Impressions of the Oriskany

BioLogic · May 17, 2010

I've never really felt the lure of wreck diving, but still I wasn't about to turn down a chance to do a couple of dives on the Oriskany -- how do I know if I don't try it?

There's something bittersweet about her: She was a purely human ecosystem and a massive weapon of war, and she's being transformed by a million silent and tiny alterations of rust and humble invertebrates into a natural marine ecosystem. I watched bristleworms working where sailors had trod and startled shy blennies back into their homes in former railings.

And something else I hadn't thought of: Being a refuge for small marine life just where the water gets deep, she attracts kinds of larger marine animals I'd never had a chance to visit with before. The vis wasn't good, but that just made the schools of toothy barracuda ghosting in and out of view seem like wondrous apparitions. They are new favorites of mine.

What did you learn from her?

tstormdiver · May 17, 2010

Guess I'll find out in June when my LDS goes out there.:cool2:

Jim Baldwin · May 17, 2010

BioLogic:
I've never really felt the lure of wreck diving, but still I wasn't about to turn down a chance to do a couple of dives on the Oriskany -- how do I know if I don't try it?

There's something bittersweet about her: She was a purely human ecosystem and a massive weapon of war, and she's being transformed by a million silent and tiny alterations of rust and humble invertebrates into a natural marine ecosystem. I watched bristleworms working where sailors had trod and startled shy blennies back into their homes in former railings.

And something else I hadn't thought of: Being a refuge for small marine life just where the water gets deep, she attracts kinds of larger marine animals I'd never had a chance to visit with before. The vis wasn't good, but that just made the schools of toothy barracuda ghosting in and out of view seem like wondrous apparitions. They are new favorites of mine.

What did you learn from her?

Swimming through the bridge and all the rooms is very interesting. Laying on the flight deck in 147 feet of water and seeing the blast shields thinking about all the men that risked their lives for freedom.

If you have a chance to go larger tanks and a good Nitrox blend will give you the most bottom time. With the top of the wreck in 80 feet your bottom time is going to be limited. Both my dives were 50 minutes with 10 minutes of deco for each.

I would love to go back and take my doubles and sling tanks.

BioLogic · May 17, 2010

Yes, our dives averaged 30 minutes, and we stayed very high (there was a lot to see even just there!) and used all but 1 minute of our NDL. Next time, we're thinking Sabbath takes a 120 and I do an 80 and we go Nitrox (he was on an 80 and I had a 63 the first time -- just the tanks we had on hand).

Garrobo · May 17, 2010

Great dive. A little far out but worth the ride. My problem was with the dive operator/DM who was a really conservative and shaky guy who seemed scared to death that something was going to go wrong. He demanded that we both use his steel 95's instead of our 80's and not go below about 100 feet. Very disappointing in that respect but otherwise a nice couple of dives on a sunny, calm day. After the second dive and after taking an extra long safety stop (I take a three minute stop at 50 feet and thirty feet another at around 20 for five minutes) one of my computers pinged for about ten or fifteen seconds. The other said everything was fine. It said that I should stay at six feet for ten minutes. Might as well be on the boat as six feet. I've since replaced that particular computer. Anyway the guy had us suck oxygen all the way back and had an EMT meet us there and refused to take us out the next day. What a jerk. We really had to scramble to find another operator for the next day.

charlesml3 · May 17, 2010

Anyway the guy had us suck oxygen all the way back and had an EMT meet us there and refused to take us out the next day.

Uhhh.... what? Why in the world would you need to do that?

Please post the name of this dive op so the rest of us can find a better one.

-Charles

coglesby · May 17, 2010

Jim Baldwin:
Swimming through the bridge and all the rooms is very interesting. Laying on the flight deck in 147 feet of water and seeing the blast shields thinking about all the men that risked their lives for freedom.

+1 :salute:

Garrobo · May 17, 2010

Charlesm13: Nope, no names. Don't believe in that. There are areas of the Gulf and places like Key West where the old-time operators are living in the 50's and carry on business as such. As there are more old ships are dropped around creating more dive business the more modern and up to date companies will open shops in these areas. Only the tough will survive.

Rescue Diver68 · May 17, 2010

Jim Baldwin:
Swimming through the bridge and all the rooms is very interesting. Laying on the flight deck in 147 feet of water and seeing the blast shields thinking about all the men that risked their lives for freedom.

I'm going down to do a tribute dive for one of those who lost his life after flying off the deck of The Oriskany in Vietnam. I'll be down 4th of July week and get dive the "O" for the first time.

fire_diver · May 17, 2010

Garrobo:
It said that I should stay at six feet for ten minutes. Might as well be on the boat as six feet. I've since replaced that particular computer. Anyway the guy had us suck oxygen all the way back and had an EMT meet us there and refused to take us out the next day. What a jerk. We really had to scramble to find another operator for the next day.

Actually, there is a HUGE difference bewteen 6 feet and the boat deck. Yes, some dive computers are much more conservative, but if you came out of the water with a computer screaming about deco violation, I'd ban you from diving too.

Impressions of the Oriskany

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