Is Andrea Doria worth it?

[Griffo]

Like which ones?

I can't imagine what the charter and work-up costs but i'd rather spend the money on a plane-flight and a week of diving this little beauty.
Warm water, shore entry, starts at 60ft and goes to over 200. Lots of deep dark places to explore but also nice easy sunlight holds to start with.

But maybe the "exclusivity" is what attracts some people to the Andrea Doria.

/end thread hijack.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Thanks so much guys. Debris field by itself looks interesting. Is there still enough structure left for penetration?

 

[Billy Northrup]

Yes,the wreck breaking apart provided some areas to peek into but the inside is pretty sketchy these days it seems. There is a ton of stuff in the aft part of the debris field, lamp shades, China, tiles and such. Rebreather divers had a distinct advantage here

 

[Akimbo]

Unfair. I was maybe conceived then (hence the nickname), not positive.

I don't understand how it is unfair. The chronology is a well documented. The divers that were on the Doria in the first decade of the sinking deserve the recognition.

 

[Scuba-74]

I don't understand how it is unfair. The chronology is a well documented. The divers that were on the Doria in the first decade of the sinking deserve the recognition.

I'm sorry, I think my comment was rushed and cryptic. I was commenting on the fact that diving on Doria in '73 was considered late, and what I meant by "unfair" is that those of us who weren't even born yet at the time are at distinct disadvantage compared to early adopters of the sport in 50s-70s. There were many more opportunities to dive [relatively] unspoiled wrecks back then...

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

Has a multibeam survey of Doria been done? if so would love to see the result.

 

[Akimbo]

There were many more opportunities to dive [relatively] unspoiled wrecks back then...

Perhaps an even bigger factor is the post-WWII wrecks don't last nearly as long as older vessels -- the Doria being a prime example. Welding technology and improved metallurgy allowed vessels to be built from thinner plates which don't survive nearly as long when submerged. It is an even a bigger problem with contemporary vessels because computer aided structural analysis has significantly reduced unnecessary metal weight. Great for efficiency but the pits for future wreck divers.

Technology has also reduced the number of near-shore and shallow wrecks. Catastrophic collisions with other vessels, ice, and reefs are comparatively rare today.

On the plus side, today's wreck divers have GPS, affordable side-scan sonar, and spectacular hydrographic charts. You can also dive what is left of the Doria by paying a reasonable charter fee instead of organizing a full-blown expedition, finding investors, and securing a suitable vessel of opportunity. In the grand scheme, wreck diving is easier and more affordable today.

 

[Dado]

I thought this book was an excellent book about diving the Andrea Doria.
Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria
by Kevin F. McMurray.

 

[wcs563]

Video from two dive trips to the wreck from July 8th-16th, 2019. Yes, the wreck is still worth diving, and yes there is still penetration possible

 

[Diver-Drex]

Thanks for sharing. Ol Salty II is one of my favorite boats to dive from and it looks like you had great conditions.