Dive Report - 01/19/2009 Panama City Beach

[Hetland]

Met up with MrXray on Monday, and made a trip to PCB Jetties. The wind was pretty swift when we got to the park, but the current did not look too bad, so we suited up. Another diver reported to us that viz was pretty bad, but we heard that before, so we didn't give it too much credit..... Sadly, even for us, viz was pretty bad. The current was manageable, but it was unpredictably chaotic, and just strong enough to make photography a near impossibility. The sediment was the coup de gras for our photo hopes, but we tried like the stubborn fools we are. The previously-stated terrible visibility ranged from perhaps seven feet, to seven inches. Flashlights were required for anything deeper than four feet, and even with a strong light, boulders and such did a good job sneaking up on me. Keep in mind that this was around 2:30ish in the afternoon

Sea-critters were pretty skittish too. I saw about a dozen damselfish, but instead of their usual flirtatious camera-baiting, they darted away as soon as they appeared. There were a few sheepies out, a couple of grouper, a good mix of live snails (shell collecting was a strike-out) tons of urchins and several dozen arrow crabs. Everything else was hunkered down in their holes, and far from sight.

Our first dive was to the Gulf-side of the opening, and I got as deep as 57 feet. We tried the left side on the second dive, but the tide shifted to outgoing at that point, and we ended up drifting back towards the gulf end again as it offered marginally better viz. I hit 41 feet on the second dive. My comp showed 56F, but I think XRay had a higher reading on his.

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Despite less than perfect conditions, It was still good to get out and make a few salt-dives. We did avoid jellyfish encounters and injuries, and I learned a little more about the rocks at PCB. I look forward to making some night dives out there once it warms up a bit more, and hopefully making friends with the cephalopod population.

Our post-dive discussions were held at McGuire's, where I tried to talk XRay into a $2 margarita, but he was driving, so we settled on some grub instead. As usual, I ate too much too fast, but perhaps I'll learn before I have to buy big-boy clothes

Drive Home

 

[MRXRAY]

Great report as Usual. My First dive I showed 59* and 58* on the second. My pictures are absolutely horrid, but I'll attach a couple that you can at least make out what it's supposed to be. The silt was the real issue in terms of viz and I found myslef head butting more than a few over hanging rocks. As Alex said it was a real joy just to get some salt water running through my veins again, and a stop at McGuire's for debrief was a great finish to a fantastic day of diving!

 

[ShagMan]

Still got some decent pics, and you got wet, so sounds like a good day!

 

[MRXRAY]

Aaaaaaaamen!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

It can be a great dive when the visibility cooperates, great variety of life out there.

 

[GLENFWB]

I have done that EXACT dive before....with the same results. We had to use our lights on a daytime dive! Trying to hold on to a rock in that current, while lifting a camera, is VERY challenging. I was laughing at myself underwater trying to do it...it was pretty comical sometimes.

Looks like viz at Panama City was the same as Destin. The only thing I found encouraging about the viz was that it was only sand blowing around messing up the viz. It wasn't that green slime we fought with most of last year. My hope is that once the surf and sand dies down...our viz will come back...at least that is my hope.

 

[Hetland]

I have done that EXACT dive before....with the same results. We had to use our lights on a daytime dive! Trying to hold on to a rock in that current, while lifting a camera, is VERY challenging. I was laughing at myself underwater trying to do it...it was pretty comical sometimes.

Looks like viz at Panama City was the same as Destin. The only thing I found encouraging about the viz was that it was only sand blowing around messing up the viz. It wasn't that green slime we fought with most of last year. My hope is that once the surf and sand dies down...our viz will come back...at least that is my hope.

We were discussing the same thing on the ride back. It looks like most of the heavy blizzard activity has been well West of the Mississippi River this year, so we may luck out and miss another algae-fest. I've got my fingers crossed.

 

[GLENFWB]

Becky at Scuba Shop in FWB told me that just before the last round of storms came through, that viz in the Gulf off of Destin was in the 80 foot range in places. SeaYoda said that Scuba Teck told him Monday that they had been told it was 50 feet viz at the Bridge Rubble Monday AM. All of these are encouraging signs, although I know we generally don't battle the algae till it warms up. But, at this point I am hopeful that we might get Gulf conditions back to normal....whatever that is.

We were discussing the same thing on the ride back. It looks like most of the heavy blizzard activity has been well West of the Mississippi River this year, so we may luck out and miss another algae-fest. I've got my fingers crossed.

 

[MRXRAY]

If the wind would calm down I think we could be looking at some good viz. In fact 2 divers we saw at the Jetties in Panama said that the viz had been 30 feet only a couple days earlier.

 

[denisegg]

The Sea-critters that were pretty skittish had more sense than you two.