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hchoat · 5th July 2006, 19:19

Brian and I headed out at 6AM yesterday for a dive on the Oriskany, and had a great time. I thought I would share a few thoughts on the dive with everyone.

We chartered with Dave Mucci on YKnot (my fav. local captain)- which is a fast (if small, 29 footer) dive boat. The ride out to the site took about an hour and fifteen minutes (we had beautiful conditions, winds less than 10 knots and seas 1 foot or less). Once we dropped into the water, the island was clearly visible from the surface, and the water temp was 82 degrees to about 60'. There was a pretty significant thermocline, with a 10 degree temp drop below. We spent 80 minutes on the wreck, during which time we observed very little marine life. The wreck is beginning to be covered in a light brown grassy/ algae looking stuff, and has a fair amount of small life- little crabs, blennies by the dozen, schools of damselfish and small triggerfish, a few pipefish were also present- but that's about it. In contrast with the dive we had made on the previous Friday on the Empire Mica (a 60+ year old wreck also in NW FL) it lacked the huge schools of baitfish which bring larger fish into the neighborhood. It is interesting to note how the reef builds in the same way you stock a saltwater aquarium, but it just seems quite sterile at this point.

Final thoughts:
1. The Oriskany is going to be a great dive- in 6 months or so when some "residents" have moved into the neighborhood.
2. It's impressive because of the sheer size of the wreck.
3. Charter fees are abusive.

If you are thinking of coming down to dive the Oriskany, I would recommend giving it 6 months or a year to develop (unless you are hot to be one of the first divers on her)- and hopefully charter prices will drop as well.

Heather

5th July 2006, 19:19	#1 (permalink)
hchoat Resident Selkie Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Pensacola, FL- USA Posts: 227	Oriskany Dive Report Brian and I headed out at 6AM yesterday for a dive on the Oriskany, and had a great time. I thought I would share a few thoughts on the dive with everyone. We chartered with Dave Mucci on YKnot (my fav. local captain)- which is a fast (if small, 29 footer) dive boat. The ride out to the site took about an hour and fifteen minutes (we had beautiful conditions, winds less than 10 knots and seas 1 foot or less). Once we dropped into the water, the island was clearly visible from the surface, and the water temp was 82 degrees to about 60'. There was a pretty significant thermocline, with a 10 degree temp drop below. We spent 80 minutes on the wreck, during which time we observed very little marine life. The wreck is beginning to be covered in a light brown grassy/ algae looking stuff, and has a fair amount of small life- little crabs, blennies by the dozen, schools of damselfish and small triggerfish, a few pipefish were also present- but that's about it. In contrast with the dive we had made on the previous Friday on the Empire Mica (a 60+ year old wreck also in NW FL) it lacked the huge schools of baitfish which bring larger fish into the neighborhood. It is interesting to note how the reef builds in the same way you stock a saltwater aquarium, but it just seems quite sterile at this point. Final thoughts: 1. The Oriskany is going to be a great dive- in 6 months or so when some "residents" have moved into the neighborhood. 2. It's impressive because of the sheer size of the wreck. 3. Charter fees are abusive. If you are thinking of coming down to dive the Oriskany, I would recommend giving it 6 months or a year to develop (unless you are hot to be one of the first divers on her)- and hopefully charter prices will drop as well. Heather __________________ Duct tape is like the force... it has a light side and dark side, and it holds the universe together.
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