Scuba Diving Certification

Couple Left Behind Scuba Diving


Over 50 artificial reefs can be found within miles of the World's Most Beautiful Beaches. There are also bridge spans, boats, and hundreds upon hundreds of natural limestone reefs. The depths range from 18 to 110ft. St. Andrews State Park has the best beaches in the Emerald Coast. The channel side of West Jetty reaches 70 feet in places.


he stunning Shell Island and St Andrew's Park's snow-white sugar-sand beaches are breathtaking. There are plenty of dolphin cruises. Ripley's Believe it or Not is another attraction that will delight land lovers. Firefly's she-crab soup, which is the best seafood we've ever had, is available at night.



We do strive for accuracy. St Andrew's Park Jetties is the place to go for shore diving in Panama City Beach. The beach is a short walk away from the parking area. Soon you will be in the water. The beach is very shallow and there is little boat traffic. If you are crossing to the channel side, be sure to bring your diving flag. Many tropical fish live in the rocks at the jetties.

Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association and Florida Wildlife Commission compiled a report on the effects of hurricane-force winds on reefs. The reef next to Varmar (not shown in our dive map, as it is off Mexico Beach), had the highest impact. This was because it was in 25 feet of water. 35% of the original reef materials were still in place.

Scuba Diving Gear

White Sand Beaches




he stunning Shell Island and St Andrew's Park's snow-white sugar-sand beaches are breathtaking. There are plenty of dolphin cruises. Ripley's Believe it or Not is another attraction that will delight land lovers. Firefly's she-crab soup, which is the best seafood we've ever had, is available at night.
Grey Ghost is an extended offshore dive and takes 6-8hrs to reach. While she's only a mere 105 foot vessel, what makes this dive so spectacular is the wide variety of aquatic life. Her resting place was at the edge a natural coral reef, which has been enriched with fiberglass boats and scraps of steel. This spot is an ideal habitat for fish. Panama City Beach is home to the El Dorado, Panama City Beach's most recent wreck. Hurricane Michael destroyed the ship in October 2018.

White Sand Beaches
Hand Signals In Scuba Diving

Hand Signals In Scuba Diving


Grey Ghost is an extended offshore dive and takes 6-8hrs to reach. While she's only a mere 105 foot vessel, what makes this dive so spectacular is the wide variety of aquatic life. Her resting place was at the edge a natural coral reef, which has been enriched with fiberglass boats and scraps of steel. This spot is an ideal habitat for fish. Panama City Beach is home to the El Dorado, Panama City Beach's most recent wreck. Hurricane Michael destroyed the ship in October 2018.
The SS Tarpon is a shipwreck that has a long history. She went down in 1937 killing 18 crew members, including Willis G. Barrow who was her captain. Adley Baker, a member of the crew, managed to survive by swimming 9 miles to shore in gale force winds. It was a difficult 25-hour trip, but Baker lived to tell it all.

What are the odds of dying while scuba diving


You can dive Sunday morning and drive back to bed in the evening without worrying about your no fly schedule. The visibility is expected to be between 30'-50ft and the water temperature will range from 60s in winter to 80s summer. Hands are best for sharp edges on wrecks. You also need to bring gloves and a knife to cut through fishing line. More important than the absolute wave size is the wave interval in Panama City Beach's waters. Long interval waves create rollers. Short interval waves rock the boat up and make it hard for divers to see.
Over 50 artificial reefs can be found within miles of the World's Most Beautiful Beaches. There are also bridge spans, boats, and hundreds upon hundreds of natural limestone reefs. The depths range from 18 to 110ft. St. Andrews State Park has the best beaches in the Emerald Coast. The channel side of West Jetty reaches 70 feet in places.

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Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association and Florida Wildlife Commission compiled a report on the effects of hurricane-force winds on reefs. The reef next to Varmar (not shown in our dive map, as it is off Mexico Beach), had the highest impact. This was because it was in 25 feet of water. 35% of the original reef materials were still in place.

We do strive for accuracy. St Andrew's Park Jetties is the place to go for shore diving in Panama City Beach. The beach is a short walk away from the parking area. Soon you will be in the water. The beach is very shallow and there is little boat traffic. If you are crossing to the channel side, be sure to bring your diving flag. Many tropical fish live in the rocks at the jetties.

Diving Tour


The SS Tarpon is a shipwreck that has a long history. She went down in 1937 killing 18 crew members, including Willis G. Barrow who was her captain. Adley Baker, a member of the crew, managed to survive by swimming 9 miles to shore in gale force winds. It was a difficult 25-hour trip, but Baker lived to tell it all.
You can dive Sunday morning and drive back to bed in the evening without worrying about your no fly schedule. The visibility is expected to be between 30'-50ft and the water temperature will range from 60s in winter to 80s summer. Hands are best for sharp edges on wrecks. You also need to bring gloves and a knife to cut through fishing line. More important than the absolute wave size is the wave interval in Panama City Beach's waters. Long interval waves create rollers. Short interval waves rock the boat up and make it hard for divers to see.

Frequently Asked Questions

An Average Diver, at an Average Depth, With an Average Tank

Based on personal experience, an average open-water certified diver using a standard aluminum 80-cubic-foot tank on a 40-foot dive will be able to stay down for about 45 to 60 minutes before surfacing with a safe reserve of air still in the tank.

So just to reiterate: don't grab animals, don't hold them for photo ops, don't go for rides on dolphins or turtles, and don't force puffer fish to inflate (it can be fatal to them).