Diving in the Panama City area

[Yarbrough]

Jon,

I just wanted to say thanks for defending the honor of the Dive Locker, and Pat, you're right, we run to the same spots quite a bit, but we did do a great Grey Ghost trip three tank the other day. I like the smaller more personal charters too, but those Newtons that we are running are really easy to dive from...

Todd

 

[jviehe]

Jon,

I just wanted to say thanks for defending the honor of the Dive Locker, and Pat, you're right, we run to the same spots quite a bit, but we did do a great Grey Ghost trip three tank the other day. I like the smaller more personal charters too, but those Newtons that we are running are really easy to dive from...

Todd

Well, lets not make this a on line fued between you guys. Everyone has their opinion and their niche. Less experienced and infrequent divers are going to tend to go to dive shops and larger boats that go to more popular spots. Smaller boats are going to tend to have more experienced divers who want personal service and custom trips. I do both. I take my students and big groups on the big boats to the usual spots. And I take myself on the smaller boats to the places I want with the people I most like to dive with (no offense to all my buddies ).

 

[mike_s]

Though I make fun of the shops that all they do is go to the black bart... the black bart is actually a good dive and it's good for students also. I'm guessing the top of the wheelhouse is about 45 feet or so and is a good place to line up students on the roof to do a runthough of their skills.

that's one of the reasons the shops go there so much... the other is it's close and diesel is over $4/gallon and the wreck is close.

 

[jviehe]

Not to mention its one of the best dives out there that is inshore. That and the Strength are my favorite inshore dives even though Ive dove them 10-20 times.

 

[PatMyGreen]

No feud here! Like I said I am going to be a cattle boat myself to accommodate those larger groups (and make more money) I am all about giving the customers as much input as possible in their choice of dive sites, just like I did last Summer when I was running the Dive Locker's Newton Fintastic. I also will not fill it to capacity at the expense of customer comfort just to make a few more dollars. I feel that that will set me apart from alot of operations.

That in particular was the basis of my recent praise in another thread of Scuba Doo charters in Key Largo, they refused to pack people in like sardines even though they could have. I understand that is also part of the reasoning for the Dive Locker acquiring a second boat, an expensive way to make sure you have two morning trips go out without overcrowding for sure!

Edit
For the record I definitely have Newton Envy BTW! I have wanted to run one since I first went out on Capt Kamen's Pressure Drop to go to the Middle Grounds for 3 days.

 

[mike_s]

So how are gas prices affecting diving in Panama City?

I mean from the point of view of charter captains and boat diesel....?

and also the fact that because gas is almost $4/gallon at the consumer pump, are fewer people driving down to dive? I mean those big SUV's full of dive gear cost a lot to fill up.

 

[PatMyGreen]

The charter fishing fleet is off 30% according to the Patronis family. I think everyone has been abt slower than normal, but then again it isn't exactly the start of the season here yet. Diesel is only part of the problem, as land values have skyrocketed boat slips are getting more and more expensive too, especially for commercial boats. Few marinas will take commercial boats for some reason.

Frankly I am looking at recycling used vegetable oil and into biodiesel to offset the cost of fuel from the pump, this is something Todd (Yarbrough) and I would benefit from just for our trucks nevermind the boats that get 1 mpg. Last time I checked Todd routinely carrys his students and gear up to the springs North of town in his F-250 and still has some of the cheapest classes available, so thats coming out of his pocket.

The otherside of the high prices is that less people are trailer their boats down from Ga. and Bama, so hypothetically they will need to come out with one of us...... right? Yeah, I know but I want to believe it might happen like that.

 

[mike_s]

well I know a lot of folks have really cut back their trips to the gulf...

why? because the cost of gas and other things that have gone up in price have put a dent in their wallet. That and a trip down puts a dent in their wallet also Like you said, land values have skyrocketed. It makes hotel stays about twice as much as they used to be a few years ago. That and all the 'cheap decent hotels' are goine. bulldozed and replaced by 25 story high-rise condos with sky-bridges across the street to their adjoining parking lots...

 

[jviehe]

No feud here! Like I said I am going to be a cattle boat myself to accommodate those larger groups (and make more money) I am all about giving the customers as much input as possible in their choice of dive sites, just like I did last Summer when I was running the Dive Locker's Newton Fintastic. I also will not fill it to capacity at the expense of customer comfort just to make a few more dollars. I feel that that will set me apart from alot of operations.

That in particular was the basis of my recent praise in another thread of Scuba Doo charters in Key Largo, they refused to pack people in like sardines even though they could have. I understand that is also part of the reasoning for the Dive Locker acquiring a second boat, an expensive way to make sure you have two morning trips go out without overcrowding for sure!

Edit
For the record I definitely have Newton Envy BTW! I have wanted to run one since I first went out on Capt Kamen's Pressure Drop to go to the Middle Grounds for 3 days.

Hah, Kamens is luxury. No more than 6 people on a boat that can fit 20.

 

[PatMyGreen]

You can fit 20 passengers on a 36' Newton, Kamen's is a 46'! But yeah, complete luxury for diving.... I took a frisbee and a football for surface intervals.