mikerault
Contributor
The fearless Looney Bird Dive team dove the USS Oriskany on March 24, 2007 using Gary's Gulf Divers.
Our stalwart elite cadre of divers braved the rough trip out (Capt. Gary's boat is about 32 foot with twin 225 HP marine outboards, it hauls diver but isn't the smoothest ride) and begain the first dive at about 11:30 am. ON the first dive we went down to the flight deck then spiraled up the tower.
There was lots of fresh growth and the sea life is really making the Oriskany home. There were thousands of arrow crabs all over the tower, as well as trigger fish, angels, amberjack and goby.
On the second dive we just looked over the tower and various compartments and gun emplacements. Water temp at the wreck was 62 degrees with visibility of about 50 feet.
As I finished the second dive I noticed the other side of someones fish story, the proverbial "One that got away" as the Amberjack was still trailing a lure from its mouth.
Other than cracking a rib between the first and second dive (leaning over the side to rinse my mask) and having to borrow a regulator (in the rush to get from my hotel in Pensacola to Gulf Shores I left mine) the dives where great. I wish the viz would have been better so I could try my photo merge techniques, but what the heck, it just means I have to go back!
Mike
Our stalwart elite cadre of divers braved the rough trip out (Capt. Gary's boat is about 32 foot with twin 225 HP marine outboards, it hauls diver but isn't the smoothest ride) and begain the first dive at about 11:30 am. ON the first dive we went down to the flight deck then spiraled up the tower.
There was lots of fresh growth and the sea life is really making the Oriskany home. There were thousands of arrow crabs all over the tower, as well as trigger fish, angels, amberjack and goby.
On the second dive we just looked over the tower and various compartments and gun emplacements. Water temp at the wreck was 62 degrees with visibility of about 50 feet.
As I finished the second dive I noticed the other side of someones fish story, the proverbial "One that got away" as the Amberjack was still trailing a lure from its mouth.
Other than cracking a rib between the first and second dive (leaning over the side to rinse my mask) and having to borrow a regulator (in the rush to get from my hotel in Pensacola to Gulf Shores I left mine) the dives where great. I wish the viz would have been better so I could try my photo merge techniques, but what the heck, it just means I have to go back!
Mike
Fun shots though, it was nice meeting up with you guys for a few dives on Sunday and eating some lunch.
