OK, I gotta ask you guys about this. Ever sincce before they sunk this boat (!) I've wanted to dive it. Living in NC, that's a little more of an issue than if I were a Resident Conch. Anyway, I haven't made it yet. My question:
I was in Roatan last week and was talking to one of my friends (who is an instructor) about the Mighty O. Seems that he and a buddy made a trip there recently, and were very disappointed. Said the flight deck was at like 150' or so, and really there was nothing to see.. That though it's billed as the conning tower being a big deal to see (at a much shallower depth obviously), it's really not. He said they did 2 dives, had short deco stops for each, but really felt let down b/c it had been billed as an awesome dive. I have TDI Deco Procedures cert, and have personally been to 185, and this man have been diving a heck of a lot longer than me, and probably a lot deeper, if the truth were known, so I don't think it's the depth issue, though obviously to do safe tech diving, a totally different level of equipment and dive planning is required, if one wants to live to do it again... It's just that he felt it wasn't the big whoop-tee-doo people say it is.
So what is you guys' opinions on that? When you dive it, are you doing tech w/ doubles and deco bottles, etc, or just going down with a big single, and skirting the whole deco issue? Anyone want to say what depth you're going to on it? What's the coolest thing to see on it for you? Or is it just the fact that it's a BIG A-- aircraft carrier? I would love to plan a tech dive on it, but would prefer some get-acquainted dives first, if it's really that interesting. No slams on the boat--- I'm just asking opinions and information. Thanks.