Oriskany Sinking Today (May 17th)

[mike_s]

hey mike, where are the guys who posted pensacola viz sucks? What an underwater park, museum ,to honor all those who served. Wait till the big grouper's move in and take up residence in the hangers.

I don't know....

You're right. I'm betting that wreck will become a "condo complex" for big groupers.


i saw huge grouper over in Destin last week. 4-5 foot long. (i'll try to post a pic from home.). Seeing a grouper that big is a big thing to me.

Here's what ScubaTech just told me via email:

Matt,

At this time we will not be running trips to the Oriskany because it is outside of our approved Coast Guard range. Thank you for the inquiry.

Steve

Heh... that's sorta funny. They told me last week because it was "too far".

ScubaTech is a good shop, but they have a tendency to cancel if the seas get above 3 feet. They cancled on us last week. I didn't see them running trips to the Oriskany because they just don't like going far from port.

Their competition in town, Emerald Coast Scuba, on the other hand, harldy will take their boat past the jetties. So I don't expect them to do trips either.

 

[Mambo Dave]

What different ratings do the Coast Guard have that limit distances from port? Is it based on ship design or Captain's schooling and experience?

Mods, feel free to move this post from this forum if it belongs in the boating forum.

 

[mike_s]

not sure why it would belong in the boating forum if someone is asking why a dive boat won't operate somewhere...

As for your question, dive charter boats that hold more than six passengers have to be inspected annually by the Coast Guard. As part of the Coast Guard certification they specify an operating limit on the vessel.

Also on a seperate note, typically the boats insurance company also specifies an operating limit on the boat also. If they go futher offshore and get a higher limit, then it means higher insurance coasts. Just something else to consider.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Alot of the charters that aren't in Destin, will go out to farther sites... You add alot of mileage to a boat that launches from a Destin to dive a site due South of Pensacola. Especially when you are talking about a boat(SeaCobra) that will rarely dive anything but bridge rubble, the Miss Louis, or the Airforce barge

Alot of the boats in South AL and Pensacola regularly go out to dive sites further offshore than the Oriskany already.

 

[mike_s]

from http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=57974

A spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the flight deck sank to 135 feet below the surface near its stern and 140 feet near its bow. It's a depth attainable for advanced recreational divers.

 

[PerroneFord]

Man, 140ft is DEEEP for anyone on a single tank. Thats a LOT of water overhead.

 

[Walter]

That depends on your air consumption, Perrone. I'm comfortable to 140 on a single tank, I wouldn't want to do it on a 40............

 

[PerroneFord]

Walter, I was thinking of a failure. With the gas planning most recreational divers do, a failure at that depth might spell doom.

 

[Nemrod]

Why do they have to use a single 80? Could use a single 100 and sling a deco bottle or twins. I will probably dive twin 72s and sling my 20 pony or probably a thrity for deco mixture when I finally get down there someday. Hopefully by the time I get there the fuss will be all over after people realize--it is too deep. Let's face it, ths is a deco dive if you go to the flight deck or the hanger bay below. I have not put it to paper yet because of all the confusion on depth but it looks like a good 20 minutes or likely more on deco to do a swim thru of that hanger bay. I suppose you could cruise down the tower, loop out along the forward flight deck staying at 130--a fly over--and then ascend in open water, put up a sauasage and do a safety stop and stay within the 10 minute no deco window. This could be done on a single 80 (not all together smart though), maybe with a deco bottle slung it would not be entirely dumb. N

 

[Sasquatch]

The posts here have been interesting. I can't help but wonder why the decision makers chose that location. 26 miles off shore? Flight deck at 135-140'? The hanger deck will be 25' below the flight deck. The island and the fantail are very interesting and most of the island should be at more reasonable single tank depth. I may have just answered my depth question given the height of the island off the flight deck. Perhaps a shallower sinking would have posed a surface vessel hazard...

Anyway, sounds like an adventure.

Sea ya!