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Map of United States lightship Diamond Shoal Wreck
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ExpertBoat entry

United States lightship Diamond Shoal Wreck

North Carolina, United States
Extreme depth 180-200 ft52–61 m depthBoat entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

United States lightship Diamond Shoal Wreck at a glance

United States lightship Diamond Shoal Wreck is a expert boat dive site in North Carolina, United States with depths of 52–61 m (171–200 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Amberjack, Grouper, and Sand tiger shark. Recent reports put the water around 29°C (83°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 5h ago
1.0 mwaves — about a meter expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 29°C · seasonal avg 28°C

Site hazards: Extreme depth 180-200 ft · Strong Gulf Stream current at Diamond Shoals · Mandatory decompression

All 5 hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Sat
Mon6:00–20:00
Tue6:00–20:00
Wed6:00–20:00
Thu6:00–20:00
Fri6:00–20:00
Sat6:00–20:00
Sun6:00–20:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 4:38 · Sunrise 5:07 · Sunset 19:08

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 5.4 km from site · graded 5h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

What Divers Say

Known for: Amberjack, Grouper
Best time: Mid-summer (June-August) on rare calm, low-current windows.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. Jan12%19°C2.1 m
  2. Feb7%17°C2.1 m
  3. Mar8%19°C2.3 m
  4. Apr28%20°C1.9 m
  5. May34%22°C1.7 m
  6. Jun48%25°C1.4 m
  7. Jul52%28°C1.3 m
  8. Aug43%28°C1.7 m
  9. Sep30%27°C2.1 m
  10. Oct23%25°C2.1 m
  11. Nov20%22°C1.9 m
  12. Dec11%21°C2.2 m

July hastypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

  • AmberjackCommonly seen
  • GrouperCommonly seen
  • Sand tiger sharkOccasionally seen

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km. Know one? Add it to the map.

Site details

Lightship LV-71 marked the deadly Diamond Shoals for over 20 years before being shelled and sunk by U-140 on 6 August 1918 — the only U.S. lightship ever lost to enemy action; her entire crew survived. The 122-ft vessel now rests in 180-200 ft of water just off the shoals and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. The depth, current and remoteness make this strictly a technical (trimix) dive visited only occasionally by expedition-level divers.

boatwreck

Extreme depth 180-200 ft — trimix territory

Strong Gulf Stream current at Diamond Shoals

Mandatory decompression

Remote, rough offshore location

Historic protected resource — do not disturb

Reviews

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