The structure of this site makes it extraordinary. At 40' down, divers can investigate the wheelhouse. The deck is at 66' down with entrances into the cargo holds. The ship’s head (toilet) sits outside the wreck on the sand replete with a jovial skull. There’s also plenty of sea life coming to visit from the nearby Warsaw Reef.
Inshore diving is defined as less than 8 miles away from St Andrew's Pass. It is generally safe for open water divers. The Red Sea, a tugboat measuring 125 feet, was installed here in 2009. It is also home to the E. E. Simpson Tug, which sank in 1929. Stage 2 (a Navy platform, which was destroyed in 1984), Fontainebleau Boxcars (2 boxcars with associated reef material) and a pair Voodoo Jets anchoring in Seltzer Reef are other interesting locations. Below is a table listing inshore dive spots in Panama City Beach and their associated bottom depths.
Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association members and Florida Wildlife Commission produced a report that assessed the impact on the reefs. They found that the Varmar reef, which isn't shown on our dive map as it's off Mexico Beach), had suffered the most damage since it was in 25 feet of water. Only 35% of original reef material was left. The artificial reefs in shallow and medium water remained unaffected. Below is an illustration from that report which shows the path the hurricane took through the wrecks, reefs, and beaches of Panama City Beach.
The visibility is between 30'-50ft. Water temperatures range from 60s to 80s in summer and winter. It is a good idea to bring gloves for the sharp edges of the wrecks as well as a diving knife to cut through fishing line.
SCUBA diving is an awesome experience, and we want to share our passion with you! We offer SCUBA classes through NAUI, and we tailor courses around your individual needs. We teach entry-level classes through Instructor level. Diving is serious fun to us, and we look forward to getting you started on an amazing journey!
You will find many historic wrecks scattered all over the area. These wrecks and many other artificial reefs make Panama City Beach the "Wreck Diving Capital of the South".
She is a three-story high vessel with an unbelievable amount of sea life already finding a home there. As of our last trip, you could still see the “Happy Holidays” unknown townsfolk painted onto her deck for all the cars to see passing over the bridge.
Never hold your breath
As every good entry-level dive student knows, this is the most important rule of scuba. And for good reason — breath holding underwater can result in serious injury and even death. In accordance with Boyle's law, the air in a diver's lungs expands during ascent and contracts during descent.
As you become a qualified scuba diver, you learn the basics of an essential scuba system. A cylinder, weights, an exposure suit, regulators, BCD gauge and timing device, mask and fins are the bare essentials.