Headed for Destin!

[Texas Torpedo]

Thanks Mike!

 

[Guba]

Exactly the kind of information I've been looking for! Thanks for everyone's input, and we'll try our best to put it to good use.

I KNEW I could count on my Swamper brethren!

 

[chucksaul]

Deep Dixie Divers - ScubaBoard

Don't forget our brethern at Deep Dixie Divers. We did the O to say we did and there were not a lot of fish or things to look at last year so we will wait another couple of years and see how the reef has matuired. What we did not get to do, and what is important about the DDD thread is the Fort Pickens/ Walton bridge and pier. There are a ton of pics which makes it look like a world-class dive but access appears limited with the surge, tides, etc.

We stayed in Foley and it was about 1/4 of what beachfront costs and it was only a 10-15 minute drive away. The drive is a snap so you should have very little trouble.

Zinc, PaulW, K-valve (whereever Waldo is) and a bunch of others did the trip and we had a great time.

Waiting for my granddaughter otherwise might have to join you.

I know we can count on a great trip report...

Charlie

 

[IslandFrog]

Hi Mike,

You were reading my mind. I just picked up Ned's book and "The Springs of Florida" for Bill and I to puruse on the drive over there.

Thanks to all for the input and the advice. Bill and I are very ready to get over there and get wet!

Regards,
Brad

In PCB, you pretty much go where the boat captain wants to go. Typically on a 4hr inshore trip that will be to the Black Bart (180ft tug) and a bridge span or to the Red Sea (180ft tug also) and a bridge span. both are excellent wrecks and good for light penetration. (cut open wide, lots of exits, etc). most of the bridge spans and the two tugs above are about 40-50ft to the tops and about 70' to the sand.

Other places common on the 4 hr trips are the USS Strength, a mine ship. sunk in about 70ft to the sand.

offshore lots of other wrecks....


I highly reccomend Amazon.com: Diving Guide to Underwater Florida, 11th Edition (9781878348395): Ned DeLoach: Books for $13 bucks

EDIT:
Found the book on Panama City DIving.

Info here... (although doesn't show much)
Products

SCUBA Panama City by Danny Grizzard. 1999 edition with inserted update including the ACCOKEEK. 58 page booklet with photographs of local sites. Including sinking

shots of many local artificial reefs. Includes sites are far back as 1975 and as recent as July of 2000. Includes color and black and white photos both underwater and topside. Price: $10.00 plus $3.00 shipping and handling
​

can be bought from

Florida Aquatic & Marine
Products Department
PO Box 2116
Panama City, Fl. 32401
(850)872-8016
products@gulfreefs.org​

Looks like they also have a video called "The Wrecks of Panama City" but I don't know anything about it.





Destin and the area around it has some of the prettiest sand in the world.




I've heard the Liberty boat in PCB wasn't that great to dive. but heard the one in Destin was good to dive. It's more intact.




the Florabama is a long ass drive from Destin. I'd say it's a little further than 15 minutes west of P'cola also. maybe 30-45 depending on beach traffic. It's a good 1.5 hour or more from Destin.

 

[mike_s]

Hi Mike,

You were reading my mind. I just picked up Ned's book and "The Springs of Florida" for Bill and I to puruse on the drive over there.

Thanks to all for the input and the advice. Bill and I are very ready to get over there and get wet!

Regards,
Brad

Hmmm... I've not got the "Springs of Florida". Looks pretty cheap to pick up a copy (used ones as it appears to be out of print). I think I'll get it.


The Danny Grizzard book is a good one also. But it's more of a home grown effort than a normal book you'd buy at Barnes & Noble. Still it's got more info on Panama City diving than about any other book out there. So I found it pretty decent for the price. FYI.

 

[Timeliner]

Bill just be sure to have a dive flag when you dive the jetties at either Destin or Panama City. They'll bust for not having one like you were a terrorist.
If you can bring a snow sled then you can pull your gear down to the water at the Destin Jetties. You can't drive to the water and and it's about a 1/4 mile+ walk on a sand trail so if you have to carry all your stuff it will take a couple of trips and it's kind of a pain that way. You can probably come up with some sort of sled of thick plastic that rolls up.
At St. Andrews State Park in Panama it's a bit easier and closer to get out to the Jetties... just a short walk of 100 yards or so. They do have wheel chairs for the handicapped that have these big low pressure tires that roll on the sand.
Your an old fart like me so I bet they will just let you use one
Be sure to catch the tide at the correct time and you'll have an hour or so to make an easy dive. Catch it at the wrong time and it's a one way drift.

I find the tourists in Destin are nicer as are the locals. Panama City is pretty loud and drunk sometimes. I like the Diving better over all both on and off shore in Panama City.

 

[mike_s]

Bill just be sure to have a dive flag when you dive the jetties at either Destin or Panama City. They'll bust for not having one like you were a terrorist.

