Diving in Destin

[Daisy D.]

None of the dive ops in the panhandle provide a divemaster or a guide by default. If you feel you need one, you can arrange to hire one through the shop for a few extra bucks as mauigal noted.



This is not quite accurate, I have a Divemaster on every trip that will the lead the dive at no extra fee if the divers wish.

 

[mike_s]

This is not quite accurate, I have a Divemaster on every trip that will the lead the dive at no extra fee if the divers wish.

I stand corrected. You're one of the few that has one.

 

[Nemrod]

In many Carib "tours" they hand you your gear, coddle you and fawn over you. In the Florida Panahandle your mostly expected to know what your doing and handle your own gear. If the seas are expected to exceed 2-3 the two boats will not go out. I go out in worse in a tiny boat but so it goes. Three to four can be rough.

I enjoy the Destin Jetty and it has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. I prefer to access it by boat or kayak but in a few weeks I will make my annual spring dive there and will probably walk in alone and dive it alone.

There are two ops in Destin, Emerold Coast and Scuba Tech. I sorta like Emerold Coast better. Both of them prefer to dive either the jetty (I can walk to) or the Bridge Rubble over and over and over and over and over and over every single day. There is quite a few offshore and near shore dive sites from wrecks, rubble and natural bottom/ledges. Some of it quite a run from the pass. I love diving Destin, Pensecola, Panama City but mostly because we do it from our own boat so I don't have to dive the Bridge Rubble over and over and over and over and over. If you get that I don't like the Bridge Rubble, well, I been there a million times, done that, no thanks. Nothing better than watching the Bridge Rubble pass under my sonar at 30 MPH with clear horizon on the bow.

If you dive under the west side of the bridge do so on slack high tide. Be aware of heavy boat traffic. The East Jetty Finger is where you do the "Jetty" dive. It is a fun dive. Some people here dive it all the time, over and over and never tire of it. It is a fun dive. Dive it on high tide or waning high tide. Be aware of heavy boat traffic, current and that bull shark that made three passes at me last spring though I did not see him later that summer.

Navare Beach Pier rubble, decent shallow dive with sometimes interesting fish, straight off the beach.

Pensecola Pier Rubble, similar to the Navarre dive, stay away from the fishing pier on both of these.

Good luck.

N

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Pensacola Pier Rubble is pretty much covered by sand except for the tops of a couple of the pylons that were upright. All the piles of rubble that made the bulk of the relief are covered, atleast until the sandbar shifts again.

 

[murdrcycle]

I have heard that jelly's are really bad in July in Destin - is there any truth to that?

 

[Trixxie]

I was there in August 07 and there were some here and there. Got a couple of stings but it's not unbearable. They had said the jellies were so bad a couple of weeks before then, it was like a carpet of them on the water. I don't know if last year was an exceptionally bad year for them or if it's like that every year.

 

[Nemrod]

East Finger jetty can be seen here with typical activities.

Just outside the pass:

The Liberty Ship:

A secret reef/ledge break I found years ago.

The jetty many years ago:

N

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I have heard that jelly's are really bad in July in Destin - is there any truth to that?

Sometimes... Time period varies slightly and so does population.

 

[vshearer]

Looks like this Sunday (3/9) will be good with HT @ noon. Hope I see somebody there on the East Jettie.
(I have to drive down this weekend and am really wanting to dive so see 'ya there)

 

[mdjgirl7]

I dove the mighty O a few times and it is considered AOW dive. I used nitrox and went down to the flight deck at 138ft. I say don't waste your time going that deep nothing much to see and you cut your BT. I play with boys and they just had to do it one time lol. It is a great dive and it was a easy dive for me. Just pay attention to your equipment and stay close to your buddy. We did have one lady that panicked at 70ft but the dive cons were all over it they grabbed her and brought her up safely.