SCUBA PANAMA CITY
A DIVERS GUIDE TO THE
"WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES"
By Danny Grizzard
WELCOME TO PANAMA CITY
Panama City is undisputed as the home of the “World’s Most Beautiful Beaches” and, since the mid-seventies, more and more people are recognizing the quality of the diving available here. Located on the east side of Florida’s panhandle, the quality and quantity of services and activities available to the visitor grows every year.
Dining out in Panama City is never a problem. You won’t have to go far to find a restaurant that fits both your appetite and pocketbook. Variety ranges from budget priced, quick service locations to many superb seafood houses. Fresh snapper, grouper, oysters and shrimp continually satisfy even the most critical gourmet diner. The secret of the many Panama City restaurants is “something for everyone and all of it good.”
Recreational opportunities are not strictly water oriented. A large amusement park offers thrilling rides and games to delight the grown-ups, as well as the kids. The Ocean Opry Country Music Show offers clean family entertainment with regularly scheduled big name stars. The 1986 – 1987 season saw visits by the likes of Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, Johnny Cash and Marie Osmond. Other night clubs feature all types of music and live entertainment.
Panama City also answers the call of the golf lover. Four regulation courses, plus one par three golf course, are available year round. This includes the Lagoon Legend, opened in late 1986 by the new Bay Point Marriott Hotel.
Parimutuel betting is available at the Ebro Dog Track, just a short drive north of Panama City Beach. Whether it is trained dolphins and performing parrots at Gulf World or the giant sharks of the carpet golf parks, there will be something around if you want a short break from the sand, sun and surf of the “World’s Most Beautiful Beaches.” If you have specific questions about attractions or accommodations, contact the Resort Council, Post Office Box 9473, Panama City Beach, Florida 32407, or call (904) 234-6575
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Danny Grizzard is an Alabama native who is a licensed boat captain and SCUBA instructor. He has been diving and boating off the coast of Panama City since 1973. During that time, he has introduced thousands of divers to the wrecks and reefs of the Gulf of Mexico. From 1977 to 1982, he was project director of the most intense artificial reef program ever run in Bay County. During that time, many dive sites, such as the GREY GHOST, the PCMI BARGE and the LOSS PONTOON, several airplanes and countless other items became underwater habitats for both fish and the divers visiting them. Currently he is a freelance instructor providing all levels of instruction and custom underwater photography or video of the local waters.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This Second Edition could not have been put together without the help and input of a great many people. First and foremost are the people who made the First Edition a reality. My wife, Linda, did all the typing and handled all my problems and Joe VanValkenberg provided much of the historical input from his years of research.
This edition also owes all the advertisers for making this reprint possible and particularly for the colored pages. Be sure and consider them with your support because they support our efforts in promoting diving.
Linda and my son, David, had a big time investment in this edition. Also, a special thanks to Virda Zekas for her artistic input. There are many people who provided encouragement but the biggest group is those of you who bought SCUBA PANAMA CITY and told your friends about it. The bottom line is the book is a shared project that was done by divers for divers. This edition is dedicated to those of you who have, will or want to SCUBA PANAMA CITY.
ST. ANDREWS STATE PARK
St. Andrews State Park consists of over 1,000 acres of beaches, dunes, pinewoods and marshes. The park has almost 200 campsites and is one of the most popular in the state park system. There is a boat ramp available and also a fishing pier. All of these things would make this an excellent area to enjoy a vacation but this park is also the home of the best beach dive on the west coast of Florida.
The jetties were put in place to prevent the shifting sands from closing the channel going into the bay. The large rock pile quickly became a home for almost all varieties of marine life found in the area. Depths vary from a few inches to near fifty feet. The warm waters of the Gulf in the summer bring in the many multicolored tropical fishes. This is an excellent area for the novice and yet it has enough variety to entertain experienced divers. Many instructors use the different areas to provide multi-environment experiences for their students. Shell collectors and underwater photographers love the jetties and spear fishing is illegal so the fish can be approached and hand-fed.
Depending on the moods of the Gulf, the remains of the schooner PERCY PAYNE are sometimes visible. Just over 100 yards offshore of the park beach are what is left of the timbers when the sand uncovers the wreck.
