Panama City Dive Trip

[mcdiver626]

My wife and I were on vacation in Panama City from Aug. 5 to Aug. 10. We were going to take at least 2 boat trips while we were down there. We started going to the different shops to check out trips and prices. We were quite surprised by the prices for trips so we decided to take just one boat trip. We started with PCDC but we did not like the employee we talked to and they seemed to busy to deal with us. Next we went to Divers Den. The employee was much nicer and not so busy. We booked one boat trip for Tue., Aug. 8. We arrived at the shop at 8:00 am for a 9:00 am trip to get weights and rent a BC. The problems started when we found out that their boat was down for repairs and they were sending us to one of PCDC boats. Next they told us we needed to take our rented tanks to the boat. When we get to the PCDC boats they did not even know we were coming. At least they did not make a big deal out of this problem. Come to find out the entire boat load of divers (10 divers) was from Divers Den. The two dives were great and we enjoyed them very much. We dove the Black Bart and one of the bridge spans. When we get back to the dock it is now raining pretty heavy. By the time we get all of the equipment back to the shop I looked and felt like a drowned rat as I got back into the car.

I know that part of our problems could not be blamed on the dive shop but why is it so expensive to dive in Panama City? I been to the keys mostly and never had to load my tanks, never had to pay for weight rental and never had to pay extra for the tank rentals on a boat trip.

McDiver

 

[DEEPLOU]

My wife and I were on vacation in Panama City from Aug. 5 to Aug. 10. We were going to take at least 2 boat trips while we were down there. We started going to the different shops to check out trips and prices. We were quite surprised by the prices for trips so we decided to take just one boat trip. We started with PCDC but we did not like the employee we talked to and they seemed to busy to deal with us. Next we went to Divers Den. The employee was much nicer and not so busy. We booked one boat trip for Tue., Aug. 8. We arrived at the shop at 8:00 am for a 9:00 am trip to get weights and rent a BC. The problems started when we found out that their boat was down for repairs and they were sending us to one of PCDC boats. Next they told us we needed to take our rented tanks to the boat. When we get to the PCDC boats they did not even know we were coming. At least they did not make a big deal out of this problem. Come to find out the entire boat load of divers (10 divers) was from Divers Den. The two dives were great and we enjoyed them very much. We dove the Black Bart and one of the bridge spans. When we get back to the dock it is now raining pretty heavy. By the time we get all of the equipment back to the shop I looked and felt like a drowned rat as I got back into the car.

I know that part of our problems could not be blamed on the dive shop but why is it so expensive to dive in Panama City? I been to the keys mostly and never had to load my tanks, never had to pay for weight rental and never had to pay extra for the tank rentals on a boat trip.

McDiver

Different parts of the world work differently.

In NY, you lug your own gear. Rule of thumb is "if you can't carry them you can't dive them" Boats are not affiliated with any shop, although some shops will charter a boat for a day.

I'll be in PCB 9/1 through 6, and expect to dive on the 1st, 4th and 5th through "the Dive Locker" in PCB.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Some of the PCDC boats are contracted boats that just charter through PCDC, not necessarily directly affiliated with the shop itself. Its not suprising that Divers Den runs through the same boat.

Bringing your own tanks and weights are the rule of thumb around here. Prices are average for the area, I hear its more than other areas - I guess there lucky. It probably has alot to do with the distance to our sites alot of times.

Rain? I guess you can blame me for that I don't mind.

 

[mike_s]

We started with PCDC but we did not like the employee we talked to and they seemed to busy to deal with us.

interesting how many similar comments I've seen about PCDc this summer. I was hoping they would have some improvement....

Next they told us we needed to take our rented tanks to the boat.

Yep. in the Panhandle and other locations, that's standard operating procedure to have to load your own tanks. tanks are not included with the dive like they are in the Keys, where mostly vacation divers who fly in are expected. So therefore in the Keys, most dive packages include cost of weights and tanks. you can typically get a price for without them in the Keys though.

We dove the Black Bart and one of the bridge spans.

yet again, this is 'standard operating procedure' for PCB boats. Yes they are great sites to dive, but jeez,.... can't they at least switch it up every now and then and change sites?

I know that part of our problems could not be blamed on the dive shop but why is it so expensive to dive in Panama City? I been to the keys mostly and never had to load my tanks, never had to pay for weight rental and never had to pay extra for the tank rentals on a boat trip.

