Few things make me happier than good sushi. Read into that statement as you will, but those of you who are fans of the “bait and rice” (as it is referred to by my favorite fishing boat captain), understand that of which I speak. Quaint with a good personality, pleasant atmosphere and terrific food, this establishment is a fabulous addition to downtown Morehead City.
As indicated by the name, the restaurant is more west coast inspired than actually Japanese (though the proprietor is from Australia…go figure) with a lot of avocado and imaginative combinations. In addition to their selection of sushi, the rice paper rolls are lovely, as is the sashimi salad.
The bar options are limited (much to my chagrin, they only serve beer), but as divers are not usually known for their restraint, this could be seen as a positive. It’s also worth mentioning that in addition to being the best, it is by far the most convenient sushi restaurant to all the area dive operations.
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Q: I’m coming to NC with my fiancé and she doesn’t dive. Where do you think we should stay? —Jared from New Jersey
A: Hi Jared, I’m making some assumptions based on the fiancé status of your traveling companion, that I won’t go into detail about, but rest assured they have factored in here. In my opinion, you have two options.
If your fiancé is a beach lover (and I mean sun-worshipping, kite-surfing, professional sand castle contractor), then you’ll want to consider the Sheraton or AmeriSuites on Atlantic Beach- easy beach access, tiki bar, by far the most “resort-ish” accommodations. If you are coming for more than 3 days, perhaps look into renting a condo- check out www.atlanticbeachrealty.com for starters. The beaches here are different than the ones you’re probably use to up north. There isn’t a boardwalk, so unless you are engaged in some type of water sport or elaborate sand castle project, reading is really the only other beach activity there is…and there are kids everywhere.
The other option you have, and this would be my personal choice, is to stay in Beaufort at a B&B or at either the Beaufort Inn, Inlet Inn, or Harbourside Suites. Beaufort has historic walks, decent shopping, accessible nature tours, the Maritime Museum…plenty of post-beach adult activities when she gets bored with the beach after a few hours as we all do. Most importantly, you will really enjoy Beaufort in the evenings- nice restaurants, a bar overlooking the marina, live music, beautiful sunsets…things that lend themselves well to spending a little quality vacation time with the loved one. Final words of wisdom- DO NOT leave her without a car- have her drop you off at the dive boat in the morning so she has transportation during the day. Have a great trip and let me know how it turns out!
Cheers,
Lauren
If you have a question about diving, big or small, you can ask Lauren by emailing lauren@godivenc.com I won’t post your question on the site without obtaining permission from you first.
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Crew:
Captain Bobby Edwards and his trusted Mate/Captain/Better Half, Renate (pronounced Ri-nah-tee) If you’re lucky, you might also have Paul onboard- a retired middle school principal, or Matt- a scuba instructor from NC State…both fabulous additions to the Atlantis crew.
Specs:
46’ Carolina Sportsfisherman with a bright pink hull
6 passengers
Twin Caterpillar engines with a cruise speed of 16 knots
AC/heat, microwave, fridge, TV/VCR, roomy head, bunks, hot/cold shower
Dive Shop Affiliation: None
Website: www.atlantischarters.net
Atlantis IV is a terrific operation. Bobby has been in the business forever and you’d be hard pressed to find a more knowledgeable, entertaining, and talented crew. The boat has several color-related nicknames - The Pink Boat, The Off-White boat (though the most recent paint job all but solidified “The Pink Boat” as its official title.)
The Atlantis IV is a gorgeous and impeccably maintained sportfishing boat. It has a spacious cabin, plenty of room on the stern deck for gear, and is, of course, never crowded. Fridge, microwave, indoor shower and head, couches…all make for a really comfortable and convenient diving experience.
Divers are offered more flexibility with regards to wreck sites, as Atlantis is able to visit smaller and deeper sites not frequented by the larger crew boats. The majority of their customer base is very experienced and they do have several technical groups that dive with them.
Are there any cons to diving with Atlantis IV…? Well for one, everyone loves Bobby and Renate, so their boat is really hard to book. They cater mostly to small groups of six and, certainly a testament to their level of service, their customers return year after year to dive with them. Naturally, you’ll pay more for a spot on their boat, sometimes as much as $40 more, but if this is the type of charter you’re looking for, this is how much it costs. And, if you can afford it, I can tell you that it is definitely worth it.
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