Oriskany dive report

I haven’t reported in so long I don’t even remember what to say.

The H2O Below has made over 80 trips to the Oriskany this year and I have been lucky enough to be onboard – at least on the weekends. On August 16th I made my 100th dive on the Oriskany – 350+ overall dives.

There is one thing for sure about diving the Oriskany – it is a different dive every single time I go. I keep finding stuff that I’ve never seen before. Let’s see if I can give two months worth of observations in one report.

Visibility – it is greatly improved. This weekend the vis was around 60 feet. It is getting better by the day and if last year was any indication September and October should be fantastic!

Octopus – they are still there but they have moved from the pipes. The ones that had babies seem to have died. Octopus always die after they have had their babies. The males get to live on. Come with me and I’ll show you where they are now. I actually watched my favorite little lady eat a blue crab whole last weekend! It was wild. She was turning red and orange – those are her happy colors. These octopuses are so used to divers that they don’t even turn white – their scared color – anymore. So when you’re doing swim throughs watch your fins, they are there inside the wreck.

Lobster – I know where they are and I’M NOT TELLING! But we have had some great eating this summer.

Filefish – There appears to be a lot of filefish romance going on out there. I’ve been watching them for a couple of weeks and they are pairing up, rubbing against each other and poking at each other with there long noses. I’ve tried to look up filefish romance but am having trouble finding information. Anybody know anything about them?

Mr. Turtle – He is there and getting bigger by the day. He stays on the flight deck (starboard side) but comes to the surface for a look see when the sun is up. I can’t imagine what he weights but I think he probably has a good 100 pounds on me! Mr. Bashful will head back to the bottom when he sees the boats.

Hot Dogs – it is only the middle of August and we have already cooked over 1500 hot dogs! Damn those things are good. If I don’t watch it I’ll weigh as much as Mr. Bashful Turtle by Labor Day.

It’s been a great summer so far and we look forward to seeing you soon on the H2O Below. Remember that October is a great month to dive!

Great reports. Hopefully after October or before December, I can get a dive on the O.

I've been wanting to offer a crab to an octopus so I can watch him eat.........

I forgot to tell the water temp - 71 on the flight deck, 85 on top of the tower. I was wearing a 3m but after the long dives I've been doing I went back to a 5m on Sunday. What a wimp!

Donna,
Nice report. Thanks.

Great report. What impact do you think Fay will have on diving the Oriskany this weekend? Also, how are the jelly fish? I had read that they were thick earlier this Summer?

If Fay stays to the north of the Panhandle, there should be little impact. If She comes further south, or strengthens significantly, it could be a nother story. Right now I'd guess better than a 50% chance the trips will run this weekend - but it is only Wednesday.

Jellyfish have thinned out, and were more of a problem along the beaches and closer inshore.

Thnx for the report

Love the report.

Thanks for the dive report! We have plans to dive it this Sat. but looks like that might not happen with T.S. Fay hanging a sharp left heading towards the panhandle. Wait and see I guess.