Can you scuba dive in Panama City Beach

Scuba Dive Panama City Beach Weather


You can expect visibility between 30'-50' with water temperatures ranging from the 60s in winter and 80s in summer. You should bring gloves for the sharp edges on the wrecks, a dive knife in case you run into some fishing line, and a safety sausage since you’re on a boat trip.


Panama City Beach boasts a vast array of artificial coral material. Material options include old piers, bridge pilings and custom-designed reef habitat. While these sites are unlikely to attract divers by themselves most of them will attract divers if they are surrounded by reef module-enclosed ships.

Where is the clearest water for scuba diving


The St Andrew's Park Jetties are the best place to start shore diving in Panama City Beach. You can walk from the parking lot to reach the beach in a few minutes and you will soon be in the water. There is no boat traffic on the beach-side. If you decide to cross the channel, make sure to bring your dive flag. There are many tropical fish living in the jetties' rocks. High slack tide is the best time to dive. This means visibility and current are better. St Andrew's Park jetties is also a great place to snorkel in Panama City Beach.

Where is the clearest water for scuba diving
Hour Trip

Hour Trip


Warsaw Reef is one the top reef dives. It's an artificial hole with concrete rubble & tire bundles. The hole is loved by the fish, who travel to nearby wrecks like Black Bart.

Scuba Diving


The Black Bart is an 180-foot vessel that was used as an artificial reef in 1993. Vulcano del Golfo was named in 1977 in honor of Charles' Black Bart' Bartholomew (Navy Supervisor of Salvage Captain), who drowned while diving off Panama City Beach, in 1990. His achievements include leading the Navy's cleanup after the Exxon Valdez oil leak.

At what depth do you start sinking

At what depth do you start sinking



The El Dorado is Panama City Beach’s newest wreck. Hurricane Michael blew the ship ashore in October of 2018. She sat derelict off the Hathaway Bridge as a constant reminder of the storm’s deadly wrath through winter and spring. In May of 2019, she started her life as a premier dive site.

City


The Panama City Beach has a variety of great dive sites, suitable for both beginners as well as experienced divers. Over 50 artificial reefs can be found within miles of the World's Most Beautiful Beaches. There are also bridge spans, boats, bridges, and hundreds upon hundreds of natural limestone reefs. The depths range from 18 feet to 110ft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Never hold your breath

As every good entry-level dive student knows, this is the most important rule of scuba. And for good reason — breath holding underwater can result in serious injury and even death. In accordance with Boyle's law, the air in a diver's lungs expands during ascent and contracts during descent.

As you become a qualified scuba diver, you learn the basics of an essential scuba system. A cylinder, weights, an exposure suit, regulators, BCD gauge and timing device, mask and fins are the bare essentials.