When do boats not go out

[matt215]

I'm scheduled to dive in panama city tomorrow, but the weather looks really stormy and windy. At what point will the dice boats not go out? I don't want to get up,at the crack of dawn only to hear the trip,is cancelled. By the way the dive shop is panama city dive center.

 

[mike_s]

all depends on the weather conditions, the wind, the boat, the captain, the dive shop owner, and who he's taking out.

I know... lots of variables.


PCDC has pretty tough boats. They are all old oil crew boats and can take a beating. But if the seas are so high it's popping the ladder out of the water, chances are you won't go for example. Having dive ladders come down and whack customers as they are trying to board it isn't good for business. Just one example.....


You also might have rough seas "offshore" (further than 4 miles out) and an onshore wind and calmer conditions inshore due to wind direction. So they might cancel the offshore trip and say "we're just doing an inshore trip".


If your boat is full of open water students doing check out dives and weather is questionable, it will get canceled much quicker than a boat load of tech divers who are used to waves and currents.

Just lots of variables. and it all differs per boat and captain.


From what I've seen lately the weather in the panhandle has been rough and rainy. the recent FB pics I've seen from Orange Beach and P'cola indicate they've had so much rain that the streets and parking lots are flooding.

 

[matt215]

Thanks for the reply. Looks like they are predicting 4-5 ft swells. Choppy surface conditions.

 

[JEC11718]

Marine Forecast | Weather Underground current conditions.....sleep in, no crack of dawn this weekend, do a shore dive from the jetties, much safer, cost less and if you have to cancel the shore dive ..no biggie! even just the kiddie pool side dive would be better than no dive

 

[Hetland]

Thanks for the reply. Looks like they are predicting 4-5 ft swells. Choppy surface conditions.

I had a Panama City Captain (I won't name the shop) try to take my recreational group out in 5ft seas. I've dove in 5ft seas, and wouldn't recommend it. I had to actually insist that the trip be cancelled, which was very disappointing.