ST. ANDREWS BAY
The St. Andrews Bay is one of the cleanest and most pollutant free bays left on the Florida Coast. Several shallow dives are available either for variety or as an alternative when sea conditions will not allow Gulf diving. In twenty-eight feet of water are seven steel hulled lifeboats, approximately thirty feet long. They came from the old liberty ships that were scrapped by a shipyard at Port Panama City. Cabled together to avoid drifting as they were sunk, they also help keep a diver from getting disoriented in low visibility. Although marine life is very prevalent, care must be taken to avoid silting up the soft bottom.
Just off Tyndall golf course, in 25 feet of water, are two more of the lifeboats. Similar in size and marine life, these two boats hold a surprising amount of fish for a bay spot. The bay also boasts one of the ten local barges. The SPANISH SHANTY BARGE, or TAR BARGE, rests in 18 feet of water around the northwest corner of Shell Island.
Perhaps the most enjoyable of all the bay dives is the scallop beds. A wide area of shallow five to ten foot water gives the diver almost unlimited time to explore the grass flats and look for shells. The scallops, when in season, are often enjoyed fresh immediately upon returning to the boat. Many groups have started adding this as a regular stop and include a cookout onboard the boat after spending all day in the Gulf.
BARGES
Many divers diving the coastal areas of Florida see sunken barges on a regular basis. Although not usually the most dramatic dive spot, the barges had something important going for them: they were big and available. For centuries, fishermen have known that structures underwater will attract fish. The bigger the structure, the better the job it does. From the diver’s standpoint, you aren’t there to see the barge but the fish life that is attracted to it. A barge didn’t have to be hauled to the site aboard a boat. It could be towed (MAYBE???). Not always easy but, oftentimes, the barges could be patched and maybe even could haul additional materials to the drop site. A novice diver has a tendency to grasp the “if you have seen one, then you have seen them all” attitude about barges. Oftentimes, this is a mistake. A barge, especially if surrounded by other smaller materials, is an excellent artificial ecosystem. There is always something to see if you take the time to look.
Panama City gives you a choice of ten different barges, ranging in depth from just under twenty feet to just under 100 feet.
Take a chance, take the time and pick a barge.
BLOWN-UP BARGE 65 FEET
DAVIS BARGE 55 FEET
DEEP BARGE 90 FEET
HOLLAND BARGE 65 FEET
SMITH BARGE 70 FEET
LONG BEACH BARGE 50 FEET
PCMI BARGE 72 FEET
SPANISH SHANTY 18 FEET
TWIN BARGE (OFF) 73 FEET
TWIN BARGE (IN) 71 FEET
NAVY STAGES
For almost thirty years, the NAVY STAGES served the scientific and military community offshore of Panama City. After their construction in 1957, the towers stood and served in good weather and in bad. In addition to the primary mission, the structures also provided an excellent habitat for fish, which in turn drew divers and fishermen.
Both STAGES were put into service in January of 1958. STAGE I is located approximately thirteen miles offshore in 107 feet of water, while STAGE II is in 60 feet of water just two miles from shore. Built by a Texas construction firm, they were prefabricated in two pieces each and brought to Florida by barge. When finally put in place, STAGE I was 105 feet by 105 feet and weighed 718 tons. STAGE II was much smaller at 60 feet by 84 feet and weighing a measly 250 tons. Both structures were forty feet above the water and were designed to allow helicopter landings and support various personnel for up to thirty days. After weathering dozens of major storms through more than twenty years, a study was conducted in 1980. At that time, an independent contractor concluded that the towers were feeling the years and were no longer safe. Although the STAGES remained in use, extended overnight activities were no longer allowed. Bids for dismantling were let in the early summer of 1984 and, in August, a Navy demolition team began plans for the final phase. The last charges were set on STAGE I on August 9, 1984, and on STAGE II on August 13, 1984.
The summer of 1984 saw the end of an era in Panama City. After hosting civilian divers, military divers, civilian fishermen, military fishermen and scientists from all over the world, the STAGES were retired. Now their only mission is to play host to fishermen, divers and marine life of ALL TYPES AND SIZES!
