Shore Diving around Panama City

[ReefHound]

We would be there either next Thursday or Friday. Still a long line then? We have tanks if necessary, just trying to determine if we can avoid hauling them from Houston and just rent in the area.

 

[mike_s]

Which shops have the earliest hours to be able to rent a tank? I have a group staying in Pcola and we are planning to drive to PDC one morning for the jetties. Tide times are 9ish so we would like to be on site by 8am. Anything open then?

I'd suggest Panama City Dive Charters run by Pat Green. They are open early in the morning due to boat trips. They bank 32% also.


some of the other shops I've gotten very "undependable" fills. like 2200-2400psi in a 3442psi tank. Which is a REAL PAIN IN THE ASS to find out once you're on the boat headed out to a dive site.

 

[Hetland]

We would be there either next Thursday or Friday. Still a long line then? We have tanks if necessary, just trying to determine if we can avoid hauling them from Houston and just rent in the area.

Some schools have a late Spring Break, and you could run into crowd issues. Thursday might be safe, but lots of folks like to take Friday off and go to the beach, so I would get there as early as possible.

 

[jviehe]

Wow, thread necro. This thread was started in 2010 asking about PC shore dives, necroed in 2011, during which a discussion about how great PCDC is, was had, and then necroed in 2012 to ask about tank rentals.

 

[ReefHound]

Wow, thread necro. This thread was started in 2010 asking about PC shore dives, necroed in 2011, during which a discussion about how great PCDC is, was had, and then necroed in 2012 to ask about tank rentals.

Yes indeed, since all three times the discussion was relevant to the same topic. Why does this concern you since all three times you had nothing positive to contribute?

 

[jviehe]

Yes indeed, since all three times the discussion was relevant to the same topic. Why does this concern you since all three times you had nothing positive to contribute?

It doesnt concern me. Rather, I find it entertaining.

 

[wetjon]

Alrighty, It's been 11 years since that last deterioration. Any contemporary shore dive suggestions? Is St. Andrews Park still viable for an easy dive?

 

[tarponchik]

Last time there in 2021. They added more rocks to the pier, so now the kiddie pond is more isolated and you can't get across the rocks from over there. So you have to swim around. I think there was a discussion on this on SB but I am not sure. More rocks added more fishermen so now fishing lines and hooks are everywhere. The rocks underwater look as if covered by spider web. I got entangled twice and had to cut myself out; my wife/buddy got entangled too and I had to cut her out too. Amazingly, there is still some wildlife down there. As I recall, we saw a Loggerhead and a couple of huge Orange Filefish. Lots of Blue Angelfish, some Lionfish and Sheepsheads. Some guys used to rent out tanks near the gift shop but now they are in snuba business.

 

[wetjon]

Last time there in 2021. They added more rocks to the pier, so now the kiddie pond is more isolated and you can't get across the rocks from over there. So you have to swim around. I think there was a discussion on this on SB but I am not sure. More rocks added more fishermen so now fishing lines and hooks are everywhere. The rocks underwater look as if covered by spider web. I got entangled twice and had to cut myself out; my wife/buddy got entangled too and I had to cut her out too. Amazingly, there is still some wildlife down there. As I recall, we saw a Loggerhead and a couple of huge Orange Filefish. Lots of Blue Angelfish, some Lionfish and Sheepsheads. Some guys used to rent out tanks near the gift shop but now they are in snuba business.

Thanks for the response. That's some good pertinent info. Not good news about the fishing line.

 

[Plungee]

I dove there in 9/21 and they had added more rocks (or maybe were wrapping up as they still had the barge with the crane on it out there). There was still a gap by the kiddie pool to get out and I didnt notice significant fishing lines. Unless I dove before they finished the change..

I'll post on FB for Panama City Diving and see what they think since they usually do guided shore dives there