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Diving in the Florida Panhandle

	Diving in the Florida Panhandle
Author: downtime27 Posted: 08-Aug-05 IP: Logged	There are many wonderful divesites in the Florida Panhandle. Panama City Beach is becoming very popular. Many students from the north are using our shops for their open water checkout dives and certification. Our sites include wrecks that start in 47ft at the deck, structures in 100ft, and hard bottom reefs. Some of the most beautiful area to dive is a walk-in at the jetties of St.Andrews State Park. There are many dive operators in the area. Panama City Beach is 100mi. east of Pensacola. My Dive boat is a 6-pack named DOWNTIME, which is run out of a shop called DIVE LOCKER. Some days I hunt underwater, and other days I photograph. Panama City's various dive shops and clubs host different tournaments throughout the season. Winners compete for merchandise, cash, and trips. Some of my favorite sites are BLACK BART, ACCOKEEK, STAGE 2, SPAN 14, 2-TUGS. That is a small number of the relative 150 sites in the area. Panama City Beach has a dive for everyone. Usually on our way back home through the pass, the boats stop by Shell Island to see the dolphins. If anyone is interested in this area, let's hear about it.     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: seagoat Posted: 10-Aug-05 IP: Logged	I would love to hear more about the diving in this area! As a matter of fact, I e-mailed the Webmaster this week to ask about dive spots off Destin. he says they should be posting stuff next week. What sites does the DOWNTIME visit?     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: murraypriorities Posted: 19-Dec-05 IP: Logged	Is there any truth the story that an Aircraft Carrier is being scuttled for an artificial reef in the Panhandle??     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: Dizzy Posted: 29-Dec-05 IP: Logged	type in "oriskany" in the browser you will get your answer. I would just like to say. take the ship out to clear water and pull the plug, let her go down with dignity.     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: dbearden Posted: 09-Mar-06 IP: Logged	Does anyone have any GPS numbers for some of the hard bottom reefs in the Panama city area? I'd like to see something other than the wrecks and bridge spans. What depth do these lie in? Thanks!     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: DarthVader Posted: 29-Aug-06 IP: Logged	I recently moved to the Destin Area. I would be very interested in locations to dive if you are willing to share them.     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: reefdvr69 Posted: 09-Sep-06 IP: Logged	Check out Scuba Tech and Emerald Coast Scuba they do alot of the inshore stuff drive to Pensacola and go through Dive Pro for a good trip to the USS. Oriskany     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: PatMyGreen Posted: 02-Jan-07 IP: Logged	Although most people won't give up hardbottom numbers this one is fairly well known and is a great place to start your own number collection from as there is alot of small patches in the area. This type of bottom is fantastic for Sheepshead, triggerfish, mangrove snapper, Red Grouper and shovel nose lobster. You may find a gag and some red snapper off in the sand outside the patch. Remember shovelnose have no minimum size or season, just don't take eggbearing females. Leave no hole unsearched and remember they like to hang upside down The down side of spearing on the hardbottom out to the West is the number of black tips, sandbars and bullsharks that also reside there. Just poke them with the tip of your gun if they get too close and if they get agressive (back arched, fins down, trust me you'll know it when you see it) call the dive. Do not give them your fish, feeding wild animals be it bears alligators or sharks is bad practice for the sharks and future humans who run into them. In general the hard bottom off Panama City is concentrated pretty heavily towards the West end of the beaches. Span 5 to the Tarpon to the Grey Ghost has many ledges running parallel to the coast. I would reccomend just trolling around alittle on a calm day and learning what good hard bottom looks like on it, big ledges are very easy to spot but some of the best spots have no really obvious drop offs like a true ledge, just small cracks and holes. Heaven Reef n30 10.784' w85 53.797' I haven't hit this number in a long while so it may not be right on the money but its close and there are plenty of patches within .1 mile between the West and Southwest. Heaven is in 70, maybe less? Everything else worth diving on is deeper with very few exceptions.     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: ScottC Posted: 26-Apr-07 IP: Logged	Where can I find some of the numbers for the bridge spans? I will be taking my family on vacation in PCB in June, and am looking for a few good sights. Thanks.     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: jfolds Posted: 26-Apr-07 IP: Logged	I have some good numbers for the bridge rubble. I run the fastest and most comfortable dive boat off of PCB. Are you looking at bringing your own boat are chartering one.     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: ScottC Posted: 26-Apr-07 IP: Logged	I was going to bring my boat, and wanted to find some places close to the pass. I dove the Black Bart and one of the bridge spans a few years ago, so I know one the bridge spans is not to far out. I just can't seem to find numbers for the bridge spans. I will also have my wife and kids. They only snorkle, so I would like to find some shallow spots to take them. On this sight I found the Simpson Tug, Spanish Shanty, and the Lifeboats, that are all about 20' deep. I would really appreciate if anyone could point me to some other shallow spots where my kids can see some interesting stuff. Thanks.     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: jfolds Posted: 26-Apr-07 IP: Logged	http://www.co.escambia.fl.us/departments/nesd/documents/Artificialreeflist28Feb07_000.pdf check this web page out, it should give everything you are looking for     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: ScottC Posted: 27-Apr-07 IP: Logged	Awesome, thanks dude that is alot of good info there!     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: Apacheplt Posted: 09-Jun-07 IP: Logged	Here is a good web page compiled by the state of florida with all the artifical reefs coordinates in Florida. Its got 45 pages of artifical reefs including ships. The list is compiled by County and date and is up to date as of May 1 2007. Enjoy http://myfwc.com/marine/ar/REEFS20070501.pdf     Reply | Report to Moderator
Author: PADIMasterdiver Posted: 10-Jun-07 IP: Logged	Very good page Apacheplt lots of info there do you have anymore thank you.     Reply | Report to Moderator