USS Oriskany
At 904 feet, the USS Oriskany (CV/CVA-34) is the largest artificial reef on the planet. Construction on the Oriskany began at the end of World War II. She served with distinction during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. You can learn more about her history on Wikipedia. Just click on the button at the bottom of the page.
The Oriskany’s life as an artificial reef began in 2006. This was when she was scuttled in 212 feet of water, 20 miles south of the Pensacola Pass.
As originally planned, the flight deck was supposed to be at a depth of 130 feet. This is the maximum depth limit for sport divers with Deep Diver or equivalent training. Unfortunately, Hurricane Gustav moved the wreck into deeper water. The deck now rests at around 145 feet. This makes anything other than the superstructure a technical dive, requiring specialized training and equipment.
The good news is that the superstructure remains within sport diving depths. It starts at around 80 feet and provides plenty for divers to see before they run into the no-decompression limits.
Currents at the wreck site can be intense. It’s important not to risk being carried away while descending, ascending or swimming outside the wreek itself.