Bulls in North Carolina

North Carolina is not a well-known destination for divers in France. Yet on the other side of the Atlantic remains a region full of wrecks to discover.

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

It can be accessed using Delta Airlines flights. The nearest airport is Durham. The city that concerns us is called Moorhead City, a small seaside resort with an average of 42 000 inhabitants. The best time to dive is from June to September.

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

Visibility is quite good there, between 21 and 30 meters during the season; however, it can decrease with depth. The water temperature usually averages between 23 and 27 degrees. Dive sites are accessible from level 1 or Open Water, with a minimum of 50 dives. It is however strongly recommended to be certified in Nitrox, so you still need a little diving experience before venturing there.

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

The most famous shipwrecks are: The U Boat a German submarine and the U352 that was sunk during the Second World War during the Battle of the Atlantic. This site was discovered in 1972 and has been the subject of many documentaries on the History TV channel. The site lies at 30 meters and is quite accessible. Another wreck to see and which remains a must, is the tanker "Atlas". This wreck lies vertically at 35 meters, which makes it easily accessible to divers of all levels.

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

This site is particularly notable because it has a very rich fauna. These wrecks are all as rich and fascinating as each other. With a little luck you can come across barracudas, turtles, manta rays, dolphins, Bulldog sharks, Nurse or Tigers. It is very likely to come across Bull Sharks, better known under the name of Sand Tiger Shark. The Sand Tiger Shark is an extremely impressive shark due to its elongated shape. Its very visible teeth make it unique. The peculiarity of North Carolina does not lie only in its historic wrecks or the variety of different sharks, but rather in its exhaustive fauna. You can actually cross schools of more than fifty fish which is quite exceptional.

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

Tanya Houppermans, an international photographer and renowned expert in the region, she also works at the Aquarium where studies are carried out on this subject and teaches us a little more about the presence of these sharks. According to their research, the wrecks of the region would be used by sharks as a migratory stop, being a real pantry with the many schools of fish found there. Other researchers believe it could simply be a rest stop during their long migratory journey.

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

These sharks are protected in the United States. Since 1997, it is strictly forbidden to land this species on land (whole or in pieces). However, they remain victims of fishing due to accidental catch of trawlers (nets and long lines).

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

The Sand Tiger Shark is the shark with the lowest reproduction rate. Unlike other species, they only reproduce every two years. During pregnancy, the embryos feed on other eggs and can thus feed on “their little brothers”. In general the litters are of maximum 2 sharks, and reserves a disastrous fate for the embryos of Taurus.

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

Today, they can no longer maintain themselves there on their own. Protected, defended, but not (yet) nurtured by South African environmentalists and zoologists, their demography has still not progressed positively. "Their survival rate drops", explains a study conducted by the University of Exeter and Cape Town, dating from February 2017. “Young penguins look for places where the sea offers low temperatures and high levels of chlorophylls” can we read, “which means that they are looking for a strong presence of plankton and fish which feed ”. But man-made events such as industrial fishing, but also global warming (which the Earth is undergoing), thus prevent the seabird from rebuilding its nest in a stable place. Cape Town's sea currents no longer seem suitable. Yet environmentalists have not said their last word.

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

On land the area is splendid. It is recommended to visit its beautiful forests and enjoy these land excursions. Culinarily speaking, we are far from the French gastronomy, however the region is famous for its seafood without forgetting the various specialties of barbecues and smoked meats. Look for food in "diners" or "drives" that remain popular and folk places of the United States.

Photo: Tanya Houppermans

If this destination fascinates you, Nature Plongée organizes a stay from late June to early July. In addition to the guide, Tanya will be with you on the trip and will offer you advice in photos and all its expertise on sharks.

The stay is open to all types of divers. That said as stated in the article, you must first have a minimum of 50 dives.

Nature Diving offers you a complete trip with flights included, 10 dives and accommodation with breakfast, from 2475 euros per person.
For more information contact Ziad on contact@nature-plongee.com

Or on:

http://nature-plongee.com/sejour-plongee-aux-usa-a-morehead-city-avec-olympus-dive-center/

Text: Bam Bam