The Oriskany Reef was deployed on the morning of May 17, 2006 at a water depth of 212 feet, approximately 22.5 nautical miles southeast of Pensacola Pass. The exact position was selected because it had the necessary water depth that allowed the ship to be reefed and maintain the 55-foot navigational clearance required by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit. Because the ship is wider than it is tall and there was no guarantee that the ship would land on her side, the ship's 157-foot beam was used to determine the water depth. The Oriskany landed on the EXACT planned coordinates, and is sitting perfectly upright on the seafloor facing due south.

Because the Oriskany is in deep water and can be affected by strong water currents, divers are strongly encouraged to use extreme caution when diving this reef. Novice divers should gain additional training and experience before attempting to dive the Oriskany. All divers should follow the guidelines and safe diving practices provided during their training. Due to the complex nature of the ship's interior and the unknown extent of structural damages caused by the reefing process, divers should not enter the ship under any circumstances. Divers should not remove any items from the ship, and there is no reason for anyone to enter the ship's interior. There is nothing inside the ship worth dying for! Location:

The Oriskany Reef is located at 30° 02.600'N; 87° 00.400'W.
The uppermost structure is at 30° 02.555'N; 87° 00.397'W.