Best Panama City dives and operators for novices

[MeraSonnet]

Have no experience diving Panama City dive sites. A group of us would like to take some certified teens, with all of us novice divers (20-40 dives each, drift diving off fast boats, warm Caribbean waters). Suggestions? Do not know if best conditions there for novices are drift diving some sites at or shallower than 60', and which those would be... or the shore diving. ?? Also open to suggestions for dive shops and DMs that would be good for such a group (5-6 divers total).

Thanks!

 

[Hetland]

Not much drift diving in these parts. Natural reefs and wrecks are typically separated by featureless sand in all directions. Most offshore diving involves a divemaster tying a line into some type of structure. Divers follow the line from the boat to the dive site and back again, usually under the supervision of a divemaster or two, depending on the dive op. I don't do much offshore diving in PCB, but my expereince has been that 40ft is about as bad as it gets, and 60+ viz is a common minimum.

The Jetties at St. Andrews Park in Panama City offer a great shore-diving experience. Visibility is typically 20-40ft in my experience, but someone who dives it more often can chime in and correct me if I'm off on my average. You can find info on the dive here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/de...local-dive-spots-directory-2.html#post6072494

I prefer Panama City Dive Charters as a dive shop and a charter service. If Capt. Pat can't accommodate you, he'll find someone among his competitors who can. There are other decent shops in the area, but Capt. Pat has always been 100% with me and my dive partners.

 

[turt1e]

Big +1 for the guys at Panama City Dive Charters!

I will add though, that in my experience most of the dive charters get you to the site and then you are on your own to explore. The only time I've seen DM lead groups are when there is a training class aboard. So if you think your group will need this type of service make sure you bring it up and I'm sure most shops would add a guide for your group.

 

[mikesbucky]

Another big +1 for Panama City Dive Charters. I dove with them several times and have always had a great experience. You can't go wrong with Capt Pat.

 

[ohonu]

+1 Panama City Dive Charters

 

[Dwhite213]

It is key to watch the tide when diving the jetties. It seems like every time I'm there high tide is 2am so I'm stuck diving low tide with less than 10 ft vis. Nice spot for a shore dive though.

As for charters I use pc dive center. We did our cert with him so we continue to use him, but I haven't been in a shop in pc that didn't have some of the friendliest folks in there. I personally enjoy the bridge spans. They seem to have more life on them. Black Bart to me is overrated, or we just visited it at the wrong time.