Diving the USS Oriskany

CHARTER OPERATIONS IN THE PENSACOLA AREA HAVE BEEN ESSENTIALLY SUSPENDED...NOT BECAUSE OF OIL IN THE WATER, BUT BECAUSE BP HAS HIRED MOST OF THE BOATS AND CAPTAINS.  CAPT. JIM MEYERS IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR PENSACOLA CHARTERS, AND HE CAN BE REACHED THROUGH HIS WEBSITE AT WWW.DRDIVE.COM

WE ARE WORKING WITH OTHER BOATS TO TRY TO BRING SOME ADDITIONAL DIVE CHARTER OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR CUSTOMERS...WATCH THIS SITE AND OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR DETAILS.

Oriskany is a memorial to the thousands of men whom served on board during her years of service.  NOTHING is to be removed from the ship, and please refrain from placing graffiti on her.

Depths

Oriskany sits upright on the bottom in 212' of water.  The top of the smokestack is 80' deep.  Most of the Island including the flag and nav bridges, chart plotting room, captains and admirals at sea cabins, and Pri Fly is above 130'.  The flight deck is 145' deep, the Hangar Bay is at 177'

 How to Dive Her

Diving Oriskany is best done with a plan, but not one that is too ambitious.  The island itself is larger than most wrecks, and divers can easily spend several dives exploring the upper structure.  Plans of the ship are available, and the staff at MBT is available to help you plan your dives - WE DO NOT PLAN YOUR DIVES FOR YOU!

Tech Divers

Tech divers have found Oriskany to be more formidable than expected, and veteran cave divers have come back expressing awe at the challenges she presents.  Significant penetrations are difficult and risky.

PLEASE REMEMBER, DIVERS SHOULD NOT GO INSIDE THE SHIP WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING!!

A Note About Deck Plans

The internal layout of the ship has changed dramatically, and deck plans are no longer reliable!  Rushing water and the concussion from the explosives caused severe damage to the lightweight aluminum bulkheads that made up a large portion of the internal structure of the ship.  Hatches, ladders,  decks, and bulkheads were also removed prior to deployment. 

MBT Divers offers an exclusive USS Oriskany diver specialty class that provide a unique historical perspective of the ship, an informative guide of what to look for during your dive, and a brief review of specific hazards encountered when diving Oriskany.  This course was developed over years of research and includes material provided by Oriskany veterans - this is what they want you to know.  The course is scheduled by appointment, and those completing the course receive a "USS Oriskany Diver" recognition certificate.

RULES FOR CHARTER DIVE OPS

The following specifics for dive operations for trips to the USS Oriskany have been established, and we are now taking bookings!  Please remember, we do not own the boats, and all charter fees and policies are set by the captains.

 -  Price per person for a 2 tank/ 2 dive trip to the USS Oriskany is $150, payable at time of booking.  There is a 48 hour cancellation policy – no refunds will be given for diver cancellation within 48 hours of the trip.  Fees for trips cancelled by the captain will be refunded.

 -  Tanks and weights are not provided, but can be rented at MBT.

 -  All divers wishing to dive the USS Oriskany must have a minimum of 20 logged dives.

 -  Openwater Divers that do not possess an advanced certification or a deep diver specialty certification:

 -  Must have completed a total of 20 logged dives

 -  Will be required to dive with a guide.

 -  Must have completed 2 logged dives within the last year or complete a refresher dive.

-  Advanced Divers or those with deep diver specialty certifications:

-  Must have completed 2 logged dives at or below 80’ in the last year to dive without a guide.

            -  Must have completed 2 logged dives within the last year to dive with a guide.

- Divers must have the following equipment:

1. Alternate air source - octo or redundant air system
2. safety sausage or similar marker device
3. whistle
4. gloves

-  Groups wishing to privately book an entire boat will be required to provide a 50% nonrefundable deposit at time of booking.  (Deposits will be refunded in case of trip cancellation by the captain).

-  On regular recreational trips, Tech certified divers are permitted to conduct one longer deco dive instead of 2 non-deco dives (equipment limitations apply).

 Any of the information provided above is subject to change at any time.

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