FRESHWATER SPRINGS
Thousands of years ago, nature began what would provide an added treat for divers visiting Florida’s coastal areas: freshwater springs. Crystal clear and with almost constant water temperature, they are a special attraction for any diving enthusiast. The central and northern part of the state is literally dotted with diveable springs. An added bonus to choosing Panama City as a destination is the close proximity of two of the best springs for diving in the entire state. Located near Interstate 10, both MORRISON SPRING and VORTEX SPRING offer a commercial diving service catering to divers. Both locations have dive shops, snack bars, campsites and an underwater platform for instructors to use with students performing underwater drills. VORTEX SPRING also has a restaurant and air-conditioned dormitories on site. The short, one hour driving time allows flexible scheduling for divers who plan to enjoy both fresh and salt water diving while visiting the Panama City area.
LOSS PROJECT
Development of diving areas off Panama City has had help from fishermen, divers, organizations and also, the United States government. The NAVY STAGES have done a great deal to promote diving in our area, as have the Navy bases, both their diver training program and the experimental dive unit in Panama City. In the late seventies, development of the Large Object Salvage System, known as the LOSS PROJECT, contributed three new diving locations to the Panama City waters. The original LOSS PROJECT was conceived in late 1969. The problem being addressed was how to retrieve large sunken items. The logistics involved were tremendous and parts of the overall project and systems were developed in all parts of the country.
Initial development was concentrated on the first pontoon. This pontoon is fifteen feet in diameter and forty feet long, with a base structure attached. Three separate compartments allowed for flooding, sinking and subsequent refloating after attachment to the sunken object. Attachment was accomplished by explosive studs firing into the object to be lifted. The pontoon could be ballasted by compressed air or liquid nitrogen. This pontoon had a lifting capability of approximately eighty tons.
The small object for testing was brought in from a completed project on the West Coast. Physical dimensions of the 80-tonner, or the QUANSIT HUT, as it is sometimes called, are 44 feet long by thirty feet in diameter with a dry weight of 78 tons. This object was successfully lifted several times for project testing during 1972.
The third and final phase of the LOSS PROJECT consisted of the same type of testing with two larger pontoons and a 180-ton test object. The larger pontoons were approved and are now on standby storage in Virginia. The large test object, or DEEP CAN, as it has come to be known, broke a tow line coming in and, because of damage, was left where it settled. With such impressive physical dimensions (80 feet by 35 feet), the DEEP CAN is excellent for attracting fish but the 125-foot depth limits this dive to advanced divers. The original pontoon, when no longer useful, had the top of both ends cut out and has been placed in 55 feet of water. In shallow water with a relatively interesting background, this has become a very popular dive with locals, as well as visiting instructors, as a proving ground for open water students. The 80-ton testing object is located in 85 feet of water. Open on both ends with generally good visibility, this site was targeted for additional small materials in the late seventies by the local artificial reef program. With the additional material, this site has grown into a popular location for spearfishing, shell collecting and underwater photography.
Overall, this project was successful for the Navy, as well as the local environment. With a choice of shallow, medium and deep locations, everyone should get the opportunity to dive some part of the LOSS PROJECT. Hopefully, with continued close cooperation, this is just one example of many future ventures that will help the Navy training program and also contribute to our growing list of diving locations.
CHICKASAW
The CHICKASAW was a steel hulled, twin engine, steam powered tugboat built in 1908 in Pensacola, Florida, for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Although based in Mobile, Alabama, she drew assignments through the entire district because of her twin engine maneuverability and larger than average size. Her length of 107 feet and beam of twenty feet was somewhat larger than most of the harbor tugs of the day. Most of her assignments involved towing or pushing but, on occasion, the primary activity was as a survey boat working up and down the Intercoastal Waterway. One activity of interest to Bay County residents was the work she did during the construction of the jetties at what is now St. Andrews State Park.
After more than forty years of service, the CHICKASAW was retired near the end of World War II. Bought at auction by the Sherman Towing Company of Panama City, she became known as the Sherman VII and was re-plated with scrap steel from the old Liberty Ships being taken down at Port Panama City. The steam engines were removed and replaced with diesel engines. The ShermanVII became very busy in the local waters and, ironically, spent most of her time moving surplus Liberty Ships around the Port. Work slowed in the mid-seventies and, when the last Liberty Ship was scrapped, the Sherman VII drew light duty until sinking at the dock. She was re-floated but never really totally repaired. She changed hands several times over the next few years and was finally acquired by someone with obvious intentions of making a deep water fishing spot many miles from Panama City. According to local rumors, the CHICKASAW was headed out in the middle of the night and, pumps keeping her afloat, stopped, sinking quickly in the current location. From the diver’s standpoint, a few hundred yards from the whistle buoy in 75 feet of water is much better than many miles away in a few hundred feet of water. The picture above shows the CHICKASAW in 1938 while still in her prime and with all the original superstructure intact. The Sherman Towing Company removed much of the wooden structure in the 1960’s and the first few weeks underwater took care of what was left.
