dive high tide only?

[gbray]

Please excuse my ignorance but my wife and I have been trying to plan a dive trip to the pan handle and it has come to my attention a shore dive should only be done during high tide (slack tide). Is this correct? If so I will be disappointed. according to NOAA charts when we will be there high tide will be at 1:00 AM. :depressedlease tell me otherwise. We were going to be at the jetties in the park in panama city.

 

[fstbttms]

Umm... last I checked, there were two high and two low tides every day. Pretty sure that's how it's been for 4 billion years.

 

[matts1w]

Umm... last I checked, there were two high and two low tides every day. Pretty sure that's how it's been for 4 billion years.

Ummm... Pretty sure you are kinda wrong... Florida and many other places have some differences.

Here is a great explanation of Panama City tides: http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/env99/env99353.htm

Or from here: http://www.answers.com/topic/how-many-tides-occur-per-day

The number of tides in a tidal cycle is not consistent all over the world. The tides at any given location can be diurnal, semidiurnal, “mixed,” or unequal:

diurnal: A diurnal tidal cycle is one in which there is just one high tide and one low tide per day. The Caribbean Ocean experiences a diurnal tide.

semidiurnal: A semidiurnal tidal cycle is one in which there are two high and two low tides per day. Certain places in southwest Florida experience semidiurnal tides.

mixed: A “mixed” tidal cycle is more complex; mixed cycles occur in areas of transition—which are affected by both semidiurnal and diurnal tides. Mixed cycles occur in northwest Florida’s Apalachicola Bay (in the Gulf of Mexico) and in certain locations in the Pacific and Indian oceans.

unequal: Unequal tides are a condition between the diurnal and semidiurnal tidal cycles; in an unequal cycle, the two high tides are not at the same height on any given day.

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

OP, to answer your question, the best conditions for diving are usually around the high slack.This is because you have deeper depths, more water has come in, and you are supposed to have the best conditions. Having said that, you can certainly dive around the high slack. You will want to try for the slack tide times high, or low, if you don't want to fight with the currents. I have done boat and shore dives in all times and conditions. Just be aware of the currents and waves. Enjoy you dive, and don't forget about a surface float, if one is required in that area.

 

[shorediver66]

I have never done a shore dive in the area you will be diving so I am not sure. What I do know is I shore dive all the time here in S.E. Florida because this is the only place the reef dips in close enough to be reached from the beach. Our shore dives are not tide dependant and can be done anytime. With that said I have also experienced a strong outward bound tide once or twice that made for a long swim back in. The only shore dive I know in our area that is totally dependent on the tide is Blue Heron Bridge and that must be done during the slack tide. Hopefully some divers in the Panama area will post and let you know. I have not heard of a shore dive that far north so please post a dive report and let us know how it went.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Diving at St. Andrews you will need to consider the tides but not folow them. Viz is the best when the tide is coming in, if you plan your dive wrong you will get caught in a very hard current pulling you out to sea. Been there and had to fght it, usually try to end my dive an hour before the tide changes due to the fact the tide charts are usually off a little. Now when the tide is as late as you are seeing, I would still dive there, just be ready for lower viz. You dont need to see 100ft there anyway, there are more tropical fish living in the rubble there, just go slow and look and its an awesome dive. Actually one of my favs in the gulf. My last dive there in August I saw a huge Eagle ray.

 

[fstbttms]

Ummm... Pretty sure you are kinda wrong... Florida and many other places have some differences.

Well, whip me, beat me, make me write bad checks! You learn something new everyday. I had no ides. Thanks for the education and to the OP, apologies for my smarminess.

 

[chazrich]

The biggest concern, as far as I can see diving in the upper gulf area is that low tide tends to mess with the visibility, and yes the curents heading back out can tend to drag you around. I have dove the Pensacola area all times of day and in different tidal conditions and haven't found any of them to be overly difficult.

The last time I dove the Panama City area I dove from a boat and the current put me and my buddy about a hundred yards off of the back of the dive boat. It wan't really a problem, but the rescue swimmer got a real workout that day (my buddy and I were among the closest to the boat).

I'd say just watch for channels or other restricted zones where that retreating water can suck you farther out into the gulf or where the currents are just really tiring to swim against. I suspect this is the issue over at Blue Heron Bridge. Just like at Alabama Point Jettys or Fort Pickens Jetty here, if you catch the currents at the wrong time of day and get caught in the channel, then bay water turns into emerald water pretty quickly and you're trying to hail passing boats, or if you're lucky lugging your gear back accross a beach to the road to thumb a ride back to your entry point.

Certainly check in with one of the dive shops in Panama City, they can tell you were to go, and when.

 

[chazrich]

You dont need to see 100ft there anyway, there are more tropical fish living in the rubble there, just go slow and look and its an awesome dive.

Yeah, my last dive at Panama City was the recently sunk Red Tug in 70' of water with good visibility. There were some students doing a check out dive so the vis was around 30' on the tug, but it cleared up enough to see the surface at 70' once we got blown off the tug by the current on our way back up. :burnout: Wheee!

 

[LanceLisenby]

Here is a handy tide chart link:

Southern Divers Tide Charts