Panama City This summer-Where to dive

[divinginn]

im about ready to write off staying in panama city beach,the only decent rooms i could find were 150.00 a night and there wernt too many rooms at that,they have ruined that place with all the condos. thinking about checking out mexico beach. any one know anything about it,would still like to dive pcb@st. andrews. underwater is still very nice.

 

[jviehe]

There are almost no charters in Mexico BEach. Try Destin instead. the Motel 6 is pretty cheap.

 

[Nemrod]

There is a huge diversity of rock reef, natural bottom, ledges and assorted wrecks and artificial reefs out of Destin, Panama City, Pensecola etc but your not going to get to them from any of the dive ops. They almost all run barely outside of the inlet to the nearest bridge rubble. You will find they take you to the same place every time, every day, every year. I go down this summer for several weeks but will be bringing my own boat and will dive something other than the bridge rubbles over and over. N

 

[mike_s]

There are almost no charters in Mexico BEach. Try Destin instead. the Motel 6 is pretty cheap.

How about these ? (I think officially they are Port St. Joe, but real close)

Killfish http://www.killfishcharters.com/
Seahorse Water Safari http://www.seahorsewatersafaris.com/

someone's got a Newton dive boat they run as a six pack out of Apalachiacola also (or somewhere near).



As for Destin, their charters are almost as much of a joke as Panama City. One of their shops hardly goes past the jetties with their boat and the other cancels if the seas are over 2 foot. (and they have an oil crew boat).

 

[Nemrod]

The only boat I know of that will go offshore very far is the Y Knot in Pensecola. A few others run specific trips to the Oriskany as well in the Pensecola area. As to getting offshore in Destin or Panama City I just don't think your going to be able to do so unless you get with a local or have a seaworthy boat of your own. I am afraid that is the facts, I am tired of asking them and arguing with them and offering huge sums of money and having them tell me certain places don't exist. I think something must have scared them because it was not this way a decade or so back. Good luck. N

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Charter out of Orange Beach, just a skip and a jump on the other side of P'Cola and they'll get you offshore to the same spots for the most part. Gary's Gulf Diver and Underwater Works both go offshore often.

 

[jviehe]

How about these ? (I think officially they are Port St. Joe, but real close)

Killfish http://www.killfishcharters.com/
Seahorse Water Safari http://www.seahorsewatersafaris.com/

someone's got a Newton dive boat they run as a six pack out of Apalachiacola also (or somewhere near).



As for Destin, their charters are almost as much of a joke as Panama City. One of their shops hardly goes past the jetties with their boat and the other cancels if the seas are over 2 foot. (and they have an oil crew boat).

I tried to go out with seahorse for a year, and there was always something keeping them from running. I dont know what killfish is about, but they dont run regular charters for diving. Of course everything is a matter of money. Pay them enough, fill the boat, they will take you wherever you want. That goes for Panama City and Destin too. Regular charters where you are 2 of 12 will go to the closest, most popular places. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Ana]

I'm sort of interested in trying lobster hunting and I recall seeing a dive op that offered that and would cook them when you get back but I can't seem to locate their site now.

Also, I'm thinking about the 3 tank dives that go a little further offshore. Maybe interested in the freshwater diving near there as well.

What do you recommend?
TIA

The previous posts painted a very accurate picture of diving in PC.

This place has wonderful dive sites with the worse dive operators of the planet. Not that I care anymore, but there is potential for hope. Dive Locker is about to receive a pretty nice dive vessel. Suposedly they are going to run the operation the way it should be done. You know, radical stuff: leaving at the time they are scheduled to leave, not cancelling the trip at 30 minuters after departure time, because the jack#@sses who reserve spots are hangover and won't show up.

I now have the best dive boat in the world so I don't care, but for whoever wants to enjoy the friggid waters of the northern gulf there may still be a chance.

 

[mike_s]

I dont know what killfish is about, but they dont run regular charters for diving. .

I've never been on the Killfish but know many that have. He runs a 6-pack via trailer and will launch where you want.

He does (or did) a lot of trips to the Empire Mica, which is a pretty hard boat to get the PCB boats to run to.

 

[jviehe]

Yeah, I just meant he doesnt schedule charters you can hop on. You have to arrange something. I think he is more a fishing charter, than diving. Small boat too. Heard good things otherwise. There is also Capital City Dive Charters out of Carabelle. More of a spearfishing boat, but many of my scuba club have gone out when him. He has a huge boat, but only runs 6 divers. Heated interior and everything.