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John D. Gill
 Southport, NC
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Max Depth: 91-100ft/28-30m
Average Viz: 36-40ft/11-12m
Entry Type: Boat
Bottom Composition: Sand
Aquatic Life: Plenty To See
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Rating: 4.00 by 7 divers
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John D. Gill is a boat accessible salt water dive site, located in Southport, NC. This dive site has an average rating of 4.00 out of 5 from 7 scuba divers. The maximum depth is 91-100ft/28-30m. The average visibility is 36-40ft/11-12m.
The John D. Gill, locally known as the Gill or WR4, is a casualty of WWII. It was sunk on March 13, 1942 by the German U-Boat U-158. Twenty-three sailors perished when the ship caught fire. It is located 25 miles off of Masonboro inlet and sits at a depth of 95 ft. It is a huge ship at 523ft long making it the largest wreck in divable waters. Time has taken it’s toll on the Gill. Rough seas are twisting the ship into an unrecognizable mass on the bottom. When setting a buoy to mark the site, the large concrete anchor smashed the midship to pieces. Now the wreck lies in two pieces with the bow being the most intact. Divers have been visiting the Gill for decades and have been pulling artifacts as rememberence. Numerous brass artifacts have been found including several portholes. A porthole was recovered as recently as 2003 so there is no telling what remains on the wreck.
The Gill is an incredible dive. It is a monsterous wreck which allow for endless areas to search. Marine life is awesome also, it attracts many tropical fish and sharks. There are many sand tiger and sandbar shark sitings.
http://www.wilmingtondiving.com/jdgill.shtml
http://www.nc-wreckdiving.com/WRECKS/GILL/GILL.HTML
Web site for videos of various wreck sites in the area-
http://www.olympusdiving.com/PhotoGallery/VideoGallery/tabid/115/Default.aspx