Aircraft Carrier to become artificial reef

[Cavern Junkie]

I can't wait to dive it!

Retired aircraft carrier to be sunk off Pensacola coast

The Associated Press
Posted April 5 2004, 4:14 PM EDT

PENSACOLA -- The retired aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, a combat veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, will be sunk in the Gulf of Mexico off Pensacola's coast to serve as an artificial reef, the Navy announced Monday.

Pensacola, known as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation," was selected from among four sites proposed by five states as the watery grave of what will be the largest vessel deliberately sunk for that purpose in the United States.

"This is a quantum leap in terms of fishing and diving and economic opportunities for Northwest Florida,'' said Escambia County marine resources director Bob Turpin. The 888-foot Oriskany is the first vessel in a new program designed to rid the Navy of obsolete warships by sinking them as a cheaper alternative to the scrap yard. Escambia, in the Florida Panhandle, last year won an endorsement from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in competition with a South Florida group.

South Carolina and Georgia proposed a joint site in the Atlantic Ocean off their shared border, while Texas and Mississippi submitted individual applications.


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[FreediveWI]

They were just talking about this on one of the freediving lists. It's supposed to be sunk in 210' of water with the top of the conning tower reaching 150'. There are already a few freedivers, who are better than me , planning to dive on it as soon as they sink it.

Jon

[Omicron]

It'd be cool if it were a little shallower. You could actually have some fun on it...

You'd think they'd want it shallower for tourism reasons as well - missing out on a lot of rec divers going on it.

[Cavern Junkie]

They are already going to loose out on a lot of diving and fishing business because it's going to be 20-30 miles offshore.

[Omicron]

That's a hell of a boat ride out to the thing.

I suppose though, not too bad. 2 hours out to the wreck, an hour dive...1.5-2 hour surface interval, another hour dive and 2 hours back. 8 hours on the water all told...that would be doable. I've been on great lakes trips where it took about as much time.

[DiveCaptDean]

Let me think about this for a minute.................Continental USA..........
3 hr plane flight........25 Mile boat ride........Aircraft Carrier in 200ft.......................or..............................20hr plane flight...............................Bikini atoll........................15 minute boat ride..................Aircrft Carrier in 185ft.........................HHHHMMMMMMMMMM..........................................................SARATOGA........................ORISKANY.................................Ok, i figure I'll just dive both to end the headache.........I think this is fantastically exciting.....Now there will be two places where you can dive an intact aircraft carrier...Excellent ;D

[Mike100]

Dean, you guys still kicking around the trip to Bikini? You gonna do the Truk trip?

Around Florida you have alot more shipping.....therefore you can't just plunk it down anywhere. Also I don't think the idea of making it easily accessible to "rec" divers would be such a good idea. I've been on a more than a few cargo ships 4-600 long. A ship this size, its just not a good idea to have everyone and their brother out there on a single 80.

People get lost in aircraft carriers ABOVE water imagine it in the dark.

[DiveCaptDean]

Hey Mike,
Yes, Bikini is going to happen....not sure if its planned yet, but 2005 has been the year.....No Truk for me, although i'd love to go this year..I have two family trips..Key West and Mexico (South of Playa del Carmen)..and one Me only trip to Walkers Cay for the New Years Shark Rodeo. That will just about take care of my long distance travel for diving this year...
Happy diving
Deano

[FreediveWI]

Some friends and I looked into going to Bikini about 6 years ago. The flights were VERY restrictive on the amount of weight and what you could carry- if you were a bigger peson you better leave some stuff at home. It may not be as bad now, since HID lights have come along and video cameras are smaller than they used to be, but back then we weren't sure if we could even get our gear on board to do proper tech dives.

I also thought it was interesting that they need to ship in all of their food since nothing grown on the island can be eaten- since the radioactive levels of the soil a few inches down are still too high.

One good point of Florida over Bikini, besides being half a world closer, is that you can get Helium in Florida and not in Bikini- at least not the last time I checked.

Jon

[DiveCaptDean]

Yeah, I was contemplating leaving my ASS at home as i qualify as one of those larger guys. I think they have made some changes since then, but i am rather confident that there are still restrictions on weight..275lbs i think...which, for me means one of three things......(I'm 6'4" 275)...................
1) Diet time, this would best as i should be in better shape anyways...
2) Purchase two airline tickets........
3) Learn to Freedive Really Well, Really Quickly
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Actually, Walkers Cay has a similar weight restriction, but I have not had any problems..........I'll lose the weight....

Deano