One of the amazing things about our location in Durham, NC is we are a short dive away from coastal scuba charters. Our charter boats use marinas which are anywhere from 2-3 hours away from the shop. So while diving in quarries is convenient, coastal diving is very popular in our area.
North & South Carolina is known for amazing wreck diving. In WWII, our coastline was heavily patrolled and quite a toll was taken on our shipping lines. This left us riddled with WWII wrecks which allows to you visit and explore that history. In addition, we have a robust natural reef program that offers intact wrecks that have been sanitized for divers.
Our coastline has a very wide continental shelf. This gives us a LOT of area to dive in but it also means we have longer boat rides. A typical trip is anywhere from 90 – 150 minutes one way (depending on the location). It also means we have a wide range of wreck sites for divers of every level. Typically speaking, the further north you go on out coast, the most experience you need to get onto the charter. For Morehead City or Beaufort charters, a minimum of 2-3 NC Coast dives are required to get onto the boat. For our Wilmington charters, generally no NC coast dives are required HOWEVER you should always verify the experience needed before booking any specific charter.
Unless you are used to being on the seas, especially the NC coast, you’ll generally want to take measures to combat seasickness. Over the counter medications such as Bonine or Dramamine are effective for most people (please take according to directions). If something stronger is needed. you can talk with your doctor about getting a prescription for Scopolamine. You can also check out our blog post about how to combat seasickness.
If you’re interested in booking one of our charters, we have a couple of different ways to do so. To view/book your charter by locations, click on our upcoming scuba charters link. If you have a free weekend and want to see what charters we have going out, click on our scuba charter calendar. As always, please check on the type of dive and the recommended experience levels before booking.
North Carolina has a LOT of coastline area (7th most in the US). On top of that, we have a LOT of wrecks. One of the most common questions we receive is “what wreck are we going to?”. This is where we have to give you a very important caveat. As amazing as NC Wreck Diving is, every charter company puts the safety of our divers first. So while we may have a charter scheduled for the U-352 (one of the most popular destinations), this is also one of the (in our experience) most blown out sites due to current, weather or other boats being on the wreck. If that happens, the charter will make the decision to go to another wreck site in the area. They will NEVER change from a shallower wreck to a deeper one without talking with all the divers to ensure they have the appropriate gas mixes and are prepared for the dive.
The map to the left shows the approximate reach of our charter boats out of the Morehead City & Beaufort marinas. The locations on or inside the faded black line are generally accessible on these charters. The locations outside the black line are accessible via charter boat, but due to the geography of our coast, you’ll want to book a charter company which is based closer to those locations.
One final note: The light blue water, close to the coast line, are generally considered “in-shore” dives. This means shallower water and, generally speaking, less visibility. Always remember the ocean is constantly changing, so we try to talk in generalities as there are times where the visibility is 100′ or 10′, in the same location, one day apart.
Most charters leave early in the morning. This is for multiple reasons but the biggest one is to get out to the best locations before anyone else. While multiple dive boats may anchor on a single dive site, if a fishing charter is already on a site, the dive boat will NOT anchor for safety concerns. So please check the boarding and departure times for each charter you book.
This is pretty straight forward but we wanted to put it in here anyway.
Charters can vary so always check who you booked through to see what is covered. In general, your charter fee covers your spot on the boat & the fuel. Charter companies may have a divemaster in the water "leading" the dive or include cylinders with your fee, but it's best practice to ask when booking.
Yes you do. Off the coast of NC (we recommend one for ANY coastal diving) a 6' SMB is mandatory. While diving is inherently safe, if you ever have a problem, surface away from the expected location or otherwise need to let someone on the surface know your location, you'll be glad you have one. We recommend attaching it to a reel/spool with at least 100' of line.
In short, yes. Even at all-inclusive resorts, most charter crews rely on tips for their wages. In other words, they are there helping you for very little, if not, compensation on their part. Typical tipping guidance is between $10 - $20 per tank, per diver. Of course the better service you receive, the more you usually tip.
This is a great question. The way it works is we reserve spots for our customers on charters very early in the season. This gets our customers 1st shot at the coastal charters with enough space to invite friends, dive buddies, etc. Many times our schedules go up before the actual charters so, for planning purposes, its easier to book through us (or your local dive shop). Our staff is there to assist with any items you need, provide proper gas mixes for your expected dives and, overall, support your needs.
Our cancellation policies mirror the charter company policy and, let's be honest, it's more fun diving with people you know.
Unless you are on a live aboard with your own private room, space is usually at a premium on boats. With that being said, you want to be prepared as best as you can for your dive(s). Aside from your normal gear (mask, fins, boots, BCD, regulator, dive computer, here are a few recommendations:
As much as you want to be prepared for your charter, there are some things that you should not bring on boats unless you have specific permission. Below is a short list of things to NOT bring unless you otherwise know its ok.
In our experience, it is. OTC medications such and Bonine & Dramamine are both effective measures against seasickness as long as they are taken according to their instructions. In general, they require you to take the medication the night before, the day of and after but follow the instructions and you’ll be well protected.
This is a great question, and the answer is “it depends”. At TDS we make safety one of our top priorities, so if you are nervous about your dive, it’s wise to go with a guide. With that being said, if you have an experienced dive buddy you trust, they can often help you navigate the boat, the dive and make sure you have a great time. If you would prefer a dive professional, give us a call and we can work with you to have a dive professional be with you.
Solo diving on charters is generally prohibited unless otherwise specified. The boat crew generally asks if there is anyone without a buddy and will arrange for “insta-buddies” for anyone who needs one. A word of caution on this.. while the crew does everything they can to insure good buddy practices, there are many instances of the only time you see your buddy is on the boat, as they disappear like a ninja as soon as they go underwater. If you are assigned a buddy, please be a good buddy to them.
While the Triangle Dive Shop has a very close relationship with Water World, we do not own our own charter boat. We work with multiple charter companies to offer an assortment of charters to our customers.
This is a great question. The way it works is we reserve spots for our customers on charters very early in the season. This gets our customers 1st shot at the coastal charters with enough space to invite friends, dive buddies, etc. Many times our schedules go up before the actual charters so, for planning purposes, its easier to book through us (or your local dive shop). Our staff is there to assist with any items you need, provide proper gas mixes for your expected dives and, overall, support your needs.
If you’re interested in booking one of our charters, we have a couple of different ways to do so. To view/book your charter by locations, click on our upcoming scuba charters link. If you have a free weekend and want to see what charters we have going out, click on our scuba charter calendar. As always, please check on the type of dive and the recommended experience levels before booking.
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Your local dive shop serving the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Garner, Clayton, Wake Forest & surrounding areas.
135 S. Miami Blvd
Durham, NC 27703