I dove the Mighty "O"

[djanni]

Sunday June 18th. We were with Viking Diving owned by Tim Thorsen and he runs a top notch professional operation. Can't really say enough about that. Good boat, 6 pack, excellent service, experienced and runs a tight ship.

We couldn't get through the pass on Saturday because of the seas. All the dive shops called the trip that day including the WetDream, a 50 footer.

The Viking and four of us, two were tech divers using trimix, tried it again on Sunday and while we had 6 foot seas the period was about 6 sec so we went for it. It took 4 long tough hours to get there. The saving grace was we were the only boat there and the Deck Hand said the vis was 150 feet.

What a ship! My wife stood on the deck and got 133 feet. There was the biggest and thickest school of cigar minnows any of was had ever seen. Barracuda and ramora's everywhere. You had to fight of the ramoras on the safety stop.

Fortunately, the return trip was about 2.5 hrs. Nice dives, good experience. It's so big it's unimaginable.

Again, try Viking sometime... www.vikingdivingpensacola.com

 

[Missdirected]

Sweet. Thanks for the report. I have been trying to follow posts on her. Trying ot find some people to go out with soon. Thanks again.

 

[Divingguy]

It really does sound awesome! I had 150+ vis when I did the Rodeo 25 off FLL in April, but there is no comparison in the ships. The Big O is on my list of things to see! Thanks for the report.

 

[abitton]

Sweet! Sounds like you really had a great time!!

Extra motivation for Advanced Nitrox/Deco classes...

Soon, I hope...

Out of curiosity, what's the water temp down there?

 

[cmalinowski]

It really does sound awesome! I had 150+ vis when I did the Rodeo 25 off FLL in April, but there is no comparison in the ships. The Big O is on my list of things to see! Thanks for the report.

Yea, but the rodeo25 is a great wreck. I've only dove it once and can't wait to get back to it.

heading to the O on 7/9 with MBT. Maybe we should try to schedule the day before as well just in case the seas are horrible.

Chris

 

[Queen]

Thanks for the report! Sounds like a dream dive.

 

[Scubaguy62]

Sweet! Sounds like you really had a great time!!

Extra motivation for Advanced Nitrox/Deco classes...

Soon, I hope...

I just got an X8-130 for B-Day/Father's day gift...guess I'm going to be looking into deco procedures and advanced nitrox. I used to tell my wife that I'd get my Tech cert to do the Andrea Doria, but the O seems like a much closer and less expensive choice.

Don...what kind of current did you have to contend with at the O??????

 

[djanni]

I just got an X8-130 for B-Day/Father's day gift...guess I'm going to be looking into deco procedures and advanced nitrox. I used to tell my wife that I'd get my Tech cert to do the Andrea Doria, but the O seems like a much closer and less expensive choice.

Don...what kind of current did you have to contend with at the O??????

The Captian was anticipating an fairly strong surface current (down to about 20 feet) as was present a few days prior. However, for our dive, it was practically non existant.

By the way, one the tech divers, Rich from Merdian, that we dove with did the Andrea Doria. Listening to his story was enough to convience me not to get within 100 miles of it.

 

[djanni]

Sweet! Sounds like you really had a great time!!

Extra motivation for Advanced Nitrox/Deco classes...

Soon, I hope...

Out of curiosity, what's the water temp down there?

At 127 feet I was reading 74 degrees. About 76 at 80 feet. About 80 at 15 feet. Not bad at all. I would have been fine in my 3mm and a hood.

 

[djanni]

I might add that the tech divers on the trip who were able to look in the hanger deck reported it's a scavengers dream. Desks, telephones, chairs, hatches, switch panels and etc, etc.