Artificial Reef Program for Texas!!! Aircraft Carrier - They need our support

[JohnStrr]

ARTIFICIAL REEF PROGRAM SEEKS TO ACQUIRE AIRCRAFT CARRIER

Media Contact:_ Kristen Everett, (512) 389-8045 or

Kristen.everett@tpwd.state.tx.us

From: Paul Hammerschmidt, To: Jim Morrison


AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, (through its Artificial Reef Program), is applying to the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to acquire the USS Oriskany, a decommissioned aircraft carrier, for deployment as an artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas. This vessel is the first of several Navy and MARAD inactive ships to be offered as donations to states for use as artificial reefs and is currently docked with the Maritime Fleet in Beaumont. The U.S. Navy has awarded the contract for cleanup of the ship in preparation for sinking as an artificial reef, but the State in which it will be reefed has yet to be decided. Applications are due to MARAD by Nov. 20.

The USS Oriskany is the last Essex Class carrier built, the same class as the USS Lexington, now a museum, docked in Corpus Christi. It was built in the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard and launched Oct 13, 1945. The ship was completed and commissioned on Sep. 25, 1950 and served both in the Korean conflict and the Vietnam War.

The last Essex class carrier was retired in 1976 and remained anchored off the west coast until 1998-99 when it was towed from the San Francisco area around Cape Horne to the MARAD reserve fleet facilities at Beaumont.

The USS Oriskany is approximately 900 feet long, 150 feet wide, and 160 feet high from keel to the top of the conning tower. Of all the present and future ships in the Artificial Reef Program, “The Mighty O” will undoubtedly become the Grande dame of the Texas artificial reef fleet. And what better memorial to a great ship and the valiant crew who served the United States in times of war, than to serve as new and enduring home to sea life, where anglers and divers can partake of her grandeur.

Texas is in tight competition with several other states to acquire the USS Oriskany for their respective artificial reef programs. As such, public support for this project is critical for us to be successful in this endeavor. Therefore, we are seeking letters of support for TPWD’s efforts to acquire the USS Oriskany. Additionally, to develop a fitting memorial for the vessel and her crew, TPWD is requesting suggestions for that memorial from her former crew members. These letters may be mailed to: Paul Hammerschmidt, Director, Texas Artificial Reef Program, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744 or paul.hammerschmidt@tpwd.state.tx.us.


END


Let's show 'em how bad we want it.

 

[atlas750]

I would love to participate in this. Please let me know if I can help out.

 

[Dee]

What a great addition to the Gulf!

 

[scubatexastony]

According to the piece I read, there's a lot of folks in Northern Flordia that think they're a shoe-in for this project. I think some concerned voices need to be heard from the Lone Star State.

tony.....the nocturnal one....

 

[chrpai]

Where would it be located in TX?

 

[TwoBitTxn]

I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion but...

I'm not so sure Texas is the best place to put this thing. As I understand things from reading several different articles it will need a total depth of over 200 feet to give the required shipping clearance. I don't know that Texas has deep enough water close enough inshore to provide day trip diving.

Vis off the Texas coast is not that great, even on a good day. There are better places with better visibility to sink a huge attraction like that.

I would love to support Texas diving, and all it brings. I would love to be able to dive something like that without having to road trip it to Florida. I also tend to look at the practical side of issues, and I'm not convinced that Texas is the best option.

TwoBit

 

[Dee]

I understand what you're saying, Tom, and agree as to location. If it was placed farther south out of Port Aransas or even Corpus where the bottom drops off more sharply than it does out of Freeport.

 

[Phazeshyft]

Has some clear DEEP, water. it is close to Mexico but it would be a great atraction. Port Isabel is pretty much the last beach on South Padre, great surfing and snorkleing, would love to have something to dive there.

I am all for Texas getting this, i also want to be there when its sunk.

 

[cyklon_300]

the ship is to create an artificial reef, not to provide an attraction for the dive community.

That said, it would be a huge draw for divers. And why would it need to be accessible by day charter? Diving at the Flower Gardens is done almost exclusively by liveaboard operations, why not the Oriskany?

I'd rather sit over it for a couple of days rather than a couple of dives...

The ship is already in our state waters, it would be more cost-effective to sink it here than tow it to FL.

 

[ScubaTexan]

Dee once bubbled...
I understand what you're saying, Tom, and agree as to location. If it was placed farther south out of Port Aransas or even Corpus where the bottom drops off more sharply than it does out of Freeport.

While I would love to have a new place to dive a wreck in Texas, my primary concern would be to provide an artificial reef, and then to have a place to dive. And I think Dee's suggestions of either the Port Aransas vicinity or Corpus are ideal. We need some new attractions to bring divers out of state to Texas. But it needs to be a reef first, then a dive spot. I hope they would be deep enough not to interfere with shipping routes.