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on occasion, and though the dives are
well worth it, the long day in jarring
seas make trips out of Wilmington,
Wrightsville Beach or Southport
easier options. The tanker/cargo ship
Cassimir
, the freighter
Normannia
and
the tanker
Esso Nashville
are all just
north of Frying Pan Shoals at deeper
depths of 110 to 120 feet. The remains
of the famous
John D. Gill
offer a
slightly shallower option at 90 feet, while
the 125-foot-deep
Lobster Wreck
(Porta Allegra)
is known for its rich
marine life, including the giant lobsters
that inhabit the ship.
A great deal of Civil War history
is associated with the ports along the
North Carolina coast, especially the
port of Wilmington. Cape Fear was
refuge to Confederate blockade runners
attempting to escape the clutches of
Union gunboats, and its waters are
littered with the remains of those who
failed to make it to safety, including the
Hebe
,
USS Peterhoff
,
Bendigo
and
Modern Greece
. Two shallow wrecks,
the WWII Liberty ship
Alexander
Ramsey
and the wooden freighter
George Weems
are also great sites for
newer divers and advanced training.
For me, the jewel of the Frying Pan
wrecks is the steamer
City of Houston
,
sunk in 90 feet of water during a vicious
storm near Southport in October 1878.
Happily, everyone aboard survived.
Happier for divers, the ship was laden
with a huge cargo of Christmas goodies,
making the wreck a veritable warehouse
of artifacts, including sewing machines,
“The most amazing dive holiday.
The staff, crew and behind the
scenes people make your every wish
possible. One word: Wonderful.”
- A
nn
& D
AviD
M
c
E
lhonEy
, J
unE
2011
“Best liveaboard ever!
The diving was wonderful.”
- S
ir
r
onAlD
h
AMMonD
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