Best scuba diving in North Carolina
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North Carolina is a fabulous location for diving wrecks and for experiencing up-close encounters with the many tiger sand sharks that live in the waters offshore. The peak scuba diving season for all of North Carolina is May to October.
Convenient transportation is essential for exploring the state's diverse coastline. Car rentals provide the flexibility you need. The minimum age to rent a car in North Carolina is 21. So, if you're of legal driving age and eager to explore this beautiful state, rental cars offer a convenient way to access all the adventures and wonders North Carolina has to offer.
If you love wrecks, you have to make a trip to the "Graveyard of the Atlantic", the area offshore of Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras. It's easy to see why the North Carolina Coast was rated the #1 wreck diving destination in North America for 2006 and clearly makes for some of the best scuba diving in the US.
Nags Head / Oregon Inlet
The Outer Banks of North Carolina are a long, skinny strip of land stretching out into the Atlantic Ocean. The area was first settled by colonists from England who developed a profitable business as "land pirates". The people who settled in Nags Head tied lanterns to horses and walked them up and down the beach.
Captains of ship mistook the horses' lanterns for the lights of vessels sailing safely close to shore. As the boats tried to hug the coast, they ran aground on the low Outer Banks and were pillaged by the land pirates of Nags Head.
Today, Nags Head is the most popular Outer Banks vacation town. The beaches are soft white sand, and the spectacular dunes can still be seen in this northern part of the coast. It’s like diving off West Palm Beach in Florida. Thanks to the Nags Head pirates and the modern artificial reef program, there are numerous shipwreck remains for divers to explore.
Cape Hatteras
The waters off Cape Hatteras are known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic which now became one of the scuba diving sites in North Carolina. These treacherous waters have the highest density of historic shipwrecks in the US. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream meet with the colder northern currents creating turbulent waters and bringing a variety of large marine animals close to the shores.
The wrecks that have maintained some structure have become homes to a range of marine life. One of the most exciting inhabitants is the sand tiger shark. These sharks are docile and can be approached by photographers. The sharks move from wreck to wreck and are most visible during the summer months.
Crystal Coast / Morehead City
North Carolina's Crystal Coast includes the beautiful beaches of Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach and the historic cities of Beaufort and Morehead City. The area is well-known for fishing and one of the best scuba diving in North Carolina. Morehead City is the top wreck-diving destination in North Carolina and the home of the North Carolina Seafood Festival each October. Here we have some tips on renting a car which will help you to get around easier.
The Cape Lookout National Seashore is home to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, historic Portsmouth Village, and sandy beaches famous for shelling. Fort Macon State Park in Atlantic Beach has a Civil War-era fort to explore. Atlantic Beach also has the North Carolina Maritime Museum and a newly renovated Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. As for accommodation, you can decide which one is better, hostel or hotel and choose what suits you better.
North Carolina scuba diving in Crystal Coast is mostly shipwrecks and artificial reef structures. Spots are 15-40 miles from shore in the open ocean near the Gulf Stream. The waters tend to be warm and clear, with visibilities ranging from 50-100 feet. The most popular wrecks are ships sunk by German U-boats during World War II. The first U-boat that was sunk, known as U-352, is a very popular wreck.
The wrecks offshore of Cape Lookout are in colder waters with lower visibilities, but this is where the sand tiger sharks hang out. The number of fish and marine life is often huge. Underwater photographers will love diving the Crystal Coast! Spearfishing and lobstering are allowed seasonally.
Wilmington
In the southern region of North Carolina, the Cape Fear River flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Fear, the most southern cape jutting into the Atlantic. The historic city of Southport lies at the mouth of the river. An hour to the south is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and about one hour north is the city of Wilmington, NC, and the communities of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach.
The waters off Wilmington contain numerous historic shipwrecks from the last 300 years as well as several well-maintained artificial reefs. Less than ten miles from shore are ledges and rock piles as well as a World War II Liberty Ship, the Alexander Ramsey. All of these makes for the best scuba diving in North Carolina if you love to explore the wrecks.
Further offshore are historic wrecks as well as carefully placed tugs, tankers, concrete pipes, and reef balls. As with most scuba diving sites in North Carolina, divers can expect lots of gamefish, curious sand tiger sharks, and colorful tropicals. Honestly, it’s not as impressive as diving in the Red Sea of Jordan but it’s still some of the best scuba diving in the US.
Between Atlantic Beach and Wilmington are beautiful beaches with cottages and condominiums all along the intracoastal waterway. South of Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, the Cape Fear River empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Fear.
Our impressions of scuba diving in North Carolina
The coastal areas of North Carolina are becoming a popular vacation destination and recreation area. Scuba divers are drawn to North Carolina to dive the variety of spots both offshore and in close. A lot of marine life is reasonably close by the coastline, including colorful fish swimming among the natural ledges off Topsail Beach.
We have discovered that North Carolina has one of the most aggressive artificial reef programs in the United States. The Resource Management Enhancement Section monitors 39 ocean sites and seven estuaries. Multiple "reefs", consisting of ships, planes, bridge rubble, and reef balls and other concrete materials are located within the sites.
Besides wreck scuba diving in North Carolina, there is a number of other sports available. The coast consists of barrier islands that create shallow estuarine waters rich with fish, shrimp, crab, and other shellfish. With 2.5 million acres of water, North Carolina has been a favorite destination for anglers for many years.
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