Diving into History
SLIPPERY ROCK — Students in Robert Ogoreuc's PE 349: Skin and Scuba Diving class are intent on mastering the basics of diving in the Slippery Rock University pool this semester.
But the assistant professor of physical and health education has been on a 2002 wreck dive that combined the disciplines of oceanography, cartography and literary history off the coast of Florida.
Along with fellow diver and Middlesex Township police officer Conrad Pfeifer, Ogoreuc said he helped map the debris field of the Commodore, a steamship that sank in 1897 and that helped inspire a short story by a famous American writer.
“The Commodore was running guns and ammunition to Cuba,” said Ogoreuc.
“It was more of a debris field than a shipwreck,” he said. “It was a very unique opportunity to be on a historic dive.”
The wreck was about 15 miles off the coast of Daytona Beach, he said.
“It was in about 75 feet of water. It wasn't super deep but we used enriched air (with a higher oxygen percentage), so we could stay longer on the bottom,” said Ogoreuc. Members of the two-man dive teams also used double scuba tanks and carried back-up regulators.
Most dives lasted no more than an hour, he said.
Ogoreuc said, “I got started diving in 1985. Conrad and I have dived since the '80s.”
