SuPrBuGmAn
Contributor
Gretna in the house, west bank is the best bank!
Oriskany Dive Report March 9, 2007
- Thread starter Leejnd
- Start date
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I do believe you missed the point, there, Nemrod... which was that the tourists there for the Bud convention were filling Bourbon street with polo shirts, khakis and Bud. Didn't have a single thing to do with locals.Nemrod:
Rick
I said I was happy that they had a good time, we do try to put on a good show for tourists from California. I was responding to the "white male" comment.
Truely, I am glad for them they had a great and safe dive and good memories to share, sounds like a wonderful dive also. All the best to everyone. Hoping that all have a safe return home.
Dixie Beer is from New Orleans, some white males are known to habitat Louisiana swamps and drink Dixie Beer. LOL
N
Truely, I am glad for them they had a great and safe dive and good memories to share, sounds like a wonderful dive also. All the best to everyone. Hoping that all have a safe return home.
Dixie Beer is from New Orleans, some white males are known to habitat Louisiana swamps and drink Dixie Beer. LOL
N
Are we reading the same thread??? I can't find any "white male" comment until yours.Nemrod:
I'm confused...
Rick
OP
Leejnd
Contributor
Me Too! LOL! And yes, I was referring to the conventioneers. Isn't Anheiser Busch Corporation from Milwaukee? That's what I mean by middle-American men. (Had nothing to do with race...) They did stand out from the locals.Rick Murchison:
As for the beer, I grew quite fond of Abita, which I believe is made in New Orleans, or somewhere thereabouts. It's now my favorite beer! Sadly, I can't seem to find any around here...maybe if I go to Bevmo...
snepdiver
Contributor
I enjoyed you dive report. That is what this thread is about, Right? Anyway, It helped to reaffirm my desire to dive the Mighty O. You made it come to life. Some of my dive buddies used Eric as well and now I am a sure I will too. Thanks again.
I have never done any shore diving on the Ca. coast. My friends that have tell me it is more challenging than the O.
I have never done any shore diving on the Ca. coast. My friends that have tell me it is more challenging than the O.
Yesss, yes, every day... wanna buy a bridge?snepdiver:
Rick
OP
Leejnd
Contributor
Hey Rick, come on out here and try it...and see what you have to say then! LOL! Having experience now in both, I can tell you that, depending on the surf conditions, shore diving in CA can be WAY more challenging than diving the Mighty O...but for entirely different reasons.Rick Murchison:
As I see it, the biggest challenges of diving the O for newer divers (as opposed to tech/wreck or really super-duper experienced divers) have to do with the deep depths. First of all, you need to have really good bouyancy control, since most of what you are going to be looking at is at or near recreational dive limits for depth. Add to this the challenges you would find on any wall-type dive -- no bottom to stop you from dropping if you are unable to maintain bouyancy. And the other challenges that have to do with deep depths -- getting narced (if not on Nitrox), ox tox (if using Nitrox), and short bottom times.
The challenges with CA shore diving have to do more with the rigors of beach entries. If the conditions are great and the surf is low, it's no big deal at all. I've waltzed right out there in ankle slappers, like walking into a pool. But if the surf is up (which it usually is -- ankle-slapper days are few and far between) you have to get yourself past the surf line while carrying all that heavy equipment on your back...and that can be VERY challenging! I've been "maytagged" more than once, and that is NOT a pleasant experience. Your reg can be ripped right out of your mouth, you can be tumbled over and over...and with all that heavy equipment on you, getting yourself out of a maytag is not easy. On one of my first beach dives, I got dumped face-down without my reg in my mouth, and couldn't get myself up off the sand or get my face out of the water...now THAT was scary. (I've since learned a lot -- including when to call the dive cuz the breakers are just too bad.) We also have to deal with the constant thievery of the sea gods...meaning, anyone who does beach diving around here has made at least a few equipment sacrifices to the waves. Between my husband and myself, in the year that we've been diving, we've lost a mask, three fins, a snorkel, and two dive lights.
You've also got issues of surge, current, and sometimes zero vis that can come upon you suddenly. Not that any of this is unique to CA shore diving...just that, well, those are issues here that make these dives challenging.
Rick, come on out and dive with me! You know I love ya dude...hey you're always the first one to jump in and defend me in here from various oddballs...
But I wanna see you say the O is more challenging after you've made a few shore entries in Malibu! Meanwhile, so Eric...when am I gonna receive commissions for all your increased business? LOL...just kidding...trust me everyone Eric deserves all the business he gets! :10:
I have done both.Leejnd:
I have been in the Pacific when I had no business being there. (nor anyone else, either)
I have been in the Gulf when we damn near sank.
To believe "our diving is tougher than your diving" is precisely why we have three dead on the Speigel Grove.
There are places where the diving's pretty consistently easy, like Bonaire.
There are places where the diving's pretty consistently difficult, like SOCAL shore diving.
The northern Gulf can be some of the easiest diving in the world, on the right day, at the right time... and it can be impossible, on the same day, a few hours either side of the perfect conditions.
Folks ask me "what's the visibility like on the Oriskany?" I say "pretty good, most of the time, except when it's not." Same with the current, and the sea surface conditions.
Probably the best example of the capricious nature of the north Gulf was seen one day when we were diving the Empire Mica. The sea was glass flat where we were anchored; we could see three tornados (water spouts) dipping down to the roiling sea under the thunderhead not three miles distant.
Rick
OP
Leejnd
Contributor
Wow...that would be eerie...and scary. Not something I want to see when I'm out on a boat!Rick Murchison:
Sorry, didn't mean to get into a pissing match...I was just having a good-natured discussion. Really. Not trying to one-up anyone. I think any time you're dealing with the ocean, conditions can change quickly and become challenging. I'm lucky I happened to be on the Mighty O on a good day!
I was very sad to read about the divers on the Speigel. As I understand it, their accident had to do with wreck penetration, rather than poor conditions, right? In any event, it was a tragedy.
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