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Small morsels of local happenings ... for you to sink your teeth into. beachbites
By Sara Leary
Scott Lewis snagged
these spiny lobsters
while diving
offshore during
the Wrightsville
Beach Spearfishing
Tournament in June.
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM
sportS
Giant catch
Diving for spiny lobsters in
Wrightsville’s waters
Allison Breiner Potter
Spiny lobsters, taken off the shores of Wrightsville
Beach, look as if they belong in prehistoric waters.
Ranging from 10 to 12 pounds on average and
reaching up to 3 feet in length, these giant lobsters
are not your typical catch.
Diving for spiny lobsters is becoming increasingly popular,
especially as the weather warms. Boats of experienced divers are
chartered about 35 miles offshore in search of the tasty crustaceans
that are found in at least 100 feet of water around the ledges and
deteriorating shipwrecks that, once caught, make for a great story
and a great meal.
The scuba community, and charter
company reps like Aquatic Safari’s coowner
Paul Gregory say, “The farther
out to sea you travel, the higher the
chance you have to see a really giant
lobster. The big boys are usually about
12 pounds.”
Spiny lobsters sometimes school but
generally seek solitude beneath ledges and shelves. Experienced
divers know that the task of taking one of the lobsters is no easy one
and requires a high skill level.