Ozark, or Oriskany?

[aue-mike]

Just curious, but who did you use to get to the Ozark, Captain/Boat?

A friend (not local) with a 27-foot cat.

 

[BeckyKagan]

Becky, did you do it CCR or OC? I'd love to do both of these wrecks CCR but that's gonna be a while. Maybe I'll get to do the Oriskany again this winter, now that things are getting quiet.

Perroneford,
I dove the Oriskany on CCR. We dove 3 days while shooting a TV show, so we needed the extened bottom time to cover more area, and get more video. Plus we dropped down to get some shots of the props in 218' then worked our way back up to the island. Most of our dives were about 3hours, ave depth 150ish. Id say CCR with a DPV is the best way to cover this wreck. =) We used MBT divers, they were great and accomidated tech divers well.

 

[PerroneFord]

Thanks Becky. Yea, CCR seems the way to go for this wreck. It's moderately deep, and very large. I've been thinking of taking out our new scooters to go and play. This would be and ideal place to try them.

When I went out on the "O", I used MBT. And like you, I had good success. I'll probably use them again.

Thanks for sharing a few details, and best of luck in your diving and video/photography!

(Where can we get a copy of that TV show?)

 

[mike_s]

Too bad there are not more options out of Destin. The OZARK rocks!

Well, the Destin operators seem to wimp out if it gets windy or there are seas higher than 2-3 feet.

(Of course there isn't much of a market for normal scheduled trips to the Ozark based on her depth though....)

BTW, when is the new book comin? I've enjoyed the current one a bunch

Still grinding away at it. As of now I have 223 wreck narratives -- just in the Atlantic section! It includes lots of new information on wrecks included in SOTSS, many new wreck entries, and most of the major artificial reefs.

Mike..... I know you put GPS coordinates in the book for each wreck, but any way you could give a general reference to it's location also as they aren't grouped geographically? for example, The Oriskany: sunk approximately 22 miles SE of Pensacola. I was mentioning this because as I read your book there were several wrecks that I had never heard of before and had no clue what port they were nearest.

-mike

 

[chickdiver]

The Ozark is by far the better dive of the two. IMHO the Oriskany has nothign going for it other than the fact that it is big. It's still pretty sterile, and WAAY overpriced by every operator in town.

 

[dstindivr]

Well, the Destin operators seem to wimp out if it gets windy or there are seas higher than 2-3 feet.

(Of course there isn't much of a market for normal scheduled trips to the Ozark based on her depth though....)

-mike

Unfortunately your correct about that. I used to work for one of them, but in fairness, 90% of the divers that hit the Destin waters are'nt ready for it. None of the shops really "embrace" Tech diving yet. but there a few captains that can put ya on a good spot. My favorite days diving were in the larger swell days when the good divers were gung ho about still going.
But I do remember going out on days rougher than 2-3 feet, but then again I've been gone from there for about 4 years now.

 

[mike_s]

Unfortunately your correct about that. I used to work for one of them, but in fairness, 90% of the divers that hit the Destin waters are'nt ready for it. None of the shops really "embrace" Tech diving yet. but there a few captains that can put ya on a good spot. My favorite days diving were in the larger swell days when the good divers were gung ho about still going.
But I do remember going out on days rougher than 2-3 feet, but then again I've been gone from there for about 4 years now.

I'd say that with the Ozark being in 300 feet of water that 99% of divers aren't ready for it. (me included).


As for the boats out of Destin, it's just not a big enough market for divers. Panama city has gone way down hill also, but part of that is that you can't get a hotel room for less than $200/night anymore down there. It's just too expensive to go down for a weekend and dive shops have had to raise boat trip prices because of skyrocketing costs such as marina slip fees going up like crazy and gas going up. Of course loading up the full size SUV and driving it many hours down on $3.25/gallon gas isn't much fun to the wallet either. So diving on the panhandle coast is suffering.

 

[aue-mike]

Mike..... I know you put GPS coordinates in the book for each wreck, but any way you could give a general reference to it's location also as they aren't grouped geographically? for example, The Oriskany: sunk approximately 22 miles SE of Pensacola. I was mentioning this because as I read your book there were several wrecks that I had never heard of before and had no clue what port they were nearest.

I am rectifying that in the new book with information in the narrative, plus there will be numerous area maps throughout the book so readers can see the location of various wrecks and their proximity to other sites.

(Of course there isn't much of a market for normal scheduled trips to the Ozark based on her depth though....)

True in regard to scheduled dives to the wreck. In general, most locations don't have open-boat regularly scheduled tech dives. But when experienced groups are interested in coming to town to dive and want to book a boat (not a single spot, but the whole boat) for 2-3 days to dive, operators could perhaps be a little more receptive.

 

[mike_s]

I am rectifying that in the new book with information in the narrative, plus there will be numerous area maps throughout the book so readers can see the location of various wrecks and their proximity to other sites.

Great!

True in regard to scheduled dives to the wreck. In general, most locations don't have open-boat regularly scheduled tech dives. But when experienced groups are interested in coming to town to dive and want to book a boat (not a single spot, but the whole boat) for 2-3 days to dive, operators could perhaps be a little more receptive.

yeah... but I doubt it. They don't want to do anything that requires extra effort or work on their part and complain about it afterwards....

not much you can do to change that (unless you've got your own boat).

 

[bmoore_cave_diver]

Ive dove the Oriskany probably about 50 times. I am looking to dive the Ozark this Spring or early summer for the first time.
The Oriskany is a really large wreck. I have been to the hanger deck a couple of times and to the bottom once but only for a few minutes.