Never tried scuba-diving before? No problem. Panama City Beach offers the best spot for getting your feet (and the rest of us) wet. Our dive shops will help you get certified so that you can enjoy the bubbles deep. Dive Locker for instance is equipped to help you start your new, aquatic lifestyle. Dive Locker is your one-stop shop.
You won't have to worry about scheduling because classes are small. If you have been certified but have not dived in a while, we offer refreshers. We will put you on the schedule if you give us a call. Sport Diver's summer trip was so successful that a journalist wrote an article about us and the amazing diving off Panama City Beach.
lso, you can see the historical wreck of E. E. Simpson Tug. It sank in 1929. Stage 2 (a Navy platform) was demolished in 1984. The FountainbleauBoxcars (two container cars and associated reef material) are also interesting. A pair of Voodoo Jets anchor in Seltzer Reservoir is another example.
It's a natural, undeveloped hole that is filled with concrete rubble and tire bags. The hole is loved by the fish, who regularly move between it and nearby wrecks like Black Bart.
The US Coast Guard-certified Captain can take you on the customized diving or spearfishing trip that you desire. Do you want to dive at the natural limestone reefs? Or an artificial one created from a fighter-jet? Would you like to visit an underwater bridge. Your choice.
Each rental equipment is professionally cleaned and inspected to ensure safe use upon return. You can find a list of free downloads, resources and other information to help you feel more comfortable before you take that first plunge. Explore some of our favorite dive spots and learn more about historical landmarks only found underwater.
The Black Bart is a 180 foot vessel that was built as an artificial coral reef. Vulcano del Golfo, which was christened in 1977, is dedicated to Charles' Black Bartholomew, Navy Supervisor for Salvage Captain. He died in 1990 while diving off Panama City Beach. His accomplishments include the Recovery of Space Shuttle Challenger, and the cleanup of Exxon Valdez's oil spillage.
An Average Diver, at an Average Depth, With an Average Tank
Based on personal experience, an average open-water certified diver using a standard aluminum 80-cubic-foot tank on a 40-foot dive will be able to stay down for about 45 to 60 minutes before surfacing with a safe reserve of air still in the tank.
So just to reiterate: don't grab animals, don't hold them for photo ops, don't go for rides on dolphins or turtles, and don't force puffer fish to inflate (it can be fatal to them).