Panama City Beach 10/23-25/2015

[Doby45]

I get to finalize my SDI Advanced Diver this weekend in Panama City Beach, can't wait. Plan to do two specialties and they will dependent upon what can be done while down there. Would like to do Deep and Nav or even Night. But I may end up doing Shore and Drift or whatever the instructor feels we can accomplish. Needless to say I am stoked to get down there and I got my DAN Preferred insurance purchased today.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Have fun. You will surely learn some good stuff. I did a couple of dives there a few years ago and thought the diving was awful. But it's a reasonable place for those of us in Atlanta to take courses. For far better diving, drive a few more hours and go to S. FL!

 

[jringold]

I was there last weekend. Visibility was terrible but still had a great time. Note: if you plan to be out in the late afternoon to early evening, you will need more than a 3mm suit. That is what I had and when I got back on the boat I almost froze all the way back to the marina. Have a great time!

 

[Doby45]

I will be rolling a 5mm SEAC WarmFlex so I should be good to go. Thanks!

 

[Zieg]

I was there last weekend. Visibility was terrible but still had a great time. Note: if you plan to be out in the late afternoon to early evening, you will need more than a 3mm suit. That is what I had and when I got back on the boat I almost froze all the way back to the marina. Have a great time!

That is why I always carried a foul weather jacket with me. It was to protect me from the wind more than rain. Kept me a lot warmer even over the wetsuit.

 

[Doby45]

Had a blast and completed the requirements for SDI Advanced Diver. Finished Shore and Boat as the specialties and got to go down on the "Red Sea" through Panama City Dive Center. I could not be more pleased with the shop, the dive and the staff on the boat. We had decent viz 20-30' and perfectly calm down at 60-70', had a ton of current at the 25' and up, it was so bad that on our safety stop we looked like flags on the anchor line. But, as soon as you got to about 30' it was smooth as silk and a really nice dive. Got to see a Goliath Grouper that had to have been a baby at 5' in length, but he was very cool and had very cool markings. I look forward to my next dives!