Panama City, FL Dive Recommendations

Going to be down at Tyndall AFB for AFRES duty this month, and looking for
dive recommendations while I am down there. My dive buddy will be meeting up
with me, and we are both AOW & Nitrox.

What are the best dive sites, and what are the best Dive Charters / Shops in
this area.

TIA

Mark

We just got back from PC this weekend. There is a Dive shop right
near the base called Diver's Den. However all their boats leave out of
Panama City Beach. So your looking at a 30 min drive over, even using
Transmitter road as the short cut.

Having gone to Dive School in PC and that being near home, I've dove
with most operations. There is Panama City Dive Center. I personally
do not like doing business with them mainly because in my book, they
are shop weenies. There is Hydrospace. It is a family run
operation. Very personalable people. I have always felt at home with
them. Maybe because it is I've know them for over 15 years.

There is also a place called the "Dive Locker". New operation, have
not been out with them at all. It was called Last year Pete's SCUBA
but Pete quit the business. I have been told that as of right now,
they have some of the best air in PCB right now.

My wife does not like the big boats, so we've been going out with a
boat called the Jade Diver. She is 27' 6 pack. Good Crew, and super
safe. They contract through Panama City Dive Center (Groan). Mike is
the owner/Capt and is very knowledgeable in diving and skippering.

Price wise, your looking at $55.00 for an inshore dive. You will find
that dive prices are the same for all shop. THey all seem to meet at
the begining of the year and agree on pricing.

Site wise: Most of the shops sell a Dive Site purple book. It is
anicent circa 1980/1990. But list almost all the Dive shites out
there. The Black Bart is one of the best sites out there. The "to
Die For" Dive is the Empire Mica. It is an all day dive and 3 tanks.
Cost wise is 125.00. But do some of the area dives first and then
pick up the Mica, if your not used to Gulf diving.

This weekend was pretty rough. We were supposed to go out on Friday,
but it was ike Monsoon condition. Sat went out and it was a little
rough but not too bad, but vis was down to 15-20'. Average out there
is 30-45'.

I have not dove with any operations out of Mexico Beach. If you do,
please share your impressions.


David


On Mon, 07 Jul 2003 10:10:59 GMT, "Mark T. Mueller"
<mark.t.mueller@verizon.net> wrote:

>Going to be down at Tyndall AFB for AFRES duty this month, and looking for
>dive recommendations while I am down there. My dive buddy will be meeting up
>with me, and we are both AOW & Nitrox.
>
>What are the best dive sites, and what are the best Dive Charters / Shops in
>this area.
>
>TIA
>
>Mark
>

If you want to dive the Mica, a drive to Pot St Joe and dive with Killfish
Charters is well worth it. I dove with Eric "Killfish" a few weeks back on
the mica and I can say its the best dive boat I've been on yet. He is laid
back and does not make you feel like a herd of cattle being pushed in the
water. He takes a max of six divers and fries up freshly speared fish
sandwiches between the second and third dive.

"Snoopy" <snoopyto@aol.com> wrote in message
news:e4kigv4f79dtslhk4hiqoi9rokocmqtk6u@4ax.com...
> We just got back from PC this weekend. There is a Dive shop right
> near the base called Diver's Den. However all their boats leave out of
> Panama City Beach. So your looking at a 30 min drive over, even using
> Transmitter road as the short cut.
>
> Having gone to Dive School in PC and that being near home, I've dove
> with most operations. There is Panama City Dive Center. I personally
> do not like doing business with them mainly because in my book, they
> are shop weenies. There is Hydrospace. It is a family run
> operation. Very personalable people. I have always felt at home with
> them. Maybe because it is I've know them for over 15 years.
>
> There is also a place called the "Dive Locker". New operation, have
> not been out with them at all. It was called Last year Pete's SCUBA
> but Pete quit the business. I have been told that as of right now,
> they have some of the best air in PCB right now.
>
> My wife does not like the big boats, so we've been going out with a
> boat called the Jade Diver. She is 27' 6 pack. Good Crew, and super
> safe. They contract through Panama City Dive Center (Groan). Mike is
> the owner/Capt and is very knowledgeable in diving and skippering.
>
> Price wise, your looking at $55.00 for an inshore dive. You will find
> that dive prices are the same for all shop. THey all seem to meet at
> the begining of the year and agree on pricing.
>
> Site wise: Most of the shops sell a Dive Site purple book. It is
> anicent circa 1980/1990. But list almost all the Dive shites out
> there. The Black Bart is one of the best sites out there. The "to
> Die For" Dive is the Empire Mica. It is an all day dive and 3 tanks.
> Cost wise is 125.00. But do some of the area dives first and then
> pick up the Mica, if your not used to Gulf diving.
>
> This weekend was pretty rough. We were supposed to go out on Friday,
> but it was ike Monsoon condition. Sat went out and it was a little
> rough but not too bad, but vis was down to 15-20'. Average out there
> is 30-45'.
>
> I have not dove with any operations out of Mexico Beach. If you do,
> please share your impressions.
>
>
> David
>
>
> On Mon, 07 Jul 2003 10:10:59 GMT, "Mark T. Mueller"
> <mark.t.mueller@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> >Going to be down at Tyndall AFB for AFRES duty this month, and looking
for
> >dive recommendations while I am down there. My dive buddy will be meeting
up
> >with me, and we are both AOW & Nitrox.
> >
> >What are the best dive sites, and what are the best Dive Charters / Shops
in
> >this area.
> >
> >TIA
> >
> >Mark
> >
>

Tyndall AFB...sigh...brings back good memories. Check out at the "yacht
club" on base, too. (different than the marina) We used to hop rides with
others that were going out for dives and we would chip in for gas. There
were always people more than willing to take us out. Have you dived there
before? Lots of schooling fish and bigger fish, but not much in the way of
color. And of course it's just a sand bottom. Dives are usually 100' or
so. Some neat wrecks around the area though. Have fun.



"Mark T. Mueller" <mark.t.mueller@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:TGbOa.47607$n%5.26862@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
> Going to be down at Tyndall AFB for AFRES duty this month, and looking for
> dive recommendations while I am down there. My dive buddy will be meeting
up
> with me, and we are both AOW & Nitrox.
>
> What are the best dive sites, and what are the best Dive Charters / Shops
in
> this area.
>
> TIA
>
> Mark
>
>
>