wolffs
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I have one week to explore, anyone have any thoughts on vandenburg in key west or big o in Pensacola? Not sure which one to choose. Cannot be both this time.
vandenburg or big o
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BabyDuck
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what certs do you hold? i'm asking because of the depths of each.
RonFrank
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I have not done either, but like the wrecks in the Keys and have done all the recreational wrecks in the keys except the Vandenburg. I have a lot of fun diving reefs so a couple Vandenburg dives and the rest spent on dives in Largo suits me. I am not a wreck nut but do enjoy them. However I have a lot of fun on shallow sun drenched reefs.
One is very deep and very expensive. One is shallow, cheap and easy. Which one is more your speed/price range?
Wookie
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As an operator in both places, I feel relatively qualified to answer. At 155 feet on the Oriskany, you're just starting penetration, and normoxic trimix will be required to spend lots of time inside. At 155 on the Vandenberg, you are in the sand and you need AN/DP to see it all. For 79 bucks, you can do 2 tanks on the Vandy. For the same $79, you can get your fills for one dive on the Oriskany.
If I had to pick, the Vandenberg. The Oriskany is a bit more famous and is an "aircraft carrier" but the Vandy is a more interesting dive. The recreational diver can see more ship. Another difference in the two is the O is 23 miles offshore and a 90-120 minute ride each way, the V is a few miles offshore and you're there in 15 minutes. Plus lots more to do topside in Key West. You might even get Capt. Frank to serenade you at Two Friends...
DiverAmy
Prism2 CCR Diver
I dove the Vandenberg 3 times and loved it and cannot wait to go back. I know nothing of the other wreck, however, so feel free to ignore my reply. I just wanted to express my enthusiasm for the Vandenberg 
Oh, it has been 2 years since I last dove it, I bet it has changed a lot!
Oh, it has been 2 years since I last dove it, I bet it has changed a lot!
down4fun
Contributor
If your profile is up to date then I would definitely recommend you go to the Vandenberg. I have dove both wrecks as a technical diver. The Oriskany is a large wreck with lots of penetration in the normoxic trimix levels. As a recreational diver you would not even be able to reach the deck which is at about 155 feet. So you would be limited to the tower. Not a horrible dive but not worth the ride out and expense, IMHO. As a technical diver the O offers tons of penetration and thus I found it to be an enjoyable wreck since ferreting is my thing. The Vandenberg sits much shallower and offers way more to see in the recreational levels. It has a lot of superstructure and simple tour of the deck gives you tons to look at. You could do several dives on just the deck and not see everything. Go to the Vandenberg.
sportxlh
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Never dove the Big O or Mighty O or whatever the aircraft carrier is called, but did 4 dives on the Vandenberg last month (two with Wookie aka MV Spree and two with Cap't Corner).
The Vandenberg is a very enjoyable dive, though the current can make it a little challenging sometimes. On two of my dives, we could have almost free dove down from the mooring ball and never touched the line: 3 days later, the current was pretty swift and you had to get right on top of the deck and stay on the lee side of the wreck before you got any real relief. The wreck has a lot of 'architectural' interests like the radar dishes, the wheelhouse, the masts and right now an art exhibit. The ocean is taking their toll on the radar dishes and I bet they won't last more than a few years: plus the art exhibit won't last forever, so those are two good reasons to dive the Vandenberg soon.
If you bring your own tanks, you can dive with Cap't Corner for $55.00!!!! Now that's cheap for a world class dive!!
The Vandenberg is a very enjoyable dive, though the current can make it a little challenging sometimes. On two of my dives, we could have almost free dove down from the mooring ball and never touched the line: 3 days later, the current was pretty swift and you had to get right on top of the deck and stay on the lee side of the wreck before you got any real relief. The wreck has a lot of 'architectural' interests like the radar dishes, the wheelhouse, the masts and right now an art exhibit. The ocean is taking their toll on the radar dishes and I bet they won't last more than a few years: plus the art exhibit won't last forever, so those are two good reasons to dive the Vandenberg soon.
If you bring your own tanks, you can dive with Cap't Corner for $55.00!!!! Now that's cheap for a world class dive!!
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