LakeScubaDiver
Contributor
Thanks for the update...much appreciated!
USS Oriskany Diving Rules.
- Thread starter mike_s
- Start date
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SuPrBuGmAn
Contributor
mike_s:
UnderWater Works in Daphne, AL will be running trips out there on occasion when they get enough divers to fill the boat.
OP
mike_s
Contributor
I saw this "new" shop on a news story today. Apparantly they have named their shop after the boat. According to the news story it's somebody from south florida that relocated his dive shop up to P'cola.
http://www.divemightyo.com
http://www.divemightyo.com
hercdiver
Registered
Who, exactly has set these rules for diving the Oriskany? Was there a panel of very experienced divers, that sat down and discussed it? Or did MBT, a dive shop, decide it on their own. I went to MBT's online site, and I noticed how they advertise the Oriskany as being Pensacola's next artificial reef. Is the Oriskany not Florida's next artificial reef? And since she will be sunk exactly 22 miles from either Destin or Pensacola, by boat, then why is it not Destin's artificial reef. I really feel that MBT is trying to monopolize on the sinking and diving of such a great monument. This is history in the making and everyone should be allowed to dive her, within their limitations.
SuPrBuGmAn
Contributor
Most of the dive ops in the area sat down and established the rules, not just MBT. The Oriskany was 'won' by Pensacola and its being sunk south of Pensacola, and I believe it'll be a bit farther from Destin, than from Pensacola. It IS FL's next artificial reef, but other area's of FL also wanted the carrier. Pensacola, specifically, got the privelage over other FL cities.
Why shouldn't MBT talk up the Oriskany? They are a business and would like to profit from her sinking. There is nothing to keep all the other ops from doing the same. MBT seems to be focusing on her alot more than everything else, nothing wrong with that.
You seem angered that a dive op is advertising a new dive site. Why?
Why shouldn't MBT talk up the Oriskany? They are a business and would like to profit from her sinking. There is nothing to keep all the other ops from doing the same. MBT seems to be focusing on her alot more than everything else, nothing wrong with that.
You seem angered that a dive op is advertising a new dive site. Why?
PerroneFord
Contributor
The Oriskany is an aircraft carrier in 212ft of water. This is NOT the Spiegel Grove. The Oriskany will become the playground of technical divers and students around the world if it sinks upright. If it sinks on it's side, it wll be fertile ground for Tech. Trimix divers.
I think the rules that MBT has published are fine. The lack of mooring lines means that not just any schmuck with a boat is going to be able to tie into it either. Personally, I'm glad Pensacola got it. Gives me something a couple of hours away to train on for the foreseeable future, and I don't have to go running down I95 every time I want to practice on a deep wreck.
I think the rules that MBT has published are fine. The lack of mooring lines means that not just any schmuck with a boat is going to be able to tie into it either. Personally, I'm glad Pensacola got it. Gives me something a couple of hours away to train on for the foreseeable future, and I don't have to go running down I95 every time I want to practice on a deep wreck.
"I think the rules that MBT has published are fine. The lack of mooring lines means that not just any schmuck with a boat is going to be able to tie into it either."
You think? Now exactly what would keep him (the "schmuck") from anchoring or tie in? N
You think? Now exactly what would keep him (the "schmuck") from anchoring or tie in? N
PerroneFord
Contributor
Because the tie-in won't be in 30ft of water.
OP
mike_s
Contributor
Yurlyone,
As to why it's Pensacola's and not Destin is that P'Cola was chosen because of the "birthplace of Naval Aviation" and this is an "aircraft carrier". Most Naval aviators have strong ties to Pensacola since they were all most likely stationed there at one time. I don't even think that Destin was trying hard to get her. Miami was trying much harder and I think was the alternate site.
As for distance, it's going to be about 22miles SE of Pensacola and 32 miles SW of Destin. I've got a map of the site from Destin and P'cola that I posted in another thread if you want to see it.
Destin dive charter boats aren't planning on running trips to the Oriskany. Scubatech told me this week they won't do trips to it. (they cancel if the seas get up much anyway). Emerald Coast Scuba's boat will hardly do a trip that goes past the jetties. I asked PCDC (the predominate shop with the most boats in PCB) last week also if they were going to take their boats over for the sinking and they said no also.
So it's not that P'cola is trying to "hog" the dive site, but that the other non-Pensacola operators just don't seem that interested. (However, Gary's Gulf Divers in Orange Beach is running trips also, but I think he's using a boat docked in P'cola).
