Instigator Fishing & Diving Charters

02/25/2025

02/21/2025

One seat remains for our Sunday, February 23rd; 3-Tank charter to the Porta Allegra (Lobster Wreck), ESO Nashville and Lobster ledge. Don't miss out on the beautiful offshore weather that has blessed us this weekend . Price of $325pp includes 3 steel 117s of EANx. Call 910-382-7815 to reserve your seat.

02/17/2025

FULL* for our Saturday, February 22nd; 3-Tank charter to the Atlas Tanker, Caribsea and Ashkhabad. Don't miss out on the beautiful water that has come in to the East Side and the opportunity to see different highly migratory species passing through. Price of $325pp includes 3 steel 117s of EANx. Call 910-382-7815 to reserve your seat.

02/03/2025

Ok folks. I stopped it an hour early only because I do b lieve that every number has been accounted for. Lol. It's just, who actually got the correct number and who got to it first. It was a pretty tight race. I have posted a picture of the teeth so everyone can see the actual count. There were 77 teeth in that shell (collected from my dives at the Papoose on 1/25/25). Our winner is Shena with a close second by Like with the same guess, separated by 7 hours.
Since I'm a mush for fun things like this, I will give them both a prize 🧜‍♀️

02/02/2025

How many teeth are in this shell?
There is a prize to the first correct answer (or closest to the correct answer). I will take answers thru 12:01pm Monday, February 3rd. Comment below with your best guess.
*These teeth were collected on our Papoose dive on January 25th, 2025 by Captain Cindy.*

01/26/2025

Great day aboard the Instigator today. Ocean weather cooperated, beautifully. Water temps at each site were 63° (double the air temp 😂). No sharks at the U352 sub, but the Papoose paid off for that. Turtles, sharks, Pearlie white 🦈 🦷, tons of bait fish.....awesome day with friends and guests.

01/18/2025

This is an amazing opportunity to visit Swansboro and enjoy some delicious Italian cuisine and the best of activities that Swansboro has to offer!

The quieter winter months are the perfect time for a relaxing getaway to Swansboro! Get out on the water for an eco-tour or shelling cruise to Bear Island at Hammocks Beach State Park and enjoy strolling in our historic district with over 40 unique shops and eateries!

01/12/2025

January Charter Schedule

January 18th: 3-Tank offshore hunt for lobster and lionfish. 2 Open seats
January 19th: 3-Tank offshore hunt for lobster and lionfish. 3 Open seats
January 24th: 3-Tank offshore wrecks and sharks. 2 Open seats.
January 25th: 3-Tank offshore wrecks and sharks. 2 Open seats.
January 26th: 3-Tank offshore wrecks and sharks. 2 Open seats.

01/10/2025

This time of year is the BEST time of year to see the large shivers of sand tiger sharks on our offshore wrecks. Also, at this time; we see different species of sharks that are migrating through. Not only is there volume in sharks, but life is abundant for many aquatic species. Come and see for yourself, what NC winter diving has to offer. We have a few open seats for January 24th, 25th and 26th. All of which are 3-tank offshore diving trips where we will be visiting numerous offshore wrecks. Water temps are in the mid to low 60s, at time of this announcement. Call 910-382-7815 to book your seat.

12/29/2024

Mark your calendar's, February 23rd at 7pm ET!

Something we have been working on for quite some time, holding back anticipation; will release for us all to watch and learn-The America's.

The entire IFAD team has worked hard on this and we are very excited for it's release.
Be sure to watch, you don't want to miss your favorite NC dive buddies 🦈

PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the upcoming 10-part nature documentary series 'The Americas', narrated by Tom Hanks. Hanks shares with PEOPLE exclusively why he decided to participate in the project.

12/25/2024

🎄Merry Christmas from the IFAD family 🎄

12/20/2024

This Christmas, if you're looking for an organization to gift, please think of our friends at the The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center . They are a not-for-profit organization that rescues, rehabilitates and releases sick and/or injured sea turtles. This time of year is the busiest for them as the waters are cooling off; numerous turtles come in cold stunned, not just here in NC, but all over the Eastern seaboard. As turtles keep coming in, demand of supplies increases and gets costly. Please think of these folks and consider making a donation to:
https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/j2dNn3yILitm5o2GJ1ylCA

This work for protected at is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, ES Permit 24ST05.

12/18/2024

Who's up for grabbing your own treasures 🦈 🦷 from the ocean 🌊 on Christmas Eve? 🎁 Looking to fill a few more seats for a 3-tank MegLedge trip on December 24th. Call (910) 382-7815

12/13/2024

*$@|€* Reminder • 25% off most items in the shop.

Free diving masks and comfort belts are 60% off,

Princeton Tec and OrcaTorch lights are 40% off.

Used gear at unbeatable prices!
Finsets at $10, masks for $5ea, booties $8pair, Used wetsuits $40ea. Used regsets starting at $250 for a complete set: 1st and second stage and gauge.

Every new mask purchase comes with a complimentary IFAD comfort strap.

Ackward wetsuit size? We might just have that;
Women's 4-26 in stock. • Men's XS-5x in stock.
We also have tall and short sizes.

We have 7mm wetsuits in stock for cold water, winter diving.

1.5mm, 3mm and 5mm socks in stock.
2mm, 3mm and 5mm open cell gloves in stock.

°Don't forget your gift certificates for that hard-to-shop-for diver.°

Call (910) 382-7815

12/07/2024

The U-352 had 15ft of visibility today (12-07-24). 64°F temperature solid thru the column. Lots of sand tiger sharks, Mola Mola, spade fish, tons of bait, fire worms, lobsters, hogfish (both Spanish and boquinete), queen angels, gobies and blennies galore. So MUCH life!!!!! It was some amazing diving today, despite the temps we endured to get there! *YES! I said Mola Mola!!!*

12/05/2024

Even the cold temperatures outside don't keep the superhuman's in the real world from donning their capes. Today we successfully released two sea turtles back to their natural habitat. We were able to find 71°F water temps some 40mi offshore to release Octans and Aegir (a giant loggerhead and a Kemps Ridley). These coldsnaps are cooling the seasurface temps down a bit, but that didn't stop Shanna Stawicki from getting in the water with these two beauties.

A special thanks to the fine folks who volunteer with the The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center to help nurse these turtles where they have a second chance at life. A lot of work goes into this and we are blessed to have this amazing group right here on our coast.

Here are a few snaps from today's adventure.

This work for protected at is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, ES Permit 24ST05.

11/28/2024

Gobble gobble
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
We hope everyone enjoys a nice turkey coma today and we hope to see you at the Flotilla tomorrow night.