SIMPSON
Located just outside the old pass in twenty feet of water, the E.E. SIMPSON is the shallowest of the Panama City shipwrecks. Like the LEROY, she was owned by Aiken Tugboat Company of Pensacola. On October 28, 1929, the SIMPSON was working to free a grounded fishing boat during rough weather. With a line attached to the Tecumseh, the SIMPSON was backing down gradually and at the same time digging a trench with her prop wash. When she was within a few hundred feet of the grounded vessel, a wave crashed over her, causing a loss of power. Forced to abandon ship, the crew spent the night on Shell Island. The next morning they found that their ship had capsized and sunken. In the early years, part of the smokestack protruded above the surface of the water. Now, on calm days, the top of the stack can be seen just a few feet below the surface. Popular due to the shallow depth and close proximity to shore, the SIMPSON has played host to thousands of divers. The smokestack and the thousands of resident tropical fish make a beautiful backdrop for underwater photographs.
VAMAR
The Kilmarnock was built in 1919 in Middleboro, England. Her dimensions were 170 feet long and thirty feet wide with a draft of sixteen feet. Her large steam engine could generate 980 horsepower. The original owner used her very little and finally sold her. After the sale, her name was changed to Chelsea. In the late 1920’s, this vessel was purchased by Admiral Byrd. She was renamed Eleanor Bolling, after Byrd’s mother. Her primary assignment was to carry supplies between New Zealand and Byrd’s Antartic base, Little America. Upon termination of Byrd’s expedition, she was purchased by Vamar Shipping Company and renamed the VAMAR. Her primary mission was to carry supplies between various ports on the Gulf Coast of Florida. On March 21, 1942, she capsized in heavy weather. The wreck continually eroded away but, even today, more than forty years later, the smokestack and a few other areas are still visible underwater. The upright smokestack and abundance of fish life make this an interesting wreck. The right time of year combined with the right tides make this a very photographic wreck. Local divers know this wreck as the “Lumberboat.”
GREY GHOST
On July 12, 1978, as a kickoff to an ongoing artificial reef project, the GREY GHOST was sunken intentionally. Acquired by the Panama City Marine Institute (PCMI) through federal surplus property, this ex-Navy tug is 105 feet long, twenty feet wide and constructed of steel. The PCMI reef team took several weeks to clean the hull for environmental inspection and to remove any floating hazards. After preparation, the GHOST was towed almost due west of the jetties and laid to rest in 105 feet of water.
Lying solidly on her portside near some hard bottom, the GHOST quickly became popular with fish, fishermen and divers. The wreck has continued to serve as a breeding ground for fish and has attracted all types of marine life found in local waters. The depth makes this a dive for experienced divers. Most of the doors have been removed but divers should still take care to avoid penetration of the wreck without the proper equipment and prior training. The impact this wreck has had for a ten year period on fishermen and divers is a credit to the PCMI reef program and stands as an example of what can and should be done as an attempt to continue to nurture and develop the coast’s marine resources
LIBERTY SHIP
In the early 1970’s, plans began for federal donation of mothballed Liberty Ships for use as artificial reefs. In Florida, the Department of Natural Resources was given the responsibility of ironing out all of the problems. After several years of hard work and much paper pushing, a hull was sunken off the coast of Shell Island in July of 1977. Originally the Benjamin H. Grierson, the Panama City hull is 441 feet long and 57 feet wide. She was one of 322 Liberty Ships built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation of Portland. In her prime, she boasted 2,500 horsepower and had a gross tonnage of 7,716. Although cut to the waterline, several bulkheads are still intact and she presents a vertical profile of approximately twenty feet. With additional materials added inside and out to expedite juvenile habitation, this is a wreck you can’t really explore on just one dive. The depth of 74 feet allows ample bottom time for exploring and underwater photography or video. Located seven and one-half miles offshore, this wreck has become a playground for not only divers but sea turtles, manta rays and all kinds of fish as well.
