Our definition of inshore diving is less than 8 miles from St Andrew’s Pass and generally safe of open water divers. Notable dives here include the Red Sea, a 125' tug boat installed in 2009, and the historic wreck of the E.E. Simpson Tug that sank in 1929. Other interesting sites include Stage 2 (a Navy platform that was demolished in 1984), the Fontainebleau Boxcars (two boxcars and associated reef material), and a pair of Voodoo jets anchored in Seltzer Reef. Below is our table of inshore dive sites in Panama City Beach with associated bottom depths.
Historic shipwreck, the SS Tarpon. The ship sank in 1937, killing 18 crew members including Willis G. Barrow, her captain. Adley Baker, a crew member, managed to swim the 9 miles to shore under gale-force winds. Although it was a long 25-hour journey, Adley Baker survived and lived to tell the story.
Panama City Beach was directly impacted by Hurricane Michael, which was a category four storm in October 2018. It made landfall in the Panhandle with maximum sustained winds of 154mph. Hurricane-force winds were experienced by more than 650 artificial reefs.
SCUBA diving is serious fun and we want you to enjoy it as much as we do. Our entry-level SCUBA programs, available through NAUI, PADI & SSI, are designed to get you, your family and friends into the water as quickly as possible, while at the same time, satisfying your individual training needs.
It's easy to see why Panama City Beach is second in Florida for divers. To experience the beauty of the Gulf of Mexico's marine life and beautiful underwater landscapes, you can also jump fin-first.
I love this shop, my boat crew and my dives! They have been a part of our lives for several years. We have had great experiences and great dives every time. You can rent or purchase a lot of gear. Everyone is happy and eager for help!
She's three stories tall and home to incredible sea life. As of our last journey, you could still find the "Happy Holidays", unknown townsfolk written onto her deck.
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.