SIDCO is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to the proper archaeological survey, recovery, preservation, documentation, interpretation, and publication of historic shipwrecks and submerged sites for the purpose of public display, education and enjoyment. SIDCO works in close cooperation with the State of North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, the NC Underwater Archaeology Unit, the NC Maritime Museum and the National Park Service.

     SIDCO maintains a team of 20 divers and surface personnel. SIDCO is open to the public for persons who are certified for the particular position. SIDCO personnel must be dedicated to proper archaeology, strict safety standards, and some hard work. Surface Interval Diving Company is publicly funded and some grant-getting work is sometimes required. SIDCO will continue to work into the future to survey, recover and display our maritime past.

      Our company works in cooperation with state, local and federal authorities to complete its work. Shipwrecks within three miles of the shoreline belong to the State of North Carolina. Under permit, we "work" these sites and establish public displays in prominent state and federal facilities. Off-shore sites are also surveyed in hopes of initiating a "shipwreck museum" in the near future.

      Our works aids the diving and fishing community in eastern NC, by locating new wreck sites, some of which can be dived when weather will not permit an off-shore trip. Other new sites will bring in tourism, just by their historic nature, for example Blackbeard's flagship the Queen Anne's Revenge. The NC Maritime Museum has used the "Thurlow" site in the past (since the beginning of our work) for it's Cape Lookout Studies Program. The rich marine ecosystem on the site includes tropical and sub-tropical fishes. Of course the main benefit is in educating and enlightening our residents here in Carteret County (as well as other counties) as to the incredible shipwreck history surrounding us. These sites will not last forever, so it is important to accomplish this work now.     

Our Work


SIDCo is not a treasure hunting company, nor are we "souvenir divers". Our work shall follow all current archaeological and anthropological guidelines and practices, to the letter. There are NO exceptions.

There are many parts to a proper survey.

(1) Research- All known data such as name, dimensions, tonnage, cause of sinking, builder, place of origin and so forth, must be recorded. Sometimes a wreck must be found and research is the foundation to any organized search.

(2) Search- This includes using research, local folklore, NOAA charts and electronic remote sensing equipment such as magnetometers and side-scan sonar.

(3) Survey- Once a site is found, the survey begins and includes initial exploration to determine all conditions and identity of the site, pre-disturbance site mapping for high priority sites and heavy photographic work, excavation which may be heavy (removing a very large amount of sand) or light (just more important structures, this also protects covered structure until it must be exposed to the open water), recovery of artifacts (all of which must be plotted and mapped before removal from the site), a final and much more exact site map including all structures and outstanding features, and removal of all company equipment and survey tools in order to leave a site as historically pristine as possible. After this the site will be opened to the public and promoted as a new dive site for the local industry.

(4) Preservation and display- All artifacts are restored or preserved to industry standards. Often the North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Unit will help us in this work. From the biggest anchor to the smallest straight pin, all must be documented and conserved. We will catalog all artifacts and draw each in order to compile them in our project documentation.

Soon after this step, we will coordinate with state and Federal officials to display our work in a prominent location.

As you can see, our work is very important, and to be sure, a worthy cause and a good opportunity for donation and contribution. Please consider a contribution to our project. This site cannot possibly describe all of our activities, such as cleaning the wreck site of poisonous lead sinkers and entrapping monofilament fishing line after our work is complete, but rest assured that our work will benefit eastern NC as well as the archaeological, educational and tourism industries in this great state and our local communities.

Feel free to email us or call (919)728-6684 or (919) 223-4076.