Panama City Jetties

[mike_s]

Very helpful pics Nemrod and Mike. I plan to swim out from the beach to the ocean end of the jetty, descend, and then head to 'kiddie pool' end. .

I think when you get there and see how far of a swim it is from the "ocean side" (beach) to the end of the jetty, to swim around, that you'll reconsider. I guess it's not that bad, but it's just a farther hike to get there, so most folks opt the shorter walk and to do like Kevin posted above. just enter through the tidal/kiddie pool and go from there. (there are a few spots to get over the rocks)

the jetties are much longer than they look in the pictures/diagrams. you still have plenty to dive just doing "half" of it.

. Also, can anyone tell me about the slope of the underwater part of the jetty? I mean, do the rocks that make up the jetty stay pretty vertical as they slope to the bottom? The actual picture makes it look like something (either rocks or sand) slopes out a good bit from the above-water portion of the jetty

it's all rocks that stick up. the rocks stick up a few feet above the water, but they are low enough in a couple places to swim across

They aren't completely vertical going down, but maybe a little more vertical than 45degrees. it's a fairly steep drop off.


Here are some more pics to help "visualize" it.



I think this is the north end of the tidal pool (boat are going south in pic). this line/section of the jetty you see is bascially the section you'll dive typically.

South (ocean ) end of the west jetty, view from beach

another view of the same, closer in

how big most of the rocks are and height off the water. (note there are several places that the rocks are low enough to swim across once you get into the channel)

view of Shell Island, the east side of the jetties (reachable only by boat or water shuttle)

 

[bigken462]

Cool thread.

Mike clean your mailbox out!!!!! Also you work e-mail still hates my e-mail.

Ok, Hijack over, but still a cool thread. lol

Ken

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Great pics Mike. That is along walk LOL.. The big thing to remember if you still plan on the long swim. If its a big tide change and you get caught, you wont make it all the way. The tide charts can be off give or take 30 minutes.. I think the last dive I did there a few weeks ago they were like an hour off. I prefer the easy dive, its just a cool place and a relaxing dive for little work.

 

[mike_s]

Here are some more pics that I didn't realize I had in the above post


These were all taken from the water in the channel. All taken last summer.


In this shot, it's at the mouth of the channel looking back towards the beach and tidal pool area early in the morning, so no one is on the beach yet (about 7:30am). The tidal pool is to the right of the pavillion you see. you can see some of the jetty channel rocks are submerged and you can swim over them.

This is the end of the west jetty as it extends south into the ocean. view is from the channel looking west towards the condo's of PCB

This is of the tidal pool area (in center and right of pic) about mid day when the crowds are thicker

Another shot of the tidal pool, jetty rocks and beach on the other side of tidal pool

this is just a neat shot of some folks who went down to the extreme far end of the entrance of the channel to the bay.

 

[Nemrod]

Very helpful pics Nemrod and Mike. I plan to swim out from the beach to the ocean end of the jetty, descend, and then head to 'kiddie pool' end. It looks like for most people, you can do that on one tank with a fair amount of leisure (but its hard to judge distance). Is that correct? I plan to take a camera and do a lot of looking-into-crevices type stuff, but would like to do the entire length and don't want to get 1.2-way done and find out I'm down to 400 lbs. Also, can anyone tell me about the slope of the underwater part of the jetty? I mean, do the rocks that make up the jetty stay pretty vertical as they slope to the bottom? The actual picture makes it look like something (either rocks or sand) slopes out a good bit from the above-water portion of the jetty.

It has been at least six years since I have been there. I have usually dove it as you say, swim out to the end point and then using the last of the incoming tide to get me on a nice drift. However, just as you have been told, it is further than it looks in the pics and it might be a safer bet to try the short(er) version first to get a feel for the dive before going whole Hog (pun). Or, wth, just go for it. This dive would do great with a kayak for support.

N

 

[SandyRobinson]

The last time I dove the jetties was about 6 or 7 years ago and we had issues with the fishermen. We tried to stay away from them but two of our dive flags were hooked. We really though they were casting at the flags. Is this still issue? We may have been closer to them than we thought.

 

[ScubaTodd77]

Awesome! I live only 5 hrs away from Panama City and plan on doing a lot of camping and diving at the jetties...it looks like a lotta fun, so I'll be going as much as possible. I snorkeled there about 10 yrs ago and remember being jealous of the scuba divers. So now I finally get to dive it

 

[wilsway]

I used to work at the Dive Locker. They are awsome over there! If you give them a call, Todd will take you out to the Jetties. They also run charters from the shop. You can call Capt Pat Green or Capt Logan and they are both great Captians. Wish you the best!
Wilhelmina

 

[Wayward Son]

entrance fee to the park is now $8.00 per vehicle.

 

[mike_s]

The last time I dove the jetties was about 6 or 7 years ago and we had issues with the fishermen. We tried to stay away from them but two of our dive flags were hooked. We really though they were casting at the flags. Is this still issue? We may have been closer to them than we thought.

a lot of divers don't tow their flags. they just tie them off on a rock and 'anchor them'.

I think florida law says you have to stay within 100 feet of the flag. (of course I think some people don't do that ? :whisling: :whisler:

then pick up your flag on the way back on your return route.

doing this means that you don't get it caught on any lines because you aren't towing it.

also, If you dive the parts of the jetties that are farther towards the bay, then there are open spots in the rocks you can swim through, which means the fishermen have to get wet to get over these spots crawing over the rocks. so that mean less fishermen down that way. FYI.

entrance fee to the park is now $8.00 per vehicle.

yeah... I noticed that on their website the other day.

maybe it'll discourage some of the crowds I'd pay a few extra bucks for that.