Yes it is more expensive to dive in Panama City than it is in the Keys. In the Keys, dive boats can run charters 5 to 7 days a week and easily run 2 charters per day. During the winter months there they still get a steady crowd of folks trying to escape the cold winters up north. The seas are normally calm and seldom are there cancellations due to seas.

In Panama City, the typical dive season is about a "third" of the year with charters running running "half full" on weekends only in March/April, and maybe "full" on weekends May-Sept. The water temps don't get up above 75f until into May sometime. Also "weekday" charters are usually not anywhere near full and often cancel. They tend to "wimp out" in seas over 3 to 4 feet also and cancel.

So the typical charter boat operation in PCB prob does only 1/4 to 1/3 of the trips that a Keys boat would do, which increases their "fixed costs" of operation per trip. (Fixed costs being insurance, boat payments, dockage, salaries, etc).

Also PCB is a destination that most divers "drive" to, so many bring their tanks and 99% bring their weights with them. So it's not typical to see these included in the "base price" like you see in the Keys. Since most PCB storefronts are not located at the Dive Boat, they also want you to pick up any rental tanks and take them with you. Just kind of the rule of thumb here as SBM said. I'm sure that if you've got a vehicle that can't carry them, that you can work something out with the dive shop to get your tanks down there to the boat.

So while it might cost a little more to dive in PCB than the Keys, you'll still see people heading down there to dive since you can easily drive to it from any state in the "south" in 6 to 10 hours for a "weekend trip".

 

[mcdiver626]

This is about the best answer to my question, Thanks mike s

 

[SeaAggie]

Divers Den is going down hill. They are putting alot of people on other shop's boats. PCDC isnt a bad place. You must have caught them at a bad time.

 

[mike_s]

mcdiver, glad I could help.

SeaAggie,

Actually, in places like Panama City, it's very typical to see one shop put customers on another shops boat.

The reason is that unless they get enough paying divers on their charter of their boat, they don't see any sense in paying a captain, a deck hand, and "gas money" to run out for something like 3 people. So they often put people on other peoples boats.

It's pretty simple if you think about it. They'd rather get 10% or maybe 20% "commission" on the sale by selling the spots on the boat and make a little money than loosing "more money" by running their boat with say 3 divers.

As for PCDC... they aren't "bad" or anything, but it's just frustrating for divers to drive 6+ hours and book 4 seperate trips over a long weekend with them and then they go to the SAME EXACT SITES every trip. But to be fair, it's not just PCDC that does this. Other boats in PCB and Destin do the same thing.... To look positively on it, it's still better to be diving the Black Bart over and over again than it is to be at work.

It's also frustrating with PCDC when their repeated problems affect our trip. I've seen this happen first hand. But like I said, to look positively on it, it's still better to be out diving. (*sigh*)

 

[JKSteger]

It is better to be diving the Black Bart over and over than working but after about 2 days of diving the Black Bart then looking at diving it again I would just cancel the trip and drive back to Atlanta and dive in Lake Lanier.

I like going to Six Flags but after 3 days of it, it would get old quick!

Jeremy

 

[Diveral]

Man I don't know what happened to those guys down there. I lived in Panama City Beach 13 years ago and we went to a different site just about every dive. Now I enjoy the Black Bart, it's a good dive & sure beats the Strength and Bridge span which is where they always go now when I'm down there. But they have some great wrecks Chippewa, Chickasaw, Two Tugs, Grey Ghost, Liberty Ship, Hovercraft, Sherman, Tarpon, Commander, Putman, fighter planes, tanks, etc. They have too much going for them. There is no excuse for hitting the same spots over and over and boring everyone to imbecility.

AL

 

[mike_s]

It is better to be diving the Black Bart over and over than working but after about 2 days of diving the Black Bart then looking at diving it again I would just cancel the trip and drive back to Atlanta and dive in Lake Lanier.

I like going to Six Flags but after 3 days of it, it would get old quick!

Jeremy

3 days of the Black Bart isn't that bad.... but with increase in trip prices it is.

So I gotta agree with you there.....

PCDC charges $70 + tax for a 4 hour trip.
Add on $12 + tax for each Nitrox fill.

Add it all up and it's $100 per trip (to the black Bart).


Add hotel, gas, beer, food, etc, and you're easily over $500 for a weekend.

Not many of us are going to spend that much money with PCDC or another boat to dive the Black Bart "over and over".

For $100 plus trips to the same site over and over, I just assume dive the Destin Jetties for free.



Edit: You might find this humorous.... PCDC's "newsletter" is mostly about diving the Black Bart. http://www.pcdivecenter.com/PCDCNewsletterI2V12005.pdf