Panama City This summer-Where to dive

[mike_s]

Actually diving the black bart every now and then doesn't bother me... every trip it would. Their follow up site of Bridge Span #14 is kinda boring though.

It's not that your so much upset about diving the bart again, but you just paid $400 to your LDS for a trip to PCB for a weekend of diving (hotels, tanks, fills, etc). You want to try a wreck you might have not dove before, or a cool one you've heard of from others is all!. not the same ones time and time again.

 

[Diveral]

I'm like Mike I enjoy the Bart, the Strength, and even the Bridge spans but I don't like going there every trip!!!:light: PC has literally dozens of good dives sites and I've dove most of them. But like Nemrod and scubacoot says that was over ten years ago. Let's start utilizing all those good sites and quit boring divers to death.
AL

 

[realnwf]

Dove yesterday with Dive Locker and Bottom Time. We did Black Bart and Hovercraft for the second dive because Air Force was hogging the Bridge spans. Awesome visibility (easily 80-90') and hovercraft had a huge ray. One of the other divers did the dive Tuesday and said vis was not good at all. Had a great time although water temp was still too cold for my tastes. Still trying to figure out correct weighting (combined with the 61 degree water), so I was really sucking air. Pat of bottom time charters was great and seems to be willing to work with you to tailor your trip within reason.

 

[mike_s]

Dove yesterday with Dive Locker and Bottom Time. We did Black Bart and Hovercraft for the second dive because Air Force was hogging the Bridge spans. [

[snip]

. Pat of bottom time charters was great and seems to be willing to work with you to tailor your trip within reason.

I'm not doubting the great trip you had or the great service from Pat.... only pointing out that yet he took you to the Bart and tried the bridgespan... it's a never ending cycle.

 

[Ana]

I'm not doubting the great trip you had or the great service from Pat.... only pointing out that yet he took you to the Bart and tried the bridgespan... it's a never ending cycle.

But people keep paying ridiculous amount of money for the same Bart/Span or Bart/Hovercraft dive trip. On top of that they take the time to spread a good word for those operators. Why should they stop taking divers just outside the pass and use the minimum amount of fuel and maintenance on their excuses for vessels.

Dive Locker is a very good dive shop but there is nothing good or even fair about the charters available to them.

 

[Diveral]

But people keep paying ridiculous amount of money for the same Bart/Span or Bart/Hovercraft dive trip. On top of that they take the time to spread a good word for those operators. Why should they stop taking divers just outside the pass and use the minimum amount of fuel and maintenance on their excuses for vessels.

Dive Locker is a very good dive shop but there is nothing good or even fair about the charters available to them.

Well I have quit doing it and looks like there are dozens more like me.

 

[realnwf]

Well, I was not going to complain, as I was diving to work on skills and confidence. My friend who is an instructor did have two students. Had 7 total on the boat. Too crowded..yes..any complaints from the other divers...no...As a new diver, I just appreciated the dive and the service in a crowded situation.

 

[mike_s]

But people keep paying ridiculous amount of money for the same Bart/Span or Bart/Hovercraft dive trip. On top of that they take the time to spread a good word for those operators. Why should they stop taking divers just outside the pass and use the minimum amount of fuel and maintenance on their excuses for vessels.

Dive Locker is a very good dive shop but there is nothing good or even fair about the charters available to them.

why do people keep paying? .... uhmm... they're not... at least not all fo them.

I'd say the amount of people on PCB charter trips is down about half from what it was 2 years ago.

This includes LDS's and individuals.

 

[Ana]

why do people keep paying? .... uhmm... they're not... at least not all fo them.

I'd say the amount of people on PCB charter trips is down about half from what it was 2 years ago.

This includes LDS's and individuals.

You are probably correct, I don't know the exact numbers from previous or present years, but see them every morning on my way to work/school.

It is no secret most of these charter owners are not geniuses when it comes to the "business" part of their operation, you'd think that seeing numbers turning red would be a hint to look at their practices and adjust as needed. However, based on conversations with some of them, it appears they believe their operation is fine, in their mind the problem is external and out of their hands. This line of though is reinforced when the present customers walk out at the end of the trip all happy, over tipping the mate and then posting on the internet what a great set of dives they had.

I understand that a bad day diving beats a great day doing anything else, but a person should be capable to put things in presepective. I think the going rate is $89 for a 2 tank, that is lots of dollars. I'd expect a trip with not many inconveniences for that price. Well... how about this:
1- Have to go to the shop, find a spot to park out of other boat's way, figure things out, probably wait until your boat comes back from fueling up, sign waivers, then wait some more.
2- Now go to the ramp, pay again unless you're a local and have a yearly pass, look again for a place, wait until the boat is launched and trailer parked.
3- Maybe now you'll get on your way, assuming is not the boat I have in mind, in that case the mate will have to fart around on the engine to make things go.

similar nonsense on the tail end of the trip.

None of the above is a big deal if the price reflects it. For $89 plus tax I want to show up at the docks with my gear 30 minutes before departure time and go.

I tell this things to the operators and I get the same response: "we don't do things like that around here". I'm sure they have a choice of names for me when I turn back from them.

At the end, more or less business doesn't appear to make a change on them. When all of them go broke maybe the next wave of charters will do better.

 

[mike_s]

It is no secret most of these charter owners are not geniuses when it comes to the "business" part of their operation, you'd think that seeing numbers turning red would be a hint to look at their practices and adjust as needed. However, based on conversations with some of them, it appears they believe their operation is fine, in their mind the problem is external and out of their hands. This line of though is reinforced when the present customers walk out at the end of the trip all happy, over tipping the mate and then posting on the internet what a great set of dives they had.

hmmm... I've rarely seen someone post on here what great service they've had from a PCB charter. Maybe they had a good dive trip, but that's because they wanted to go diving. So I don't know where the charter operators get that idea.

The last PCB charter I was on with PCDC was a complete screw up. I mean they were clueless and even lost their anchor line. We still had a good time though because we were out diving and with other friends who wanted to dive that day also.

I don't think the PCB operators want to go any extra effort to keep people coming back though. I wonder what the "external problem" is they are referring to?

None of the above is a big deal if the price reflects it. For $89 plus tax I want to show up at the docks with my gear 30 minutes before departure time and go.

I tell this things to the operators and I get the same response: "we don't do things like that around here". I'm sure they have a choice of names for me when I turn back from them.

Yeah... what's up with that. they want you to come to the shop first, where it's a mad house with people trying to load rental tanks, etc.

At the end, more or less business doesn't appear to make a change on them. When all of them go broke maybe the next wave of charters will do better.

I doubt someone new will come into town. it'll just be one of the local captains who buys whoever is left worn out boat and keeps on doing the same.

with the cost of waterfront marina property going up, increase in insurance costs due to hurricanes, etc, increase in diesel fuel costs, it's almost a losing battle for anyone to venture into.