I can't take 7 people, through the pass or otherwise. I'm way to heavy with tanks and gear to go past Ft. Pickens, with over 4. 4 is about the max with gear and tanks for me. The deck of my boat is small and so I put the tanks and gear below decks, which makes it difficult to get to the bathroom and lockers, but doable. If everyone plans to dive 2 tanks, which in my eyes is usually a minimum, then we're talking 8 tanks and gear. That's about 800 lbs plus 4 passengers around another 500-600 lbs. That starts to sit me low in the water and for anyone that has ever gone through Pensacola pass knows you don't want to sit low in the water. So 4 is about max for me! So if we want to head offshore/near shore then we need to have another boat, or less people. I'm okay to go out the pass (With some Gas $ help). But I can't take that many people. I've dove Ft. Pickens in the middle of tides like this and it wasn't bad at all, but if you get away from the jetties and onto the sand it can be a finning experience. The little lagoon West of the Western Jetty is a nice escape if you were to get sucked out by the tide. This is usually where I park my boat, so it's not too bad. I'd say we can still shoot for Ft. Pickens unless we get another boat or 2, then we have a lot more options. If we get another boat we can bumper up over the 3 barges or Russian Freighter or whatever and dive like crazy people. I'd say the key is more boats. Othewise we need to plan on something else, weather that's a shore dive or maybe a charter. Bay breeze aquatics has a pontoon dive boat charter, which I think they take to Ft. Pickens. Let's see what happens in the next day or so.
