NBM Dive Site Resource
ex-USS Tarpon
Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States
Historic North Carolina wreck documented by NOAA as a popular recreational dive site.
Save this dive site to your free member profile.
Historic Photograph
Aquatic life at this dive site
What divers may encounter
Three reviewed connections are featured here. Sightings vary by season, conditions, and chance, so they are never guaranteed.
Aquatic life research in progress
NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.
Aquatic life research in progress
NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.
Aquatic life research in progress
NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.
Site media
Photographs
Three views rotate from the published gallery on each visit.
Contributor media
Dive videos
Three featured video positions are reserved on every profile.Regional location and nearby land
Location map
The map shows the surrounding coast and region for orientation.Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Recent field observations
Diver-reported temperatures
Automatically checked observations from dives during the past 14 days. Three reports are visible at a time; scroll for more.A report that passes the automatic checks will appear here with the dive date, diver’s display name, and temperatures at each depth.
Reports are automatically checked for plausible dates, depths, and temperatures. They are observations, not forecasts; confirm conditions before diving.
Why divers know this place
Highlights
North Carolina maritime history and established wreck-diving habitat.
Shipwreck-only module
The wreck
This section appears only on shipwreck records and brings the vessel, its loss, present condition, access, and responsible wreck-diving considerations into one place.
Plan the trip
Dive boats that visit this wreck
Discovery Diving lists USS Tarpon among its dive sites and lists this boat in its charter fleet. Ask the operator to confirm a Tarpon departure, boat assignment and technical diving requirements.
Open boat profile →Beaufort, North CarolinaOutrageous VDiscovery DivingDiscovery Diving lists USS Tarpon among its dive sites and lists this boat in its charter fleet. Ask the operator to confirm a Tarpon departure, boat assignment and technical diving requirements.
Open boat profile →Before you arrive
Access notes
NOAA source information is sufficient for this visibly unverified profile, but it is not a navigation plan. Confirm current coordinates, ownership/protection rules, weather, current, emergency procedures and ascent strategy. Treat military losses and fatalities as memorial sites; do not disturb or remove material.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Depth, current, rapidly changing visibility, waves, boat traffic, long offshore evacuation, entanglement, fishing gear, sharp or unstable wreckage and overheads. Penetration requires specific wreck/overhead training, redundancy and a suitable gas plan.
At the site
Facilities and support
No onsite facilities; all support is vessel-based. Confirm fills, oxygen, weather policy and emergency planning before departure.
Independent resource notice
This record is a starting point for independent verification. Access, closures, moorings, weather, currents, depth, visibility, operator availability, and site conditions can change without notice. Confirm current information with the responsible operator, property owner, managing authority, or another qualified local source before planning or attempting a dive.