USS Oriskany - Preparing for the inevitable

[archman]

So as someone mentioned in jest before, is there not a chance that a hurricane could come along and mess with it? I know its big, but with everything that has happened in the last year or so, I am giving mother nature all the room and respect she deserves.

You guys all suck! I was serious... doesn't anybody remember what happened to the Spiegel Grove last summer?
http://www.sailmiami.com/magazine/watersports/spiegel_grove_wreck_righted_keys.shtml

My clever humour is wasted, wasted I sway.:monkeydan

 

[H2Andy]

oooops...

yeah... if mother nature wants that boat to move, it'll move

 

[Rick Murchison]

You guys all suck! I was serious... My clever humour is wasted,
wasted I sway.:monkeydan

I chuckled
Rick

 

[LG Diver]

The flooding plan is quite detailed and controlled. Basically they'll lower the stern to the bottom, which will be less than a 15 degree pitch, and then settle the rest. Not much chance for a roll with a ship this big so shallow. The navy's been sinking ships intentionally in the upright position for many years.
Just as an aside, the flight deck is over 200' wide - were the ship to be rolled over on its side the shallowest part wouldn't be at 60' anymore, it'd be awash at the surface.
It's a big boat.
Rick

Or you could sink it like they sank the Yukon.. just take it out and leave it as a sacrifice for the gods to sink as they see fit. That way they don't have to bother trying to reposition it with a hurricane later. Can you imagine the look on a few peoples' faces the morning of the sinking? "Hey- where's my ship! What do you mean it's already on the bottom?!"

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Dude! Where's my boat?!

 

[Divmstr223]

A wreck divers dream for sure, especially one with mixed gas and more time to spend down there.

I was stationed on an Aircraft Carrier and it is literally a city on water. I would be very intrigued to dive this wreck some day, but touching the flight deck would be as far as I go.....

I used to stand on the flight deck of the U.S.S. America sometimes while at sea and watch the F-14's take off....what a rush!!!

Anyway...there will be accidents on this wreck just as there are on any other wreck....hope they sink it in a good spot that is diver friendly.

 

[scubadobadoo]

"And regardless of how good Pensacola diving is, 130fsw in Pensacola isn't 130 fsw in Key Largo on average. Nothing personal, just the facts."

Nothing personal, but I'm not sure what that means...what facts?

First of all, let me be very clear that I am in no way trying to bash Pensacola. I lived in the panhandle of florida for many years and think it is a great place to dive and to live.

That said, if Pensacola area diving were as good as Key Largo diving, people would already be flocking to Pensacola to dive as they do to Key Largo. When the Grove was sunk in Key Largo it was only the icing on the cake. The "O" sinking in Pensacola IS the cake! A darker, deeper, colder (on average), murkier (on average), and more unpredictable piece of current cake. It's huge. It will be far out and close to shipping lanes. It won't be in a diver friendly area by default. Those are all facts. If they weren't, Pensacola would be listed in every dive magazine instead of Key Largo. People would be saying, "Wow, I dove in Pensacola for a week on vacation and boy was it great!" You will likely take this peronally as you may be from the area and may work in the dive industry judging from your past (10) posts. It IS NOT my objective to bash you. Nonetheless, what I have posted IS fact so don't take it personally. Not many divers, given the option, will choose Pensacola over Key Largo and I don't think this wreck will change that for the average rec diver. Fact? Yes.

If you are in the Pensacola area and in the industry I hope this wreck is great for business and for you. And if you are in the business, you should take my post seriously as it is how the average rec diver will feel about this wreck once he/she does the math. Good luck and dive safe!

Shouldn't this thread be in the Florida section?

 

[archman]

I think that the Oriskany dive "industry" will more closely mirror that of the Flower Garden Banks. You'll have several boat operators offering trips, and that's pretty much it. However, that's no small thing in the scuba world.

Given the steady diver interest at the Flower Gardens, the Oriskany should be able to maintain something roughly equivalent, if not more. It's much closer inshore.

Like the Flower Gardens, the Oriskany will mostly cater to local and regional divers. But that's how virtually all U.S. dive locales operate. The Florida Keys, on the other hand, is very much an exception to this model.

***
The thread is placed in the right forum, but the topical focus has changed.

 

[chickdiver]

First of all, let me be very clear that I am in no way trying to bash Pensacola. I lived in the panhandle of florida for many years and think it is a great place to dive and to live.

That said, if Pensacola area diving were as good as Key Largo diving, people would already be flocking to Pensacola to dive as they do to Key Largo. When the Grove was sunk in Key Largo it was only the icing on the cake. The "O" sinking in Pensacola IS the cake! A darker, deeper, colder (on average), murkier (on average), and more unpredictable piece of current cake. It's huge. It will be far out and close to shipping lanes. It won't be in a diver friendly area by default. Those are all facts. If they weren't, Pensacola would be listed in every dive magazine instead of Key Largo. People would be saying, "Wow, I dove in Pensacola for a week on vacation and boy was it great!" You will likely take this peronally as you may be from the area and may work in the dive industry judging from your past (10) posts. It IS NOT my objective to bash you. Nonetheless, what I have posted IS fact so don't take it personally. Not many divers, given the option, will choose Pensacola over Key Largo and I don't think this wreck will change that for the average rec diver. Fact? Yes.

If you are in the Pensacola area and in the industry I hope this wreck is great for business and for you. And if you are in the business, you should take my post seriously as it is how the average rec diver will feel about this wreck once he/she does the math. Good luck and dive safe!

Shouldn't this thread be in the Florida section?

I agree with you 100%- AND I happen to be a native Pensacolian, current resident, AND have worked in the dive industry here since 1996 (I also think this area has some outstanding diving, but condition wise it is much more comparable to NC than to the Keys).

 

[DivingCRNA]

Okay.. So let me get this straight: Is it because the superstructure would be sticking up?

I guess it would still be okay for a dive then, but descending to the deck, or to the sand would be out of the question for the average rec-diver, right?

Descending would not be the issue.......