mike_s
Contributor
Had some great dives with Pat Green ([user]patmygreen[/user] of Panama City Dive Charters this past weekend.
This is my first time out with Pat and we had a great experience. I'll definately book a trip with him again. I'd reccomend him to anyone else who wants to have a great trip.
Aug 22 - Dive 1: - USS Chippewa
the USS Chippewa was a 205 tug built in 1942. It was used as a tug and then when retired, was used by the US Navy for explosive training. She was sunk in 1990, about 11 miles from St Andrews Pass. Depth to the sand is about 100'. She is still intact, but her wheel house has fallen apart and the rear boom/mast has fallen off and is lying right beside the ship. The port side of the ship has almost no relief from the bottom as the sand runs right up to the gunwale.
Lots of nice fish on the wreck, including a 4-5 ft Goliath Grouper that was hiding in the decks.
water temp was about 82f and vis was about 40-50ft.
Aug 22 - Dive 2 - Bridge Span #14
. one of the several old Hathway Bridge Spans that are sunk off Panama City. (FYI, #14 is the one closest to the Black Bart.)
I haven't been to this site in about 2-3 years, and since my last visit someone has placed a small concrete statue in the road bed.
Aug 23rd - Dive 1: - The Red Sea
The Red Sea is a 125' ocean going tug that was just recently sunk in June 2009. It sits in about 70' of water to the sand and the top of the wreck wheelhouse is about 40-45'. It has a profile very similar to the Black Bart.
The wreck is excellent for swim-through's. They have cleared the pilot house and deck houses of any obstructions. The decks to the engine rooms have been removed also so you can swim down to them easily. (The engines are HUGE. the size of a VW bus).
Lots of bait fish on this wreck. Also some Spanish mackerels and barracuda.
Vis was absolutely awesome. Prob 80 feet.
I reccomend anyone heading to PCB to check this wreck out.
For pictures of the Red Sea sinking, check out this thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/de...-new-wreck-panama-city-infinity-blu-reef.html
The Red Sea, before sinking
Aug 23rd - Dive2: Bridge Span #12
Bridge Span #12, located near the USS Strength. We were going to dive the Strength, but two boats were already there and another headed in. Figured that would have been too many people on that dive site.
Span #12 had an impressive amount of bait fish on it. But vis was only about 30 feet I'd guess. There was a large 4-5' grouper hiding under a part of the roadbed. You could get within a couple feet of him, but he didn't want to come out.
This is my first time out with Pat and we had a great experience. I'll definately book a trip with him again. I'd reccomend him to anyone else who wants to have a great trip.
Aug 22 - Dive 1: - USS Chippewa
the USS Chippewa was a 205 tug built in 1942. It was used as a tug and then when retired, was used by the US Navy for explosive training. She was sunk in 1990, about 11 miles from St Andrews Pass. Depth to the sand is about 100'. She is still intact, but her wheel house has fallen apart and the rear boom/mast has fallen off and is lying right beside the ship. The port side of the ship has almost no relief from the bottom as the sand runs right up to the gunwale.
Lots of nice fish on the wreck, including a 4-5 ft Goliath Grouper that was hiding in the decks.
water temp was about 82f and vis was about 40-50ft.
Aug 22 - Dive 2 - Bridge Span #14
. one of the several old Hathway Bridge Spans that are sunk off Panama City. (FYI, #14 is the one closest to the Black Bart.)
I haven't been to this site in about 2-3 years, and since my last visit someone has placed a small concrete statue in the road bed.
Aug 23rd - Dive 1: - The Red Sea
The Red Sea is a 125' ocean going tug that was just recently sunk in June 2009. It sits in about 70' of water to the sand and the top of the wreck wheelhouse is about 40-45'. It has a profile very similar to the Black Bart.
The wreck is excellent for swim-through's. They have cleared the pilot house and deck houses of any obstructions. The decks to the engine rooms have been removed also so you can swim down to them easily. (The engines are HUGE. the size of a VW bus).
Lots of bait fish on this wreck. Also some Spanish mackerels and barracuda.
Vis was absolutely awesome. Prob 80 feet.
I reccomend anyone heading to PCB to check this wreck out.
For pictures of the Red Sea sinking, check out this thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/de...-new-wreck-panama-city-infinity-blu-reef.html
The Red Sea, before sinking
Aug 23rd - Dive2: Bridge Span #12
Bridge Span #12, located near the USS Strength. We were going to dive the Strength, but two boats were already there and another headed in. Figured that would have been too many people on that dive site.
Span #12 had an impressive amount of bait fish on it. But vis was only about 30 feet I'd guess. There was a large 4-5' grouper hiding under a part of the roadbed. You could get within a couple feet of him, but he didn't want to come out.
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