As for mooring balls, if the wreck was in a marine sanctuary like the Speigel Grove is, mooring balls would be ideal. But since it's not, you'll just find sportfishing charters tied into the mooring balls. That's a lot of expense of putting in mooring balls only to come out to the site to find a sport fishing charter tied into their mooring. it's also in the shipping lanes. Ships don't want to get lines caught in their props.
As to why it's Pensacola's and not Destin is that P'Cola was chosen because of the "birthplace of Naval Aviation" and this is an "aircraft carrier". Most Naval aviators have strong ties to Pensacola since they were all most likely stationed there at one time. I don't even think that Destin was trying hard to get her. Miami was trying much harder and I think was the alternate site.
As for distance, it's going to be about 22miles SE of Pensacola and 32 miles SW of Destin. I've got a map of the site from Destin and P'cola that I posted in another thread if you want to see it.
Destin dive charter boats aren't planning on running trips to the Oriskany. Scubatech told me this week they won't do trips to it. (they cancel if the seas get up much anyway). Emerald Coast Scuba's boat will hardly do a trip that goes past the jetties. I asked PCDC (the predominate shop with the most boats in PCB) last week also if they were going to take their boats over for the sinking and they said no also.
So it's not that P'cola is trying to "hog" the dive site, but that the other non-Pensacola operators just don't seem that interested. (However, Gary's Gulf Divers in Orange Beach is running trips also, but I think he's using a boat docked in P'cola).
As for mooring balls, if the wreck was in a marine sanctuary like the Speigel Grove is, mooring balls would be ideal. But since it's not, you'll just find sportfishing charters tied into the mooring balls. That's a lot of expense of putting in mooring balls only to come out to the site to find a sport fishing charter tied into their mooring. it's also in the shipping lanes. Ships don't want to get lines caught in their props.
H2Andy
Contributor
what would the lowest common denominator set of rules for diving the Oriskany look like?
dream no more:
1. don't bite the ship. it's made of metal. it will hurt you more than it will hurt the ship.
2. don't use any razor-sharp metal edge as a handhold. see 1 above.
3. if you see something with a large mouth and sharp teeth in a dark room, don't swim in after it.
4. DO NOT under any circumstances push your buddy into the dark room with the
large mouth and sharp teeth thing in it.
5. keep looking at your round pressure gauge thingie. if it gets too close to zero,
come on up.
6. just because your brother in law Mike does solo wreck penetration with a single
tank and no line is no reason for you to try it. remember the time you tried to
eat chili peppers raw like he did?
7. if you accidentally go into decompression (see no. 8, what is decompression) get
to 10 feet slowly and stay there until you run out of gas.
8. if your computer starts beepoing and it says "DECO" and you have no clue what it's talking about, remember that "DECO" stands for decompression and it means you
can't dive anymore for the rest of the day, and, worse, can't drink any booze.
9. should you be swimming along merrily, and all of a sudden go, "heck, where's
that 2,000 plus foot ship gone?" don't panic. back track a little. if you can't find
the wreck, don't let yourself run out of air. ascend slowly, get bouyant, and try to get a boat's attention.
10. if you find yourself without air, having skipped deco, and floating at night
miles from nowhere, think to yourself, "Diving is all about having fun!"
dream no more:
1. don't bite the ship. it's made of metal. it will hurt you more than it will hurt the ship.
2. don't use any razor-sharp metal edge as a handhold. see 1 above.
3. if you see something with a large mouth and sharp teeth in a dark room, don't swim in after it.
4. DO NOT under any circumstances push your buddy into the dark room with the
large mouth and sharp teeth thing in it.
5. keep looking at your round pressure gauge thingie. if it gets too close to zero,
come on up.
6. just because your brother in law Mike does solo wreck penetration with a single
tank and no line is no reason for you to try it. remember the time you tried to
eat chili peppers raw like he did?
7. if you accidentally go into decompression (see no. 8, what is decompression) get
to 10 feet slowly and stay there until you run out of gas.
8. if your computer starts beepoing and it says "DECO" and you have no clue what it's talking about, remember that "DECO" stands for decompression and it means you
can't dive anymore for the rest of the day, and, worse, can't drink any booze.
9. should you be swimming along merrily, and all of a sudden go, "heck, where's
that 2,000 plus foot ship gone?" don't panic. back track a little. if you can't find
the wreck, don't let yourself run out of air. ascend slowly, get bouyant, and try to get a boat's attention.
10. if you find yourself without air, having skipped deco, and floating at night
miles from nowhere, think to yourself, "Diving is all about having fun!"
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