Pensacola Diver Shops

[sealark]

would you be able to rent a boat and find that battleship or is that un doable?

That's the Massachusetts battleship. About 2 miles offshore a small piece is out of the water on low tide 25 ft deep. A great dive incoming or high tide is best. Many boats know and will take you to it. When are you planning to be here?

 

[rickym96]

I have dove portofino reef out on Pensacola beach and have liked the shallow water shore dive. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=port...0.34356562,-87.05274285,233.29,0.007,44.441,0

 

[DennisC]

I probably wouldn't be down there till some time this summer. But like the OP I was looking to do a mixture of shore dives and boat dives to try and save some money lol

 

[Wojo]

I don't think there is much in the way of shore diving in Pensacola as most of the wrecks are quite far offshore. I will defer to others on it, though.

If you want a top-quality, highly professional dive operation; I highly recommend Tim Thorsen and Viking Diving.

Viking Diving Home

As for lodging, I stay on the Navy base. If you are military; I recommend it; but if not, I can't give good pointers on it. I can steer you to the Oarhouse for an excellent meal as a consolation prize. I just offer the consulation that you enunciate "oarhouse" if you describe to your significant other where you are that night.

I took your recommendation on Viking and just sent them an email. I'll be down the week between Christmas and New Year, visiting our son stationed there. I'm looking forward to a dive in waters warmer than what northern Michigan can offer this time of year.

If someone were only going to dive in that area once, in your opinion is there an absolute "must see"? I've been eyeballing the Oriskany. Do you think there is something else that should top my list? With the flight deck at 145', and wanting to stay within my 130' limit, do you think it is still a worthwhile dive, or save it until and if I get my technical cert? I'd think the visibility would be good enough that 15-20 foot above that massive deck would still be pretty darn cool, but I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I took your recommendation on Viking and just sent them an email. I'll be down the week between Christmas and New Year, visiting our son stationed there. I'm looking forward to a dive in waters warmer than what northern Michigan can offer this time of year.

If someone were only going to dive in that area once, in your opinion is there an absolute "must see"? I've been eyeballing the Oriskany. Do you think there is something else that should top my list? With the flight deck at 145', and wanting to stay within my 130' limit, do you think it is still a worthwhile dive, or save it until and if I get my technical cert? I'd think the visibility would be good enough that 15-20 foot above that massive deck would still be pretty darn cool, but I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

The superstructure rises to about 60' deep, and has enough to keep you busy for many dives.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Wojo]

Thanks. I should have figured. I'm used to smaller Great Lakes wrecks. Something that immense is difficult to imagine.

 

[T.C.]

Well, I don't know how much warmer it will be. I would advise you to bring a 5mm wetsuit or drysuit, as the waters can get cool then. I would advise the drysuit, as the boat rides can be long.


The "O" is a great dive. If you can hit it, do it. Key word: IF. It's a long run out there, and conditions need to be good. You will see plenty going around the island, though the viz may not be good enough to see the deck very well. If not the carrier, I'd recommend asking for the Pete Tide II or San Paulo wrecks.



I would ask for a different site if they said the Joe Patti Memorial barge- It's very new (no life) and in a sand flat. The only thing to see is some monuments welded onto it. There are better sites. The three coal barges and Tex Edwards Barge are good too.

 

[sportxlh]

Hey TC, I recall from your posts from a few years ago that you have quite a bit of gulf diving experience: curious as to your favorite shops or dive boats aside from Viking anywhere from Panama City Beach over to Gulf Shores, AL. I'm moving to GA and will probably be doing quite a bit of future diving in the FL panhandle or towards Gulf Shores, Al

 

[Wojo]

Well, I don't know how much warmer it will be. I would advise you to bring a 5mm wetsuit or drysuit, as the waters can get cool then. I would advise the drysuit, as the boat rides can be long.


The "O" is a great dive. If you can hit it, do it. Key word: IF. It's a long run out there, and conditions need to be good. You will see plenty going around the island, though the viz may not be good enough to see the deck very well. If not the carrier, I'd recommend asking for the Pete Tide II or San Paulo wrecks.



I would ask for a different site if they said the Joe Patti Memorial barge- It's very new (no life) and in a sand flat. The only thing to see is some monuments welded onto it. There are better sites. The three coal barges and Tex Edwards Barge are good too.

Thanks for the advice, on the suit and on the wrecks. Understanding that "cold" is a relative term, what do you consider to be cold? I could bring the 7mm I do all of my dives in up here, but if our perceptions of cold are way off...

 

[MaxE]

The reports I have seen for last weekend had the water at 74 top to depth on the O. By local standards that's getting cold. I don't know that Lake Michigan gets that warm in the summer...