A Navy minesweeper tender, measuring 184' in length, with a 33-foot beam, was destroyed to make way for a dive training site. Storms destroyed the bow and it lies on the port side. The boat rests intact and is upright, rising 20ft above the water. The Black Bart is an 180' boat that was used to create artificial reefs. It was sunk in 1993.
For land lovers, there are attractions such as Pier Park, Shipwreck Island and Ripley’s Believe it or Not. You'll also find the finest fresh seafood (the Firefly she-crab soup is one of our favorites!).
The wave interval is more important than the absolute size of the waves around Panama City Beach. The waves that create rollers are long interval waves, while the waves that cause rocking make the boat move up and down. Divers can be difficult to see in the water if the waves are short.
Evenings are a great time to enjoy some of the most delicious fresh seafood. The Firefly shecrab soup is our favorite! the golden sunsets that rise above the turquoise waters. Panama City Beach is an excellent vacation destination as well as a diving destination. You can also drive to Panama City Beach from so many other places.
These sites are unlikely to attract divers by themselves, but if you see a sunken vessel surrounded with reef modules, it is likely that there will be plenty of fish.
Also, the wreckage of the E. E. Simpson Tug which sank back in 1929 are also noteworthy. Stage 2 (a Navy platform which was demolished and rebuilt in 1984), Fountainbleau boxcars (two boxescars and related reef material) and a pair Voodoo planes that anchor in Seltzer reef are some other notable sites.
Panama City Beach is the perfect spot to get your feet wet. The dive shops can help you get certified and take you to the deep blue. Dive Locker, for example, is well-equipped to help you get started with your aquatic lifestyle. They are a one-stop shop that offers dive training, equipment rental, and repair.
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).