Dive Review of Aqatic Safaris in
The Continental USA/Wilmington, NC

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Aqatic Safaris, Aug, 2008, by Tim, MD, USA ( Reviewer 3 reports). Report 4273.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	My son and I made special advance arrangements (3 months ahead) with Aquatic Safaris in Wilmington, NC to complete the 5 required dives for our PADI Advanced Open Water certification. The owner, Paul Gregory, was very accommodating for our needs. They ended up getting a group of 8 including us for this class during our 5 day visit. This dive operator typically has 2 boats going during the season, but the 48ft dive boat was down for maintenance while we were there. However, they made the 30ft ASII available for our deep and wreck dives. We dived on the John Gill wreck as our deep dive at 95 ft. This ship was torpedoed by German U-Boat during WWII. No current on bottom and very good vis. (for NC) 25 miles off the coast. Lots of local reef fish and a couple of large grouper. The wreck dive was on the Hyde. Ripping current on the bottom (est. 2 kts). Lots of sand tiger sharks (4-7 ft.) all around the wreck, especially on the bow. Also lots of large barracudas. We were able to go down into an open hold to get out of the current a bit - otherwise you are constantly swimming into it or holding on to the wreck. Aquatic Safaris is one of the larger dive operators in Wilmington. Boats are a short 2 minute ride from the dive shop - plenty of parking and access at both. Our instructor - Andre Nel - was super. Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic for your participation and fun. The dive boat we were on was their smallest. But it was well run, clean and comfortable. This was our first dive trip to NC, but we will return annually now. There are so many wrecks to dive, including U-352 which was also sunk during WWII. There are tons of hotels and restaurants in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach. And it's a fairly easy commute by car from Maryland.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	26-50 dives
Where else diving	FL, Mexico
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	choppy, currents
Water Temp	81-72°F / 27-22°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	40-60 Ft/ 12-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Deep & Wreck dives associated with AOW PADI certification. Had to stay with group of 8 for part of each dive, but then use personal dive computer profile for rest of dive.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

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Dive Review of Aqatic Safaris in The Continental USA/Wilmington, NC

Aqatic Safaris, Aug, 2008,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Aqatic Safaris in
The Continental USA/Wilmington, NC