From: njs@scifi.uucp (Nicholas J. Simicich)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Gone to Carolina in my Mind
Summary: Trip from/to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, 6/28-7/3
Date: 12 Apr 92 19:20:25 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Nick Simicich, Peekskill, NY

Last year, a few folks from the net joined us on our trip with
Blackbeard's.  We had a great time.  (And the C-cards are *finally* in
the mail, my apologies.)

Well, I thought I'd try to put together a trip to the Honduras.  But
preliminary feelers showed no or few takers.  The recession's bite
seems to be getting us all.  So, I thought I'd try to put together an
even cheaper trip.  Someplace that would be interesting, but that many
of us could drive to.

Well, the destination is Ocracoke, North Carolina (on the Outer Banks,
just south of Cape Hatteras).  The object is wreck diving, in the
Graveyard of the Atlantic.  The dates?  Sunday, June 28th-Friday, July
3rd.  This may be advantageous for many folks, as they will get a day
off for the July 4th holiday on Friday, so there will be one less
vacation day consumed.

   June 1992                July 1992         
 S  M Tu  W Th  F  S	  S  M Tu  W Th  F  S 
      			           1  2  3  4 
21 22 23 24 25 26 27	  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 
28 29 30

The cost?  $75/day ($450 for 6 days) includes your diving, and, your
lodging if you want to rough it by bunking on the boat.  It does not
include your gear, or your food (except that Deb [my wife] and I will
provide between dive snacks, such as fruit and so forth out of our
end).  The retail cost of the boat is usually $85/pp/day, so we get a
little break because we are taking the boat for the full week.  This
also gives us Saturday to rest up or drive back, and, for those of us
who are flying on Sunday, Saturday to offgas.  [There is one optional
dive that we can do, the U352.  If we decide to go that far south,
there will be a fuel surcharge, for that day only.]

What is the diving like?  In a word, there are wrecks.  By July, the
gulf stream should have positioned itself so that there will be
tropicals.  Water temperature is likely to be in the mid-high 70's,
so some thermal protection will be required.  Physical protection is
a good idea as well.  Some of the wrecks are deep, some are shallow.
At least one wreck is typically a shark dive.  The wrecks are there
both because of treacherous waters, and because of German U-boat
activity during WWII.  Some of the shallower wrecks have been wire
dragged, and some of the deeper wrecks have been depth charged (they
were used by U-boats as hiding places) but others are in good shape.

If you are interested in learning about the sort of diving that is
available, I suggest the following book: "Shipwrecks --- Diving the
Graveyard of the Atlantic", Roderick M. Farb, ISBN 0-89732-034-4,
Menasha Ridge Press, P.O. Box 59257, Birmingham, Alabama, 35259-9257.

The dive boat is a 40' twin diesel sportfisherman, with a full head,
hot/cold shower, fresh water for drinking and rinsing, and a complete
galley.  It carries emergency O2.

I suspect that we will get some beginning divers (since the
experienced divers will be going with Dave to Saba, the following week
:-).  If we do, we'll spend the week working up to the deep stuff, and
I'll offer a deep diving specialty course (for the cost of the C-cards
and books, if any) to those who book for the week.  I'll also offer a
laid-back NAUI OW-II course to those who want it, same deal.

What are you required to provide?  All equipment, including tanks.
This arrangement is pretty standard for North Carolina diving,
according to an article I read in the July, 1989, Underwater USA.
(Good background information.)  There is a dive shop on the island
that we can make arrangements with, for rentals, or you can bring
stuff with you.  The schedule (depending on weather, your desires and
so forth) is for between 2-4 dives/day, and you'll want a tank for
each dive.  But if you can drive tanks there, all the better.  We will
have to fill tanks locally, I'm trying to work out a package price now
for rentals and fills.

Food: The dive boat will pull back into port each night.  There are
local eateries which we can patronize.  We will also have galley
privileges if we want to cook (we'll also have to clean up, of
course), and I'm probably going to try to bring a BBQ, and smoke some
chicken, or grill some fish.  There are a few small general stores on
the island, so it may pay to bring a cooler full of food if you plan
to cook.  But the basics are available, and there is a produce stand
or two.

About Ocracoke Island, according to the brochure:

      No golf courses, no tennis, no traffic lights, no shopping
      malls, no boardwalks, no major hotels, and no fast food.  If you
      need any of the above, Ocracoke is probably not the place for
      you!  What you will find here is a refreshing quaint atmosphere
      comprised of 16 miles of National Seashore beaches, protected
      areas, and a harbor village known as Ocracoke. 

Ocracoke is a 300 year old fishing village.  

Driving time:  From the north, I'm told that you should estimate
Norfolk+5 hours.  You go down the outer banks, and take the free state
ferry to Ocracoke island.

Private pilots may wish to consider flying in to Ocracoke airport.  No
services, so top off before you fly in.

Don't want to rough it?  We will be docking at the Anchorage Inn.  You
can stay there for $79-$99 (view dependant)/night/room, continental
breakfast included, non-smoking floors available, and walk to the dock
in the morning.  Please call me to arrange this if you are interested.
If everyone is interested in this, I'm going to try to put together a
package deal.  There are probably cheaper, less convenient places to
stay as well.  I'm not blocking space in the hotel, so it may fill up,
call me soon if you are interested in this.

Flying in?  There are private commuter charters available from
Norfolk.  Or, you may want to fly to Norfolk and rent a car for the
week.  I'll be happy to discuss this with you, and make arrangements
or reservations for you, and to get you your airline tickets.

Payment terms:  Payment in full is due with your reservation.
Cancellations will be accepted for a 10% fee until 45 days before
departure, after which cancellations can only be accepted on a space
filled basis, but cancellations will still incur the 10% penalty,
unless you arrange to fill the space personally.

Spaces:  Six.  This will be a small group.  I expect it to fill fast.
Divers will be required to provide C-cards and Log books for
inspection.  

-- 
Nick Simicich - uunet!bywater!scifi!njs - njs@watson.ibm.com
SSI #AOWI 3958, HSA 318, NAUI #14065
Join the movement ---  turn 'to bush' into a verb.