chart or manual such as 

 UNC Sea Grant's book. Hangs and 

 Obstructions to Trawl Fishing: 

 Atlantic Coast of the United 

 States. 



It's best to dive a wreck with a 

 trained dive master or leader, says 

 Farb. Diving with groups such as the 

 Wreck Divers Association or a scuba 

 club is also a good idea. In addition, 

 wreck divers need to take special 

 safety precautions. Before the trip 



should use a lifeline to prevent getting 

 lost. And because wrecks are often in 

 deep water, additional tanks of oxygen 

 are a good first aid measure. 



For inshore dives, less travel time 

 and expense are involved, says 

 Murray. There is also a better chance 

 of good weather. Because the water is 

 shallow, divers can stay below longer. 



The same is true for beach diving. 

 Often, divers can swim to the site, 

 eliminating the need for a boat. Diving 

 during slack tide is best, says Farb, be- 

 cause currents and surges are less tur- 

 bulent and visibility on the wreck may 

 be better. 



To Farb, diving wrecks anywhere in 

 North Carolina is like running upon an 

 underwater oasis. Miles of the ocean 

 floor look like the desert, but here and 

 there is a vessel that's definitely no 

 mirage. 



(The hang log book is available by 

 writing UNC Sea Grant, Box 8605, 

 N.C. State University, Raleigh, N.C. 

 27695-8605. Ask for publication num- 

 ber UNC-SG-83-01. The cost is $2.) 