EMPIRE MICA
To many people, World War II was something that happened “over there.” To others who are younger, it was something to be studied in history class. Occasionally, history becomes very real. In the case of World War II, it often touched much closer to home than the European and Pacific battlefields.
The EMPIRE MICA was built in 1941 at the Furness Shipbuilding Yard in Howeston-on-tees, England. Although owned by the Ministry of War Transportation, she was leased to the Anglo-American Oil Company. At 465 feet long and 61 feet wide with a gross tonnage of 8,032, she was in the size category of the largest tankers of the era.
In June 1942, in Baytown, Texas, the MICA was loaded with 11,200 tons of petroleum distillate and began the long journey home on her maiden voyage. Submarine sightings had been reported all along the Gulf Coast so the plan was to anchor for the night in either St. Andrews or St. Joseph Bay. Because of her load, the MICA was drawing too much water to enter either bay. The decision was made to continue south, following the ten fathom curve which would keep submarines at a disadvantage due to the shallow water. This proved to a fatal mistake. It was a peaceful, moonlit night, June 29, 1942, when the MICA cleared the shallows off Cape San Blas. As she headed southeast, the quiet was shattered and war struck home, a mere 21 miles from Apalachicola, Florida. Two torpedoes struck the MICA on her portside, just about amidship. Flames leaped high and the explosions were heard for miles and miles up the Gulf Coast. While the ship burned and exploded, private boaters from Apalachicola sped to the rescue. Despite all efforts, 33 of the 47 crew members were lost. After more than 24 hours of burning and drifting, the MICA finally sank in 105 feet of water just southeast of Cape San Blas. Immediately following the war, fishermen found that the MICA was still making a contribution to man. This time by providing an excellent habitat for fish and other marine life. The ship’s size made it an excellent center for the development of all sizes and species of fish. Fishermen were delighted immediately and, as the sport of diving grew, divers were the next to be attracted to the wreck. For the next forty years, the MICA’s reputation grew along with its fish population.
In the summer of 1983, the MICA was again assaulted by men and explosives. A group of divers began attempts at blowing the propeller off the ship with intentions of salvaging and selling it. After numerous attempts and many explosions, they were finally “successful.” The prop was moved to Panama City and luckily saved from the scrap yard by the owners of Captain Anderson’s Restaurant (it is now on display in front of the restaurant). The official loser in this battle, like the battle of 1942, was the EMPIRE MICA. The fish population was set back years and, in 1986, was just getting back to what it once was. The after deck, where the main propeller served as a backdrop for photographers, is now lying on the bottom, reduced to a pile of scrap metal. Luckily, the other deck areas are still intact and can dwarf a diver as they rise majestically from the bottom. Lying on a piece of still intact deck is the symbol of the MICA: the cast metal spare prop. Of no value to salvors, it is still there, all eighteen feet of it. Long ladders lead below deck into the lower compartments and thousands upon thousands of tropical fish are there to greet the visiting divers. The large amberjack, barracuda, snapper and grouper are still around for the experienced underwater hunter. Also, even after over forty years, there are still occasional reports of “porthole sightings.”
The MICA can still cast her spell. Hundreds of divers, whether spearfishing, artifact hunting or taking pictures, become awestruck on descent and many times never move more than fifty feet from the anchor on their first dive. Prepare yourself and be forewarned. The EMPIRE MICA is habit forming. No matter what you are interested in underwater, the MICA can catch that interest and hold it. Once you make this dive, your problem will be, “WHEN CAN I GO AGAIN?”
LEROY
The tugboat LEROY was built at Boston, Massachusetts, in 1874 and first saw service as the U.S.S. Revenue Cutter Samuel Dexter. With a gross tonnage of 209, she was 129 feet long and had a beam of 23 feet.
