Oriskany Divemaster
I want to welcome you to the Oriskany Divemaster website. I know you had thousands of choices on where to spend your dive vacation, and I appreciate that you took the time to check out our diving opportunities. If you're a diver, you know it's the job of the Divemaster to make sure the divers see everything they can and have a great time while below the surface. But with this site, I've taken it a step further, and want to see that you enjoy some of my favorite places along the Gulf Coast after the diving day's done. Just click on any of the bold key words for more information.
But first, let's get you in the water.
There was one a time where I would volunteer to accompany you on the dive, but these days, I'm pretty much retired from being a Divemaster. I've been traveling around so much, that when I'm home, I find that I enjoy sleeping past 0500 on the weekends. I'll still tag along on the boat on occasion, but the daily dives are behind me. And now it's time to relax, and enjoy the other things that make my life whole.
So what now?
Check out these personal friends of mine. They all run excellent operations, and I've had the pleasure of diving with each of them. They're all good guys, with skilled, knowledgeable, and professional Divemasters.
In Pensacola:
Doctor Dive: I've known Captain Jim for 15 years. You'll have a great time with him. He runs a 27 foot Catamaran that gets you out to the Oriskany in about just over an hour.
Blue Water Adventures: Captain Dave's also a great guy who runs a fast boat. Captain Dave goes out just about every day of the week, so if you're coming here on business, bring your gear and give him a call.
Check out a sample of what to expect on your Oriskany experience.
About the Area
So far this area has been known to only a few people such a beautiful place to dive. We have an outstanding Artificial Reef program with hundreds of sites in less than 100 feet. The visibility hovers around 75-100 feet, with 200+ on some of the deeper dives.
One of the best parts about diving in Pensacola is the quality of marine life you'll see. It's not uncommon to come across sea turtles, sharks, mantas,--hell there's even a Whale Shark that shows up from time to time. And we always have the snapper, grouper, amberjacks and cobia. I've seen what swims around the wrecks and reefs of the Caribbean, and I usually see more varieties of fish in one dive in Pensacola, than I do in a week down there.
Surface Interval
If you're like me, you like to have something to do during your surface intervals. And because I only dive from the fastest, most stable boats on the Gulf, we're usually back at the dock by 1pm, so you'll have plenty of time to check out everything available Top Side.
For me, nothing beats a cold beer and a great meal after a dive. And in Pensacola, there's no shortage of good, quality food. If you want seafood, you have to check out The Fish House. For little culture, Pensacola Museum of Art constantly secures some incredible exhibits. And the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum is by far the most comprehensive aviation museum I have ever seen in my travels.
If you forgot your Romance Novels, of if you're in need of some Pulitzer Prize winning fiction, I can't help you there. But I can you offer some beachside reading material on the Divemaster Tales page. Feel free to print what you'd like and take it to the beach. I know it's shallow self-promotion, but for a nominal fee, I'll even autograph the manuscript for you. In my case, a nominal fee is a cold beer...Okay, I'll even buy the beer. Hell, you deserve it for getting through the book. And to to make it sweeter, if you can answer a few key questions on either story, I'll give you a free T-shirt.
This area won't be a diver's best kept secret much longer. With the Oriskany being scuttled, the city's reputation as a dive friendly location will get out. It's already easily accessible whether you drive, or fly. Five hours by car from Atlanta, six from Nashville, and three from New Orleans, you could be in your car at 6am and be here in plenty of time for an afternoon dive, an ice cold beer, and a great dinner. And if you're flying in, the airport is right in town, only 10 miles from the beach.
So why not come on down for a few days? The water's clear, the food's great, and the beer's cold. So sign up with an Operator, and go diving.
Hope to see you soon.
To enter, click on the area you'd like to stay, then follow the links to the hotels, restaurants and dive shops and make your plans.
