Dive Trip to USS Oriskany June 3, 2006

The USS Oriskany is a decommissioned aircraft carrier that was sunk 23 miles SSE of Pensacola on May 17, 2006 as the world's largest artificial reef.

On June 3rd, a little over two weeks after the Mighty "O" came to rest in 212 feet of water, I along with 11 other divers dove to the ship.

 
Scuttling of the ship on May 17th, 2006.  The Discovery Channel had specially mounted cameras on the ship to record the sinking for a future Television show.  Photos: US Navy

 

 
Divers inspecting the ship after the sinking.  
Photos by Scott Bartel, of MBT Divers

 

My trip and photos. Aboard H2O to Go with 11 other divers anxious to see the ship.  Man second from left in blue wet suit is a plastic surgeon from Orlando and was sporting an elaborate $10,000 camera and housing (setting on cart to his right).  Man with yellow tank is our Dive Master getting ready to secure our anchor line to the ship below.  We made our way to the ship by going down that line.


Thousands of bait fish were around the ship.  Visibility was about 40-50 feet and 
partially obscured by what is euphemistically referred to as "whale snot".

This platform was where one of the Discovery Channel cameras had been mounted during the scuttling.

Untold hatches and places to swim through. But I am saving that for a later dive as there was plenty to see on the outside.

Two divers descending down to the flight deck, which is 134' below the surface and just beyond the recreational diving limit of 130'.

This is the exterior of the Primary Flight Operations bridge (partially obscured by my air bubbles) commonly known as Pri-Fly where the Air Boss sat and observed all carrier observations.  

My Dive Buddy, Dave Danchise, a Navy recruiter inside Pri-Fly.

Another diver making his way into Pri-Fly via the window.

He is opening panels and checking out what sort of equipment is there.

In Pri-Fly, above and to the right is another camera platform.

Souvenir gathering in Pri-Fly. This guy brought a screwdriver and wrench.

View out of window of Pri-Fly.

     

These pictures of Pri-Fly were taken by someone else on an earlier dive when visibility was a little better.

Another diver hanging on to a rail and allowing the current to streamline his body while a school of bait fish swim passed.

As far as noting marine life during the 2 dives we only noted some Remoras.  But since to the untrained eye they can be mistaken one of the divers upon first entering the water misidentified it as a small shark. Needless to say it got everybody's attention.  But on the positive side of that mistake it educated me when I was approached by two remora when I was on my own ascending the anchor line.  I would have thought the same thing.

The boat trip to the site took 1hr 50 min each way.  Max dive depth was 120'.  I was the last person up on the first dive which is amazing since I tend to be an air hog.  But I think most of the others expended more energy trying to navigate more of the ship while I was content examining fewer areas for longer periods of time.

 

I wrote a magazine article about the process of getting the USS Oriskany as a reef: 
From Cradle to Grave - Sinking the USS Oriskany Buoys Our Regional Economy

House for Sale in Cozumel, Mexico - Great Place for Scuba Divers
American owner who built home - this won't last so hurry!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moi, inside Pri-Fly with a leaky mask

Mindlace Media & Photo

Emerald Coast Scuba - Destin