Purchased by the Aiken Tugboat Company of Pensacola, she was converted to service as a tugboat. On November 15, 1926, she left Pensacola bound for Tampa and Sarasota. About noon on the 16th, she sprang a leak in bad weather. Both hand and steam pumps were used but, after about an hour, she sank twenty miles south of Panama City in 120 feet of water. The fifteen crew members boarded a lifeboat and rowed for eighteen hours before reaching St. Andrews Bay. For years, she was occasionally visited by fishing boats and, early in the sixties, by divers. Their reaction was, “Lots of fish but not much left of the wreck.” In 1979, several local divers decided to see for themselves. A recent storm had shifted lots of sand and these divers’ efforts were rewarded by fourteen intact brass portholes and many other artifacts. Since that time, many items have been taken from the wreck, including the ship’s compass and mast light. Truthfully, there isn’t much structure left besides the boiler, but the old timbers still have brass spikes and who knows what the next storm will uncover.
REEFS
Panama City’s reefs are destined to be quite a surprise to those divers accustomed to the tropics. The first look might tend to disappoint these people, but those with the perseverance to challenge a new horizon will be justly rewarded. You will not see the large stag horn and elk horn corals found further south but the multicolored soft corals and large basket sponges will more than make up for the difference. The reefs here are primarily limestone ledges with low growths of flower and finger corals. The scattered rock piles add to the profile of the ledges, which may vary from a few inches to several feet. These isolated reefs offer excellent shelling and spearfishing and will oftentimes offer up Florida lobster in the five pound plus category.
An underwater light will open up a kaleidoscope of colors that can be captured by the patient underwater photographer. The various tropical fish, both juvenile and adult, offer up all the colors of the spectrum. Due west of Panama City is an area ranging in depths from sixty to over 100 feet that is virtually covered with reef areas. As these areas are charted, they are named by the various captains. This aggressive exploring has led many groups to request trips that dive a known location for one dive and alternate buddy teams making dives on new locations find bigger and better ledges and reefs. This activity is referred to locally as “spot hopping” and many of the reefs currently being used regularly by the dive boats of Panama City were found this way. Check out these reefs. With a little bit of luck and a lot of patience, you can probably dive some places that have never been seen before by a diver.
SHELL COLLECTING
Shelling is an activity that attracts the interest of everyone who visits a beach at one point in their life. To the diver collecting shells, it often happens accidentally and, then again, to some people, it is the very reason for diving. To these types of divers especially, the waters of the Gulf of Mexico can be a very happy hunting ground indeed. The wrecks occasionally stop traveling shells and, of course, some shells grow in hard to reach areas of wrecks and artificial reefs. The natural reefs are a virtual oasis for the shell hunter. Excellent specimens are found on a regular basis, representing almost all types of shells found in the Gulf. Used as an alternate to diving in the Gulf on rough days, the bay areas also offer productive areas for shelling. Many divers cover the areas around the jetties on a regular basis but perhaps one of the best areas anywhere in the local area is the shallow grass flats around the bay area beaches. All types of shells, including large helmet conchs and horse conchs, reward the persistent underwater hunter.
COMMANDER
Discovered in 1979 by two local captains, the COMMANDER has become a local favorite for underwater photographers. Although small at 65 feet long and fifteen feet wide, it is still a very dramatic wreck because it sits perfectly upright on the sand bottom. The steel hull and superstructure weathered all three hurricanes in 1985 and proved that the COMMANDER is here to stay. Although large game fish have been scarce in this area, bait fish and large tropicals are always plentiful. Research revealed that the COMMANDER caught fire in the Intercoastal Waterway and was sold as salvage by the insurance company. After changing hands several times, the COMMANDER disappeared until being located offshore on the bottom. Lacking the history of the TARPON, or the size of the GREY GHOST, this wreck was mistakenly overlooked by many people on their list of favorite dive sites. Despite this lack of attention, many divers are discovering the COMMANDER as a varied interest dive that can entertain almost anyone.
PANAMA CITY MARINE INSTITUTE
The Panama City Marine Institute (PCMI) is a community based youth development organization. The training program serves as an alternative school to adjudicated youngsters between fifteen and eighteen years of age. PCMI also serves twenty young people through a diversion program funded by the Bay County School Board to help serve as a stop gate for potential dropouts. The program runs on a typical school day schedule but the program is anything but typical. There is a balance between programmed academic studies and marine-oriented outdoor activities. From 1978 until 1982, PCMI also operated the local artificial reef program. This project was a joint venture between PCMI, Bay County and a federal grant that provided twenty young people between the ages of sixteen and 23 with jobs. This team of reef builders, utilizing a donated sixty foot tugboat and a surplus 110 foot barge, was the driving force behind the program, which contributed to the fishing and diving locations offshore of Panama City. The PCMI artificial reef team was responsible for dive sites such as the GREY GHOST, PCMI BARGE and two of the airplanes, as well as many others. This operation was an excellent example of using state funded programs to give back to the community in more ways than just providing a social service.
