Need Help Choosing Location - Destin or Panama City

[tt5five]

Going to be in the area and would like to get 2 days of diving in, probably Aug. 3 & 4. Would like something 90 ft or less. Have a high schooler and a college kid and they like the bigger animals. (Spouse is the least experienced diver, and probably not up to some of the Pensacola dives. And, they are more interested in critters than structures. Critters on structures - good.)

With that background, please suggest some good sites, the best location (Destin, Panama City, or others in the general area) to dive from and any recommendations for local dive ops.

(Last year we dove Jupiter with goliaths, sharks and turtles. Hope this is as good. Previous dives in Sea of Cortez, Belize, Barbados, Jupiter and Islamorada.)

Thanks for the help.

 

[Wayward Son]

I don't know the diving off Destin, but Scubatek is a good LDS and runs their own charter.

Out of PCB, all the inshore sites are 73 FSW to the sand or less, and a bridge span in 73 FSW will have the upper structure about 40 FSW. During the summer just about any dive site there can hold goliath, including the St Andrews Jetties.

See the link in my sig line for Pat's shop to book your charters there.

 

[Ericspants87]

I did not realize the St. Andrews jetties had Goliath Groupers, that's crazy! What time of year do they hang out down there?

 

[JEC11718]

I dove the jetties last month, hogfish, cowfish, spiny lobster, barracuda chasing mullet, octopi, and founder(door mat). Its cheap and easy fun.

 

[Wayward Son]

pretty much any of the warm months, once they're here they might be seen anywhere. At the jetties I've never seen any huge ones but I had had dives where 2 of them were seen & while young, big enough to be impressive for the location.

Bridge span 14 & the Black Bart are the most commonly hit dive sites in PCB, but it can be amazing what sea life you might see on each. Goliath are common during summer -leave leave once it gets cold- octopi, schools of bait fish, which also means the predators hunting them, sharks, flounder, crab, shovel nose lobster, all sorts of macro stuff, sometimes including frog fish (they look like a small soft coral).

Any of the inshore sites can be incredible dives. Bridge spans have one particular advantage, which is that they are tall structures offering divers a great relief profile to work with & make good sites when the viz is poor, bc you can just work the beams. Be sure to take a good light & look inside the beams & under the road beds

 

[Hetland]

Another +1 for Captain Pat's Dive Shop and Charter Operations: Panama City Dive Charters - Panama City's Favorite Dive Shop

 

[jviehe]

Going to be in the area and would like to get 2 days of diving in, probably Aug. 3 & 4. Would like something 90 ft or less. Have a high schooler and a college kid and they like the bigger animals. (Spouse is the least experienced diver, and probably not up to some of the Pensacola dives. And, they are more interested in critters than structures. Critters on structures - good.)

With that background, please suggest some good sites, the best location (Destin, Panama City, or others in the general area) to dive from and any recommendations for local dive ops.

(Last year we dove Jupiter with goliaths, sharks and turtles. Hope this is as good. Previous dives in Sea of Cortez, Belize, Barbados, Jupiter and Islamorada.)

Thanks for the help.

We dont really have extensive reefs so your mostly going to be diving on structures. And theres not much in the way of big critters other than Grouper which youll find on the wrecks. The diving is good, its just not warm clear water.

Destin has clearer water and things to do on land. PC has more and better wrecks, and the jetties. For visitors I think Destin is the better option.

 

[tt5five]

We ended up with lodging in Destin and will be going out with Scubatech this weekend. Thanks for the comments.

 

[nw_diver]

So how was it? Visiting parents in April and wondering if it's worth bringing our gear?