dunno where the 100' viz was, but not out of panama city beach. I did 2 tanks on may 28th, maybe 30' crappy viz. Did 2 tanks at St Andrews jetties saturday, maybe 25' crappy viz.
100ft of viz is suspect. I've seen 80ft... maybe, probably more like 70ft once this year, and that was 25 miles offshore.
You're going to have a difficult time finding a dive charter going out midweek in the panhandle. There usually isn't enough interest.
There are a couple of boats that run Thursday trips out of Pensacola regularly this time of year.
I would also not even consider the Oriskany at this point in your diving. It is an advanced dive, even pushing the limits of being a recreational dive.
I agree with your first sentence, but disagree with the second part of your second sentence.
First, I'll argue that every offshore dive in our part of the Gulf of Mexico is an "advanced dive". This is due to depth, current, navigation issues and light/visibility. I'll add to that argument that Nitrox is a near-requirement for offshore dives too.
The Oriskany does not push the limits of being a recreational dive anymore than a basin with a cave system pushes those limits. There are overheads, and depth that exceed rec limits present there, but there aren't mermaids down there begging people to exceed 130ft, or stay beyond their gas or bottom times. I've seen scores of recreational divers not even break 100ft on this dive, in fact, I almost never see a diver at, much less below 120ft, unless they are wearing a rebreather or doubles. If people are too stupid to look at a depth gauge, then they're also too stupid to look at a pressure gauge. There's plenty to see shallower than 130ft.
It helps that it starts getting dark as you descend, this keeps most folks honest with their depth gauges.
The people killing themselves on the Oriskany are technical divers. I'm aware of three deaths associated with the Oriskany. Please correct me if I miss any:
- Gentleman had a heart attack on the way back to Pensacola (shouldn't even count
- Gentleman on a rebreather bent himself and died at the hospital
- Gentleman on a rebreather suffered a cascade of errors and circumstances that resulted in his unconsciousness at depth, a flooded unit, and an assisted ascent that likely resulted in an embolism
Not to say that recreational divers are paragons of safety and restraint though, there have been close calls to be sure, but I think the Oriskany has been painted in an unfair light.
If you want to kill a recreational diver in our part of the Gulf, give him a speargun, or tell him there is a lobster to find. Lots of folks with spearguns getting bent and/or coming very, very, close to killing themselves by dividing their attention.
I also forgot about the USS Massachusetts, a WWI battleship that can be an excellent 2nd dive as it is so shallow. Great dive when conditions are right. Also out of Pensacola Pass.
Most charters won't go to the Mass (I've seen one or two out there). You have to have Goldilocks tides to avoid current and visibility issues, plus, it's only 20ft, which means your divers are going to be down forever, even on an aluminum 80. One of my favorite spots though.
