Panama City April 3-6

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

homerdoc

Contributor
Messages
308
Reaction score
279
Location
South Carolina
# of dives
100 - 199
Wanted some tips and tactics for diving Panama City, my dad lives on a boat there and my daughter and I plan on going out and diving. (will be spending night on water) Looked at the wrecks. USS strength, USS Chippowa, Black Bart, and Benjamin H Grierson. Any tips on how to dive them from a liveaboard? 50ish foot carver. Which of these are crazy for currents etc. Thanks for your help. Also, who would you get tanks filled from? He moved from panama city marina after the hurricane, not sure of the name of the marina but it under the bridge further inland.
 
We have dove off PCB multiple times with commercial providers. I think that the first problem you will run into is that the sand for the Strength and Black Bart is in the 70-75 foot range. Based on my profiles, the superstructures (probably an overstatement, esp for the Strength) are at about 55-60. Without a good sonar/depth finder they may be a trick to find accurately. I doubt that the GPS will be accurate enough. And you won't be able to see them from the surface. The next issue will be to secure yourself to the site. I honestly don't know the regulations or customs regarding dropping an anchor but I assume it is frowned upon.

All that said, not to talk you out of trying, they are fun sites. Generally plenty of fish. Some simple swim throughs. If wildlife is more important than the actual wrecks, you can also research the bridge spans. That said, we've always had good luck seeing fish.

I do wish you good luck. They are fun dives.
 
Thanks for your help.

Since you did not put much in your original post.
I will assume your dad has marine forecasts and a marine radio for weather updates...
Do you have coordinates for these wrecks? If you do where did you get them - a trusted source or off the internet or google maps? They may be close but may not land you right on top - ya ya I know google knows everything right? Nope... The best is to get the coordinates from someone that has been there and marked the location. I have found locations that are within 1/2 mile from the wreck - may as well be in another state...
Have you, your father or your daughter tied into a wreck before? If not this is where things can get tricky - if there is current an anchor may or may not hold. If you do not lock onto the wreck the chaffing may cut right through the line... Invest in a wreck anchor and learn how to tie in with a chain, shackle and coat hanger to keep the pin secure until you are ready to leave the wreck.
I guess what I am saying is - this is not like fishing - there is a lot more to finding, tying in and diving a wreck than having a boat. Do some research first.
Good Luck and be safe.
 
I'd check with some local dive shops on conditions. Some of the usual sites were damaged in the hurricane last year.
 
basking ridge diver

Thanks for the comments.

1. We are pretty good boat wise, spent multiple nights anchored out. Brought boats around from Jupiter or Jacksonville.
2. Your comment on anchoring to the wreck made me go hummmmm.......we have not always to a bottom.
3. there were coordinates on several websites....that sounds sketchy now. Will have to think about, the boat has good depth finders but the oceans big.

Question

Would it be better to dive the bridge site - looked like bigger areas.

All else fails, anchor out around shell island and will take the daughter down in shallower water. Or dive the St. Andrews from shore. Did that before and kinda liked it.

JJ
 
Some good news:

One of my dad's buddy's is a dive master certified and dove a bunch of the wrecks. I talked to them tonight and he can hook us up on all the stuff. (I'll bring my extra tanks and take care of his air etc)

Random question, this is a spring break trip.

Diving Ga Aquarium sunday - second time for me, first for wife and daughter

Mon-wed at Gainesville diving ginnie, grotto, devils.

If you were to pick a place to dive on the way wed from Gainesville to Panama City what would you di?

THanks

JJ
 
Wanted some tips and tactics for diving Panama City, my dad lives on a boat there and my daughter and I plan on going out and diving. (will be spending night on water) Looked at the wrecks. USS strength, USS Chippowa, Black Bart, and Benjamin H Grierson. Any tips on how to dive them from a liveaboard? 50ish foot carver. Which of these are crazy for currents etc. Thanks for your help. Also, who would you get tanks filled from? He moved from panama city marina after the hurricane, not sure of the name of the marina but it under the bridge further inland.
Did you end up going on this trip? I’m headed to same area next weekend and looking for up to date info on conditions, visibility, etc. trying to determine which gear to take from PA and whether it’s worth it to bring a camera rig. Anyone with info please let me know! Thanks!!!
 
I did go on the trip, but it rained the whole time I was there and was windy so we didn't go out diving. Ended up helping my dad with odds and ends on the boat.

Panama City is still pretty beat up. Most stores are open, but several are not.

Will say this, dove Morrison springs on the way back and it was really cool (and free)
 
We have dove off PCB multiple times with commercial providers. I think that the first problem you will run into is that the sand for the Strength and Black Bart is in the 70-75 foot range. Based on my profiles, the superstructures (probably an overstatement, esp for the Strength) are at about 55-60. Without a good sonar/depth finder they may be a trick to find accurately. I doubt that the GPS will be accurate enough. And you won't be able to see them from the surface. The next issue will be to secure yourself to the site. I honestly don't know the regulations or customs regarding dropping an anchor but I assume it is frowned upon.

All that said, not to talk you out of trying, they are fun sites. Generally plenty of fish. Some simple swim throughs. If wildlife is more important than the actual wrecks, you can also research the bridge spans. That said, we've always had good luck seeing fish.

I do wish you good luck. They are fun dives.

This is exactly how it is here in SWFL. I have been to PCB and dived the Bart. You def have to find the spot and throw down your marker. Then anchor the boat and try to get it as close to your marker as possible. I use a SureMarker they are expensive, but they work really, really well. They get down fast and the placement holds, and that is so important because like you said, you may jump in the water and not find the wreck if you don't drop the marker correctly. So once you get to the spot you have to pull up your sonar and look for the Christmas tree. Once you find that, drop your marker.

You can drop the anchor but you gotta go down and check and make sure it is not tangled in the wreck, or you will be leaving without it :) We have found so many anchors over here, some of which are worth thousands if they are stainless and really big. But you're gonna need a lift bag, or few, to get it up.

If I remember correctly the Bart is about 20 miles offshore.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

Back
Top Bottom