Planning Vortex Springs and USS Oriskany

[vam302]

Hey FL divers, I am planning two dive trips to your panhandle this spring- one to vortex springs and the other to the USS Oriskany. I was just wanting to get your thoughts or info based on your experiences at these two sites. Any and all information is greatly appreciated.

 

[Glock Diver]

Haven't dived either, but I'm planning to hit the Oriskany this Saturday, Feb 7! I am just hoping the weather holds out.

LOTS of info on the Big O- check out the Deep Dixie Divers sub-forum (Panhandlers), and there is an Oriskany informational thread.

 

[ReefHound]

Hmmmm, do I know you?

Are you talking about two separate trips or hitting both sites on one trip? I'm not sure I would make a trip from Houston "just" for Vortex, although it's a nice dive site. Clear water and constant 68 degrees year round. Nice and warm in the winter and refreshing and invigorating in the summer. It's about a 90 minute drive from P'cola.

The O is a great dive, usually clear water. On summer weekends it can be a crowded site. Be aware it has settled deeper and flight deck is now 148' more or less. It's a 90 to 120 minute ride out but if you've dived off Texas coast that's nothing.

The Oriskany is world class but don't overlook all the other diving in the area. There are lots of nice wrecks to dive in the P'cola area.

 

[vam302]

Thanks Glock, I found it.

Not sure ReefHound, you might have seen me at sometime at the Lagoon, Twin Lakes (puddles), Travis, Athens, or even the Comal a couple of times a year. Do you work at a LDS? I used to help teach basic and advanced at SHSU, and have done a lot of my dives with my buddy group of SHSU students/alumni. We've all been planning on hitting up these two sites for awhile, but if we take some beginner students, we might find another wreck in the area. Got any recommendations?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

What depths are you looking for? Pensacola/Orange Beach have litterally hundreds of artificial reefs of different types.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Hey FL divers, I am planning two dive trips to your panhandle this spring- one to vortex springs and the other to the USS Oriskany. I was just wanting to get your thoughts or info based on your experiences at these two sites. Any and all information is greatly appreciated.

Im going that way mar 30- april 4. just going for the oriskany and to see the uss alabam on the way. then maybe towards the fall go back and take a cavern/intro to cave class!!

brett

 

[mike_s]

Hey FL divers, I am planning two dive trips to your panhandle this spring- one to vortex springs and the other to the USS Oriskany. I was just wanting to get your thoughts or info based on your experiences at these two sites. Any and all information is greatly appreciated.

If you're going to go to Vortex, can I reccomend stopping at Morrison Spring also?

it's about a 15 minute drive away.

While Vortex is a commercial dive operation with an onsite shop, Morrison is a county operated park and admission is free. Note they are currently giving Morrison a facelift with new facilities and it's currently closed. but you can still dive it from the boat ramp with a short swim or hopefully by the time you get in town the county commission will have it re-opened.

 

[ReefHound]

Im going that way mar 30- april 4. just going for the oriskany and to see the uss alabam on the way. then maybe towards the fall go back and take a cavern/intro to cave class!!

brett

We've toured the USS Alabama (the Mighty 'A) after one of those dive road trips. Brings back memories. We wondered what people might think if we wore scuba masks and ran lines with reels.

 

[ReefHound]

Thanks Glock, I found it.

Not sure ReefHound, you might have seen me at sometime at the Lagoon, Twin Lakes (puddles), Travis, Athens, or even the Comal a couple of times a year. Do you work at a LDS? I used to help teach basic and advanced at SHSU, and have done a lot of my dives with my buddy group of SHSU students/alumni. We've all been planning on hitting up these two sites for awhile, but if we take some beginner students, we might find another wreck in the area. Got any recommendations?

I DM for the laughing fish, active in CHUM club, el pres of TGCC, name is Todd. I just thought maybe you might be in one of the local clubs and we could talk at a meeting. If not, you should join some.

A popular site for beginners is the Russian Freighter. It's about 60' depth, structure is pretty broken up but lots of marine life. The USS Massachusetts is very shallow, 0 to 25 feet. Lots of inshore sites under 60 feet.

 

[Diveral]

Lots of good dives down that way. The Oriskany, Avocet, Pete Tide II, San Pablo (Russian Freighter), YTD 14 & 15, Massachuesetts, Navy Tug, and several bridge sites.

AL