seaangel
Guest
What are the dive sites like in Panama City Beach? I may be meeting up with some family there in Sept. they are going especially to do some diving. What dive operators would be recommended?
Panama City Beach
- Thread starter seaangel
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Jarhead
Contributor
Hydrospace Dive Shop . It's right at the Panama City Beach end of the Hathaway bridge from Panama City. Three boats doing up to three trips per day per boat. And the boats are at the backdoor of the store. The sites I'll familiar with are:
Black Bart (ocean-going tug)
USS Strength
Jeff Hovercraft (prototype for Navy LCAC)
and Bridge Span #12
Last weekend on the Black Bart, we had "poor visibilty due to fish". When the cloud of silversides sweep around you, visibilty goes to about 5 feet. It's awesome!
The Empire Mica is the premier site. It's a 12 hour/ 3 tank trip that they only do on Fridays. She 400+ feeet long and 125+/- feet to the sand. Sank by a German U-boat during WWII. Rick Murchison did as excellent intro/background post on her in June. Search this site to find/read it. He's more eloquent than I.
There are several other operators in Panama City Beach:
Divers Den
Panama City Dive Center
Dixie Divers
Pete's Scuba Center
I've not heard anything bad about any of them. But I only have personal experiance with HydroSpace. Rick Murchison can probably add much more to this. He's been diving out of PCB longer than I have.
Jarhead
Black Bart (ocean-going tug)
USS Strength
Jeff Hovercraft (prototype for Navy LCAC)
and Bridge Span #12
Last weekend on the Black Bart, we had "poor visibilty due to fish". When the cloud of silversides sweep around you, visibilty goes to about 5 feet. It's awesome!
The Empire Mica is the premier site. It's a 12 hour/ 3 tank trip that they only do on Fridays. She 400+ feeet long and 125+/- feet to the sand. Sank by a German U-boat during WWII. Rick Murchison did as excellent intro/background post on her in June. Search this site to find/read it. He's more eloquent than I.
There are several other operators in Panama City Beach:
Divers Den
Panama City Dive Center
Dixie Divers
Pete's Scuba Center
I've not heard anything bad about any of them. But I only have personal experiance with HydroSpace. Rick Murchison can probably add much more to this. He's been diving out of PCB longer than I have.
Jarhead
Jarhead's givin' me a fat head from compliments...
Panama City - can be great, can be not-so-great. I've had some absolutely awesome dives there; I've been blown out five weekends in a row there. It's the Gulf...
Heading down there tomorrow - no students! Just a few of us for fun and picture taking. I'll report when we get back.
In September I'll be diving with Hydrospace 21st & 22nd for sure (well, as sure as we can be... it is the middle of hurricane season so you never really know for sure).
As Jarhead says, this time of year you frequently have poor visibility due to FISH... we're hoping for it.
Rick
Panama City - can be great, can be not-so-great. I've had some absolutely awesome dives there; I've been blown out five weekends in a row there. It's the Gulf...
Heading down there tomorrow - no students! Just a few of us for fun and picture taking. I'll report when we get back.
In September I'll be diving with Hydrospace 21st & 22nd for sure (well, as sure as we can be... it is the middle of hurricane season so you never really know for sure).
As Jarhead says, this time of year you frequently have poor visibility due to FISH... we're hoping for it.
Rick
OP
seaangel
Guest
Rick that is the same dates that my brother has planned in Sept. They are going to be there the 20, 21 and 22. I am not sure if I can due to my work here, I may have to stay close and take call for my clinic. I would love to go but who knows. I don't know if my brother has set up with a dive operator yet, but will check. They are staying at the Dunes. Maybe I will see you down there.
nicodaemos
Guest
I'll be doing my checkout dives with Divers Den this weekend.
Someone told me to watch out for a place called xxxxxxxxx. Don't have any details, but seems they left some people behind in the water or something. Don't know, could be my friends are trying to crank my nerves before the weekend.
:freak:
Someone told me to watch out for a place called xxxxxxxxx. Don't have any details, but seems they left some people behind in the water or something. Don't know, could be my friends are trying to crank my nerves before the weekend.
:freak:
nicodaemos
Guest
Here's a link to Diver's Den. www.gigli-divers-den.com
Jarhead
Contributor
Here's their web address:
http://www.seahorsewatersafaris.com/index.htm
They don't have a store, but they're located at the Port St. Joe Marina.
Here another possible option:
http://www.killfishcharters.com/
I've not dove with either, but I have exchanged email with SeaHorse.
Jarhead
http://www.seahorsewatersafaris.com/index.htm
They don't have a store, but they're located at the Port St. Joe Marina.
Here another possible option:
http://www.killfishcharters.com/
I've not dove with either, but I have exchanged email with SeaHorse.
Jarhead
gentlegiant
Contributor
KillFish charters is pretty good, but it is best if you have your own gear. Eric and Hugh do a great job and the trip was enjoyable. The boat is a 6-pack boat so quarters can be pretty cramped and there is not much protection from the elements. Eric is very accomadating and will sometimes even provide, via Hugh's speargun, a fresh fish lunch. DAN O2 kit onboard and an O2 analyzer onboard as well.
Thanks, Jarhead. I have rented kayaks from seahorse, but have not dove with them. Next time I am at Mexico Beach(not soon enough) I may try a trip with them. I have heard good things about Killfish. I know there is one operation there I would not dive with. Jarhead if you are ever going to be in the Mexico Beach area and diving I might can get down, if the chidren's schedules don't conflict
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