xtracheese4me once bubbled...
by cattle boat you mean that they get as many people as you can fit on a boat?
BTW we will be there shortly after you May17-22
thanks,.
B
By cattle boat we mean they are big boats. The Captain Scuba II and Reef Runner can accomodate about 20 divers without being crowded, and the Island Diver about 30. The sites are large enough that this many divers isn't crowded. Some folks don't like that many divers on a boat and will complain no matter how professional the operation is otherwise. Hydrospace is a fine outfit.
They cannot, however, control the weather, the visibility, the sea state or the current.
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We're running an "all inclusive" package that includes all meals, lodging and five dives on the May 17 weekend. PM me if you're interested.
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Holiday Lodge is next door to Hydrospace and they have a loose association - we typically stay there when diving with Hydrospace because it is so convenient. It is *not* a five star hotel and has few ammenities - but it is reasonably priced, clean and the folks who own and run it are friendly and accomodating. There is no longer a restaurant on site, but PC is full of places to eat that range from the positively awful to the insanely expensive to just plain good.
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Other boats and dive shops - Dixie Divers, Diver's Den and PCDC are all fine; my favorite if you're interested in a smaller boat is with Sea Divers out of Ozark, AL, who run two 32' boats out of PC. George & Mary (Sea Divers) are just super nice folks to deal with and very accomodating when it comes to getting the dives you want.
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Panama City diving can be some of the best in the world if you hit it right. Good luck and good diving...
Rick