It's a little more enforced at St Andrews because it's a state park and they have their own law enforcement.

I've only seen the "law" at Destin jetties one time and he was more worried about making sure that all the fishermen had paid for a fishing license or something. Never bothered the divers.

If you can bring a snow sled then you can pull your gear down to the water at the Destin Jetties. You can't drive to the water and and it's about a 1/4 mile+ walk on a sand trail so if you have to carry all your stuff it will take a couple of trips and it's kind of a pain that way. You can probably come up with some sort of sled of thick plastic that rolls up.

dragging a sled across the sand for a 1/4 mile is worse than just walking it.

The thing to do in Destin is to gear up 100% at the car and don't carry anything in you don't need for the dive. The first 100-150 yards is "soft sand" and is tough. but the rest of the 1/4 mile is easy (easier) if you walk on the hard packed at the waters edge. (head straight to the water).

If you're going to do a 2nd tank, just leave your gear on the beach and throw the tank over your shoulder and make the trek back to the vehicle for it. We've never had anyone bother stuff left on the beach during the dive or while swapping out tanks. (with that said, don't leave your camera or dive computer inviting folks to grab it. ) Lots of people around so "snatch and grabs" don't happen really.

If you really want an example of doing a sled thing, the large wheel beach carts sold at the tackle shop in Gulf Breeze work great. Seayoda has one and it can easily carry two sets of gear and his huge camera system.

Be sure to catch the tide at the correct time and you'll have an hour or so to make an easy dive. Catch it at the wrong time and it's a one way drift.

Both locations are both best to dive at "high slack tide" for best vis and lowest current.

I find the tourists in Destin are nicer as are the locals. Panama City is pretty loud and drunk sometimes. I like the Diving better over all both on and off shore in Panama City.

while Panama City is a little "rougher", it's gone through great improvement in the last five years as they've torn down most of the 'crap hotels' and replaced them with mega condo complexes. it's taken away all the cheap places to stay. so with the town getting more expensive, it's not as much as "Redneck Riviera" as it once was. (still is some though).

You will though find more of the "drunk party crowd" in PCB than in Destin though. Especially during school party times (spring break, first week school is out, etc).

 

[Timeliner]

It's a little more enforced at St Andrews because it's a state park and they have their own law enforcement.

I've only seen the "law" at Destin jetties one time and he was more worried about making sure that all the fishermen had paid for a fishing license or something. Never bothered the divers.

My wife and 17 year old daughter got busted for snorkeling with no dive flag at Destin Jetties ! It was about 4 years ago on Spring break. We were the only people at the Jetties.
There was a lady Sheriff that drove up to where we were and got on the bull horn and told us to come out of the water. She radioed in and two Sheriffs boats pulled up within minutes. We were as polite as we could be and still they all ****ed with us for over an hour. Two of the Sheriffs wanted to arrest us and the lady Sheriff talked them out of it. They wrote a warning ticket and made us pack up and leave.

Trust me.... take a dive flag !

 

[mike_s]

My wife and 17 year old daughter got busted for snorkeling with no dive flag at Destin Jetties ! It was about 4 years ago on Spring break. We were the only people at the Jetties.
There was a lady Sheriff that drove up to where we were and got on the bull horn and told us to come out of the water. She radioed in and two Sheriffs boats pulled up within minutes. We were as polite as we could be and still they all ****ed with us for over an hour. Two of the Sheriffs wanted to arrest us and the lady Sheriff talked them out of it. They wrote a warning ticket and made us pack up and leave.

Trust me.... take a dive flag !

and that's why people hate cops. harassment like that.


How/why does it take running two seperate boats and one deputy on land to harass/ticket a couple of snorkelers...

jeez.


For those diving in Destin Jetties, most everyone takes their dive flag and ties it off on the "ammo box" (long metal box) that's about 1/4 way down through the dive instead of towing it around the entire time.

If I can dig up a pic of it, I'll post it. (but it's the only long metal box you'll run across during the dive. FYI.

 

[Zinc]

K-valve (whereever Waldo is)

Uhm, married... I think he needs the kind of advice I can't provide... like how to get a kitchen pass to go diving

J/k, he's just swamped w/ new wife, new job, moving, etc.

I just picked up Ned's book and "The Springs of Florida" for Bill and I to puruse on the drive over there.

Might also checkout TampaDiving.com

Absolutely the best online resource I've found on Florida Caverns and Caves. Site distinguishes b/w OW, Cavern, and Cave (see checkboxes on index page) plus has an awesome aerial map feature display all the sites, google earth syle with zoom and all.

To check it out, pick a spring off the list, click on it to open the profile, the double click the map to the right.
Warning: the first time I did this I didn't stop until the wee hours of morning

The site also has dated dive condition reports to check things like recent viability and flow conditions before you go... :cool2:

One site I'd suggest looking into is Morrison Springs.