Hello from Panama City FL

[Elemenohpee]

Hey scubaboard, just wanted to jump in here and introduce myself. I am 26 years old and new to the diving scene. I am in the Army currently in training at the NDSTC facility in Panama City as an Engineer Diver. While here in training I have also picked up my PADI advanced open water and NAUI Dive Master. Rite now I've splashed more with surface supplied than I have SCUBA, but I plan on doing more SCUBA when I have a little bit more freedom. Here in panama I have splashed Vortex Springs surface supplied and a few wrecks off PC coast surface supplied and SCUBA. When I graduate in Dec. I'll be headed up to VA where I can hopefully continue to broaden my knowledge and meet some great people along the way. Up that way are there any good spots to dive? I plan on getting my wife involved in the scene as soon as we are reconnected and im done with training.

 

[drrich2]

Welcome aboard. I'm not familiar with offerings in your area. You got a lot of training fairly early in your diving.

Richard.

 

[Keith.M]

Welcome to ScubaBoard!

I was just in Panama City a month ago. I used Dive Locker and had 7 dives with them over 3 days. Good outfit but I think they lost their #1 Captain to a surprise retirement.

Regardless, they had nice boats and all around seemed like good people.

 

[ezediver]

+1 for Dive locker ,Panama City Dive Center is also a great bunch of people. Lots of dive sites within a hrs drive of you. Scuba tech in Destin is a great shop also.
I had spent most of the last month in the area did dives with both shops and dove the jetties when weather did not co operate for boat dives.

 

[Elemenohpee]

Drich: Yeah, the training here is 6 months and PADI/NAUI are trying to improve their military relationships so they offer us steep discounts. They recognize the training and the physical requirements we need to fulfil to even be at this facility and allow us to get certifications without class time or course time. We should be getting PADI Rescue Diver as well it just hasn't happened yet. I'm trying to get as much as I can while im in the area before I move.

keith/EZ: thanks for the knowledge on the dive locker it's literally half a mile away from my talked to the staff they are great people! Good to know as well in regards to the info on the Cpt. I was thinking about heading up Pensicola region to check out the Air Craft carrier wreck they have, I forget the name. I'll be sure to check out the shop in Destin when I head up that way.

 

[Yarbrough]

Hey there, welcome to Panama City. I am very familiar with the area, as I taught there for the past ten years. The guys at all of the dive shops are pretty good. Dive Locker has two large boats, Divers Den has one boat that holds ten or twelve, Panama City Diving and Panama City Dive Center both have boats with cabins. All of the shops sell different brands of gear, so you will have to prowl around a bit when it comes to finding the specifics. Customer service is going to change depending on the personality of the person you are dealing with. Mike Gomez at PCDC is an old diver and a bit of a grouch from time to time, but a wealth of knowledge about diving in general and Panama City in particular. Mike Wilson is the young guy behind the counter at Dive Locker, he is quite and very dry, so sometimes he comes off as bored, but the man is great when it comes to being efficient, he is the person I would talk to there. Pat Green is the owner of Dive Charters, and is the contact I would suggest there as he is knowledgeable and enthusiastic. And finally on my list is Divers Den, Clay and Stacy operate Divers Den, and both are very good about what they do, but the guy behind the counter is usually Mac. Mac has been in diving in Panama City for a long time and is very good at what he does, but sometimes he comes off as impatient. Give him a chance, as he is very helpful and just usually pulled in many directions at once.

I am no longer there full time, but am still in pretty constant contact with the guys in town as I was the Course Director for the Dive Locker, so if there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know. You can PM me here or contact me via e mail at todd.reece.Yarbrough@gmail.com