Beach Diving from St. Andrew's Park (Panama City Beach)

[ShallowDiverDave]

Is anybody familiar with this dive? I'm a beginner and wish to dive this bay when I get a chance. However, I'm not exactly sure how to swim to certain areas of the bay from the park. For example, it looks like the park is on one side of the bay and 2 dive spots (Spanish Shanty barge and Live Boats) are on the other side. It also appears that there is a channel to the ocean in between for boats. What is the sequence of your dive to these locations?Thanks a bunch!

 

[mike_s]

Under the Florida section is the "north florida trips & marketplace" sub-forum.

You'll find trips there that scubaboard members are headed there to dive. Check out that forum and you should be able to hook up with someone for a "guided tour"

(nothing wrong with posting your question here though... just check there as it's more likely to find trips planned in that sub-forum for that area.)

 

[divinginn]

i put in at the swim area at the park and go through a pass in the rocks and dive the length of the jettys,try and hit it before full tide,vis is better and there is a nasty current through there when the tide is moving through there,had to climb over the barnacle covered rocks the first time with only a small loss of blood. Saw lots of fish there in july,grouper,sheepsheads ect,went to about 40ft depth,nice dive.

 

[divinginn]

just noticed your from atlanta,check out the lake lanier looney birds for local diving,they have a trip going to pc next weekend i think wished i could go.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

You'll need a boat to dive the barge and the live boats, they're a bit more than just a swim out and you'll still need to hit them at high slack tide.

You can dive the jetties right off the beach, walk in a the kitty pool and cross over in one of the low spots to the inside of the jetties to the channel. Dive it at high slack or be prepared for a ride!

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

mike_s: thanks! I'll try posting there

divinginn: thanks! I won't be certified for another month, so I wouldnt be able to go anyway. I'm just doing my research on a few sites, as I am very excited to start diving.

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

SuP, what do you make of this paragraph taken from a website:

The St. Andrews Park jetties are the perfect place for beginning snorkelers and divers. The shallow waters and no boat traffic provide a safe and exciting place to begin one's diving experience. Nineteen feet under the surface, an old tar barge is ideal for underwater exploration.

I agree with you that I should need a boat to make it to the barge, as it seems like a far swim, but what do you think they mean here? Only boats in the center of the channel and bay perhaps?

thanks a bunch!

 

[divinginn]

look up the looney birds when u get your c card,we do alot of dives at lake lanier and around the area.

 

[jviehe]

Is anybody familiar with this dive? I'm a beginner and wish to dive this bay when I get a chance. However, I'm not exactly sure how to swim to certain areas of the bay from the park. For example, it looks like the park is on one side of the bay and 2 dive spots (Spanish Shanty barge and Live Boats) are on the other side. It also appears that there is a channel to the ocean in between for boats. What is the sequence of your dive to these locations?Thanks a bunch!

Have you tried the search function?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

The St. Andrews Park jetties are the perfect place for beginning snorkelers and divers. The shallow waters and no boat traffic provide a safe and exciting place to begin one's diving experience. Nineteen feet under the surface, an old tar barge is ideal for underwater exploration.

The only place I know of that boat traffic is not an issue is the 'kiddie pool', which is the area between the jetty and the beach. Its shallow, and you could just as easily snorkel it, but its fun and there are no boats. Once you cross over the jetty, you are in a fairly busy channel with lots of boat traffic.

The barge, to my knowledge, is on the other side of shell island near the mouth of the eastern channel. You can't even get to shell island without a boat.