Hathaway bridge in Panama City?

[Snuff]

I was leaving PC earlier this week after diving on the Jetty's for a couple of days, when we crossed the bridge and I started wondering if there was any diving under it. I'm always on the lookout for walk-in dive sites, and this seems like a possibility. We were a little rushed, so I couldn't pull off the old bridge access to check it out, so I figured I'd post it here. Is there any diving under the bridge between Panama City and Panama City Beach? Is it even legal? If there is, how is the access? I've been searching and can't find ANY references to diving under the bridge.

Thanks!

 

[Snuff]

Spoke with Gomez at PC Dive Center and he advised me that you can't dive under the bridge. Homeland security issues make it illegal. Now I know!

 

[mike_s]

how do homeland security issues make it illegal? (I've never seen any mention of homeland security and the Hathaway bridge). I mean did Gomez give you anywhere that was written in law? or just some "hearsay talk"> ?

People dive under hwy 98 bridge in Destin sometimes. no issues with it.



Boats fish the Hathway bridge all the time. How's diving it any different?


People prob just don't dive it because the vis sucks (and currents) and it's much better in the ocean. that's all.


BTW... there are parking areas as each end of the base of the bridge. Easy to spot on Google Maps.

 

[Snuff]

I'm not familiar enough with Homeland Security laws/rules to know whether there's an issue or not. Maybe I should have been a little more specific in that he was speculating that it might be a reason why he's seen divers get chased off from diving under the bridge. He wasn't totally sure if there was a law against it or not.