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Cooper River Charters | Captain
Estebans' Manatee Charters
SCUBA Fossil & Artifact Hunting
"Adventure Diving South Carolina Style"
· We specialize in carrying SCUBA divers to The Cooper River above Charleston SC for world-class fossil & artifact hunting. We guarantee to put you on productive gravel beds where you will find not only giant Megalodon shark teeth, but teeth and bones from many species that have been extinct for millions of years. This is some of the most exciting dark-water diving to be found anywhere!!
Yes, many horror stories abound, but most ALL of it is because of inexperience or lack of knowledge of the river! I have dove the river, maybe 60 times, & the boat Capt. [USCG lic.] has maybe 300 dives there. You must calculate the times of the dive down to a close degree. Unlike here in Fl. Rivers, Cooper River tides fluctuate 6 feet, making for a wild ride if you hit it wrong. Many divers just go there, put boat in & go upstream, & dive without even looking at the tide charts. Current can be 5 knots!!
We calculate the tides, accounting for the difference in time from Charleston Harbor, to 30 + miles upriver, [ where diving is done], get there early at the dive site, & allow the current to slow down & make the dive. You are diving near the end of the low tide & just beginning of the high tide. If current gets too strong, it is time to come up & we will bring the boat to you. Drift diving is the plan.
Dives are black water, you should have advanced or equivalent experience, a GOOD dive light & knife are a must. Vis. is 2-4', depths max out around 60', but many times are no more than 35'. Usually 2 dives are all that can be done in a day. 30-60 min. each. You can dive much farther upriver, & get into less current problems, shallower depths, & much better vis. But, more " critters" & most finds are artifacts, bottles, rather than fossils. Most divers do not buddy up because of the conditions, but it can be done.
Conditions
Visibility - Typically 2 - 4 feet
Currents - yes, sometimes strong but we dive at the time that the current is most manageable
Depths - never deeper than 60 feet - usually at 35 feet or less - some as shallow as 12 feet
Fees
Deposits are required to reserve a date. Deposits are $30 per day and are non
refundable within 30 days of charter date.
· Two tank days $75.00 per PERSON FOR 6
$85.00 PER PERSON FOR 5*
$95.00 PER PERSON FOR 4*
$120.00 PER PERSON FOR 3*
$150.00 PER PERSON FOR 2*
$300.00 PER PERSON FOR 1*
*WE WILL TRY TO FILL BOAT IF LESS THAN 6 SO COST PER PERSON WILL BE LESS
· For your group of 1-6 people
Fees Include
· Boat
· Captain
· A Great Experience
Rental if needed (need to know before trip day)
· Tanks $10.00 each
· BC $10.00/per/day
· Reg. $10.00/per/day
· Light $10.00/per/day