Our June 2011 trip was a huge success. So, naturally we decited to do it again! Only this time it will be better than ever with two runs out to the Mighty “O” & and another trip to do some outstanding off-shore wrecks.
Plus, after a few days of diving the Mighty “O” we will head east to dive some of Florida’s finest springs in and around
I didn’t really understand the attraction about this wreck — just wasn’t excited about it. But Sam has a way of putting things, and he put it to me like this: “What’s the clearest visibility you’ve ever dove in? 100 feet? If you’re inside a cave or spring maybe 200 feet at the most, right? Well this wreck is close to 1,000 feet long. At the time, we were looking at a photo of the Oriskany. Can you imagine dropping down on a wreck that is almost 1,000 feet long? ”Well that changes everything. Now I want to go!
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Now some think that the real attraction of the ship is down at and below the flight deck, below 130 ft. But, this is just not true,. ask most all the folks who have multiple dives on the “O” and they will tell you that the most interesting part of the ship is the tower. And, they will tell you that the tower is where the animal life is,.. often mantas are seen circling the tower,.. whale sharks also visit as well as lots of other fish life.
Cost of the diving will be:
- Recreational Divers: $180 per day trip out to the “O”, 2-dives per day
- Technical Divers: $225 for a day trip out to the “O”, one long extended dive per day
- Note: that one day may be spent diving other off shore wrecks,.. pricing will be $115 per day for this 2-tank trip
- Tanks & weights extra,.. Alum 80 air tanks $10 ea,. Nitrox tanks $20 ea – Will collect for air based on estimate of diving, will settle up upon return to KC.
- Tech divers pay SnS $100 for rental of our double tank set (flat fee for trip) filled w/ air. Trimix is $75 more. Stage bottle rental $40 ea (flat fee for trip) w/ initial fill of Nitrox. Fills obtained at the destination will be at rate charged by dive shop
- Must book at least the 2-days described above of 2-tank diving as a minimum
- Sunday morning (July 1st) diving also available but subject to the discretion of the dive operation,.. may be a trip out to the “O” or might be an off shore trip to other wrecks.
- To view our dive travel terms & conditions click here
Note this change: For those interested we will dive Thursday afternoon June 28th. Cost estimate for this extra two tank trip is $90.00 per diver (plus tanks & weights). Must arrive the dive shop by 1:00 pm, boat departs at 1:30pm. Not part of the 2-dive minimum.
Not Included:
- Taxes
- Tanks & weights,.. see above for rates for rentals. Tech divers must arrange transportation of double sets and state bottles.
- Transportation, meals nor lodging. Lunch is provided on the trip to the “O”.
- Marriott Courtyard close to the dive shop offers $90 + tax (251) 968-1113
- Microtel Motel about $65 +tax (251)-967-3000
- Scuba Instruction fees
- Email or call for more details.
How about a road trip?
Join us for a drive to Gluf Shores, Alabama for a unique opportunity to dive this majestic fighting ship and other wrecks in the area. We will depart the shop Wed evening June 8, spend the night along the trail arriving the Gulf Shores area dive shop on Thursday. We will dive over the next several days departing for our return trip on Sunday afternoon June 12 after diving Sun morning.
- It’s OK for folks to fly down and meet us for the diving.
- This trip is forming now and we need a head count of all interested parties.
- For more details call the shop!
2004 — Artificial Reef
The Navy announced on 5 April 2004 that it would transfer the former aircraft carrier to the State of Florida for use as an artificial reef. In September 2003, the Navy awarded a contract to Resolve Marine Group /ESCO Marine Joint Venture for the environmental remediation work necessary for sinking the ship as an artificial reef. The contractor towed the ship to Corpus Christi, TX in January 2004 and completed the environmental preparation work in December 2004.
Oriskany was the first United States warship slated to become an artificial reef, under authority granted by the fiscal 2004 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 108-136). Oriskany was towed to Pensacola in December 2004 and was originally scheduled to be sunk with controlled charges 24 mi (39 km) south of Pensacola by June 2005. Exhaustive ecological and human health studies were conducted by Navy scientists in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to demonstrate no adverse impact from reefing the ship. Failure to gain EPA approval caused a delay, so Oriskany was then towed back to Texas in June to ride out the 2005 hurricane season.[4] Completion and peer review of a complex Prospective Risk Assessment Model developed in consultation with EPA, the first for any ship reefing project, was necessary to support EPA’s February 2006 decision to issue a risk-based PCB disposal approval for the estimated 750 lb (340 kg) of polychlorinated biphenyls contained in solid form, mostly integral in the insulation layers of the electrical cabling throughout the ship.
Based on EPA’s approval, after a public comment period, the ship was towed to Pensacola, FL in March 2006 for final preparations for sinking under a Navy contract. A team of Navy personnel accomplished the sinking of the ship on 17 May 2006, supported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Escambia County Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Pensacola Police Department, and several sheriff departments of Escambia County and surrounding counties. A Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from Panama City, FL detonated C-4 explosive charges of approximately 500 lb (230 kg) net explosive weight, strategically placed on 22 sea connection pipes in various machinery spaces. 37 minutes after detonation, the ship sank stern first in 210 ft (64 m) of water in the Gulf of Mexico.
The ship came to rest lying upright, as was hoped. The flight deck was at a depth of 135 ft (41 m), and its island rose to 70 ft (21 m).[5] Following Hurricane Gustav, the ship shifted 10 feet deeper leaving the flight deck at 145 feet (44 m).[6] The island structure is accessible to recreational divers, but the flight deck will require additional training and equipment.[6] It is now popularly known as the “Great Carrier Reef”[7], a reference to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
