November 18, 2007: Pensacola, Florida

"USS Oriskany"

Diving off the northern Gulf coast:

• Directions from Tampa: I go up I75, then west on I10. At that point, it depends on exactly where you're going; but if you find yourself in Alabama, you went too far.
• Conditions on the day of my visit: Warmer than expected
  
  
• Personal Notes: I was really looking forward to this dive; very few folks I know had actually managed to go down to see the Oriskany and I was looking forward to having some decent wide angle photography opportunities.
  
  Here's the pertinent info:
  • You're looking at a two hour boat ride just to get out there. You'll be spending essentially your whole day for this dive.
  • Check with your particular boat - you might have to pack a lunch.
  • The wreck is (according to what I've read) 23 miles off shore.
  • The deck at the island hits 135'. This is outside of the range of the official limit for recreational diving.
  • If you are going to dive this wreck on Nitrox, watch your 0₂ percentages. I dove at 30%, but everyone reacts to extreme diving conditions differently. 30% will get you safely to the deck if you run your calculations at a liberal 1.6 PP0₂; otherwise it's considered risky.
  • Weather is a factor and many trips are called due to rough water.
  Personally, I got quite a bit narced at 135'. Be sure you're aware of where you're going and take a buddy with you, and dive within your personal limits. This is not a good place to have your first really deep dive, and not a good place to get "silly narced."
  
  There's a lot of growth and life on the wreck. While there we saw an octopus hanging out in a railing; a small eel in the cut off mast, and tons of barracuda and other assorted reef fish. If you're ever in the Pensacola or Gulf Shores area, I suggest making an attempt at getting out to the wreck, if it is within your comfort level.
  
  Bay Breeze Scuba put me on the Viking, which was expertly crewed by Captain Tim and Deckhand Nicole. Thanks guys for a wonderful and memorable trip!

USS Oriskany
1/80-F3.5-ISO400 Just a little camera test on a deck off of the island on my way down ...
1/80-F3.5-ISO400 This is the kind of picture you take when you're a tad narced. That's the wall of the island and the deck I'm standing in front of.
1/80-F3.5-ISO400 Looking up on my way up from the deck. I kinda wish that the angle was a little better - more under the structure, with the sun not being diffused by the clouds and particulate.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 Wow look! A Barracuda! Actually, I would get better shots later ...
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 A Grunt.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 It just looked like he was looking in the port hole ...
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 Not quite close enough for the strobes to properly light him up - may have been able to do a better job with a little more experience positioning the strobes.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 Caught a glint off of his chin ...
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 Fairly good shot, probably zoomed in a little.
1/80-F4.0-ISO400 Here you get a solid idea about the patterns that hide them from the top down, and the silvery nature of the Barracuda at the same time.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 A kind of crow's nest, I guess.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 A hint of strobe, particularly near the tail.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 Lit up a bit better.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 I'm guessing he decided the strobes were too big to eat. Focal length was 55mm - zoomed in all the way ...
1/80-F4.0-ISO400 I think same fish, but at a focal length of 24mm.
1/80-F4.0-ISO400 We hooked up to the fresh air intake; here's a diver from my boat making their way down the line. This is at a focal length of 18mm - I was quite a distance away.
1/80-F4.0-ISO250 I tweaked the settings a little and got a bit closer to see if I could get some better detail as they made their way down the line ...
1/80-F5.6-ISO250 When the strobes don't light them up, they're quite camouflaged.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 I think they had camera issues.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 Got to the bridge (at least I think it was the bridge) and poked my head in; noticed this guy hanging out in there already ...
1/80-F4.0-ISO400 Part of the bridge from one of the window openings (focal length, 22mm - it's a very small bridge).
1/80-F4.0-ISO400 some leftover controls on the bridge. Honestly, this was the only thing there that was left - otherwise the bridge looked stripped.
1/80-F5.0-ISO400 Closeup of one of the boxes.
1/80-F5.0-ISO400 Another diver on the line ...
1/80-F4.0-ISO400 American and POW-MIA flags hanging down from part of the island, on the side of the island that's away from the deck.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 This shot gives you an idea of the growth that's forming on the wreck.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 Little clam all by his lonesome.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 An Arrow Crab with a couple of Urchins - the kind of creature that makes you wish you had your macro lens on instead of the wide angle.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 Here too we have an opportunity for a macro shot, but not wanting to get too close and spook him, I took a few pictures of what I'm guessing is a Hawkfish.
1/80-F4.0-ISO400 A shot of the bridge from a distance.
1/80-F4.0-ISO400 Slightly better angle, I think.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 Captain Tim asked me to get shots with divers in them.
1/80-F5.6-ISO400 I had to get one with him in the shot.
1/80-F4.0-ISO400
1/80-F4.0-ISO400
1/80-F4.0-ISO400