St Andrews 7/19 & 7/20 Dive Report

Our weekend adventure to St Andrews St Park in Panama City Beach, FL was a huge success!!! We met up with some great dive buddies and friends, met some new ones, had four awesome dives, great food and socializing. Even the weather cooperated and the water temps were 81F.

Andy, Andrew and I got to Panama City around 8:30pm Friday night and checked in and then went in search of food. "They" decided on Hooters and we ate a couple of variations of their wings. We made it an early night and only had one mishap on the way to the park the next morning. I opened the dive trailer for Andy to put the cooler in it and hopped in the vehicle. He put the cooler in the back of the navigator and we took off. About 3 miles or so down the road a couple pulled up by us and said your trailer door is wide open and something was falling out of it. The light was red so Andrew and I jumped out and ran back there to close the door and I didn't see the cooler. Andrew saw the top of a cooler not far behind us and ran and got it and we shut the door and jumped back in the truck telling Andy we've lost the cooler. That's when he told me no, it is in the vehicle. Andrew just throws the old cooler lid back to the curb where he found it. We make it to the dive shop and upon investigating further we realize our weight bag is gone with about 50lbs of lead...current value in excess of $150.00. So much for free diving again I stayed at the shop to be filling the tank and they went back in search of the missing weights. Andrew fought oncoming traffic to retreive the bag only to find out it was empty. The weight fell out first. Can you imagine dodging 3 or 4lb hard lead weights flying towards you from behind us? They eased back along the route but never saw any of the weights so if anyone is interested in a scavenger hunt on Hwy 98 right before turning onto Thomas Drive you might get lucky.

Dang that sucks!

I doubt weight pockets were 'flying', they most likely hit the ground and stopped soon after =)

Saturday
We made it to the park around 8:30am and Clay and Kathy, Capt Grumby and Halftime, his daughter and her friend were there waiting on us. Halftime had saved us a pavilion closest to the water entrance and we had it all to ourselves. . We took our time suiting up and made it to the water and started diving at 9:30am. High tide was at 10:15am. We all went in together but Andy was slow going down because his right ear didn't want to clear so we surfaced and Halftime talked to him about the pressure and clearing being the hardest down to 30 ft. He had made it down to 30 ok so I told Andy that he, Andrew and I would just stay at that depth and we would still see alot so the three of us paired up and Clay and Halftime paired up. Thanks for the help Halftime. It really helped him when he realized that and I think it helped him to relax more and enjoy the dive. We had a one hour dive at around 30 ft and couldn't believe how many crabs we saw!!! The life on the jetty wall was incredible, the water was warm, the current was very mild and the vis was good. It varied depending on depth. I would say during the course of the four dives that it was from 15 to 30 ft, with the best vis being the further down you went.

The second dive started at 11:34am and this time Andy was able to clear better although he still felt a little pressure we made it down to 68ft for a total bottom time of 34 minutes.

We had a picnic under the pavilion and Sheree' walks up asking if anyone here is denisegg. She then brought Buzz and Jimmy over and also a few more from a dive group they are all members of and participate in a forum and plan trips together. We all decided to meet at the Captain's Table for dinner and we had a great time getting to know each other. The food was awesome and we had fun trying to guess what Buzz does for a living. Believe me, you would never guess. He actually has two occupations but we won't get into the one that landed him a free dive trip

Nice !
Pics woman !

Sorry about the weights.

Sunday
We load up and I go to check out and I was joking earlier on the planning thread about the trip that the hotel remembered me by name when I reserved my room. (They pull up your info on their computer if you have ever stayed there before) But what is so funny is that it turned out to be true!! I go to check out and tell the guy my name and he said I was hoping to see you before you left. I'm thinking....what have we done now? He said I am so glad you chose our hotel denisegg and I hope your stay was pleasant. Was your room ok? Was everything to your satisfaction? Did you have any trouble getting to and from the dive site from here? I just continue to say yes everything was fine all the time thinking..."what the?" How does he know who I am? Then he says you and your dive group please come again and gave me a handful of business cards.

Capt Grumby made an "excuse" on Saturday about """having""" to bail on Sunday because of a wedding anniversary that day. Of all things. I told him to get his priorities right man!! Halftime obediently saved the same pavilion and Clay, Andrew, Andy and I made it in the water at 9:30am again. High tide was at 10:40am. This time Clay volunteered to stay shallow with Andy and Andrew so Halftime and I did some exploring on the bottom and got in a 45 minute dive at 70ft. We started the 2nd dive at 11:52am and this time for the first time both Andy's ears cleared perfectly so we all went down to 70ft for about 40 minutes. Andy got some confidence back and he said that was the best dive he had had in a long time.

Thanks Clay, Grumby and Halftime for some wonderful dives and all you did to help me with Andrew which did his 4th through 7th dives over the weekend and Andy who finally got his ears to clear. :10:

frankc420:

Dang that sucks!

I doubt weight pockets were 'flying', they most likely hit the ground and stopped soon after =)

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Yes, I was pretty bummed at first but it was a miscommunication and it was no use in letting it ruin our trip. I kinda figured they probably just landed right where they fell out....at least I hope so..

PePaw:

Nice !
Pics woman !

Sorry about the weights.

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Sorry but no pics this trip. We didn't have any photographers in this group.

Denisegg - we were there Sunday morning. Our group had the pavillion closest to the "showers". Sorry I didn't come by and say hi! It was all I could do to make sure I was put together and out into the water. We also ate at The Captains Table Saturday night. Saw Clay and his wife, as they both came to the table to say hi to Spencer from SSDS. Of course now I know who they are, I can say hi to them in the future.

So, I am officially certified. And I must say I had a great time this weekend at the jetties. We saw lots of schools of fish on our last dive. My deepest dive was to 67 feet at the sand. We were probably passing each other all over the place.

If you saw a diver with bright pink fins, that is my 15 year old daughter. My hubby wasn't real keen on those to begin with but now is glad she has them. If we are lost, look for the pink fins and congregate. LOL

I think we are planning to go to the Pelham quarry before our family vacation back at PCB on Aug 8th. 2 days of diving, 2 dives each day. Can't wait!

Hope to see you soon!!

Linda

denisegg:

we had fun trying to guess what Buzz does for a living. Believe me, you would never guess.

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He's a Barrister

lahalbo:

Denisegg - we were there Sunday morning. Our group had the pavillion closest to the "showers". Sorry I didn't come by and say hi! It was all I could do to make sure I was put together and out into the water. We also ate at The Captains Table Saturday night. Saw Clay and his wife, as they both came to the table to say hi to Spencer from SSDS. Of course now I know who they are, I can say hi to them in the future.

So, I am officially certified. And I must say I had a great time this weekend at the jetties. We saw lots of schools of fish on our last dive. My deepest dive was to 67 feet at the sand. We were probably passing each other all over the place.

If you saw a diver with bright pink fins, that is my 15 year old daughter. My hubby wasn't real keen on those to begin with but now is glad she has them. If we are lost, look for the pink fins and congregate. LOL

I think we are planning to go to the Pelham quarry before our family vacation back at PCB on Aug 8th. 2 days of diving, 2 dives each day. Can't wait!

Hope to see you soon!!

Linda

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Congratulations on the certification!! It was a fabulous weekend for diving. I'm sure we'll run into each other again soon!!