DIVING MUSEUM
The sport of diving has experienced many highlights through the years but, unfortunately, most have passed unheralded. Located on Back Beach Road in Panama City Beach is an organization that is dedicated to making those oversights something of the past. The International Institute of Diving works at preserving the history of diving from the very beginning. Located at the corner of Highway 98 and State Road 79, the institute is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Inside the museum are relics of the first days of SCUBA. Countless items donated from personal collections and from various governments are on hand to educate and entertain you. Large salvage and saturation equipment is in the parking lot, including SEALAB I, which housed four men for nine days in 600 feet of water in 1964. The museum also boasts a library and has many items you will probably never see anywhere else, including videos and films that are available for viewing. For more information contact the International Institute of Diving, 17314 Hutchinson Boulevard, Panama City Beach, Florida 32407, at (904) 235 – 4101.
Ex-U.S.S. STRENGTH
Expected to become available in the spring of 1987, the Ex-U.S.S. STRENGTH will become the largest of the vessels sunken intentionally in local waters as an artificial reef since the LIBERTY SHIP in 1977. A joint venture between local agencies, dive operators and the U.S. Navy, this will mark the first large project in several years. The STRENGTH was an Admiral Class minesweeper put into service in March of 1944. A 650-ton ship, she is 184 feet long with a beam of 33 feet. Fully operational until the mid-sixties, she carried a wartime complement of 98 men under the command of a Lieutenant Commander. Although a minesweeper, she carried a minimum armament of one 3-inch gun and four 40mm anti-aircraft guns. After being decommissioned, the STRENGTH was assigned to the Navy Diving School in Washington, D.C. Her new mission was to serve as a training exercise for new salvage divers. She would be sunk at the dock and, as an exercise, each class would complete a hull survey and perform the necessary in-water repairs and then re-float her. When the diving school moved to Panama City in 1980, the STRENGTH was prepared to travel and be towed here to continue her work training divers at the new school in Panama City.
The STRENGTH has hosted thousands of highly trained Navy divers and will soon weather an onslaught of civilian divers. The target sight is in slightly more than 90 feet of water. This depth, coupled with the size and intricate design of the STRENGTH, points toward everyone paying particular attention to training prior to exploring this, the newest of Panama City wrecks.
BOAT DIVING
To many divers visiting Panama City, this will be their first experience diving from a boat. Boat diving makes it possible to dive in areas that would never be reached by swimming from the beach but also opens up another need for knowledge. If you are currently in a SCUBA class, ask your instructor to include boat diving as a topic. When you select a boat on your own, make sure you choose a reputable, Coast Guard licensed boat that is equipped and staffed for divers. Be sure of yourself and only sign up for dives that are for your level of experience. Don’t be late, stow your gear in designated areas. Work from a gear bag and secure your equipment between dives.
COMMON RULES FOR LOCAL BOATS
- Proof of certification.
- Required equipment: pressure gauge, depth gauge, BCD, timing device (recommended: alternate air source and power inflator).
- No loaded spear guns ever allowed onboard. (Know your fish; eat what you shoot.)
- Return to the boat with 500 psi in tank as a safety factor.
- Keep mask in place and regulator or snorkel in your mouth until on the ladder or platform.
- Identify and use all three lines for ascent and descent.
- If you become disoriented and are forced to surface, stay on the surface and swim to the boat.
- Beer may be stored aboard for consumption after the diving only.
- Put fins on last so as not to walk around fully equipped.
Use common sense and be safe. If there is something you aren’t sure of, ask questions. Boat diving is fun and safe – help keep it that way.
KEEP DIVING
Each year hundreds of divers put their certification cards into their wallets to be used only to prove they are a “diver.” These people who drop out without even getting started are cheating themselves out of the true enjoyment of the sport. The key to exploring the world of diving to its fullest is continued growth. Growth in diving is continued refinement of basic skills and expanded horizons. Many areas are available to the divers who are truly interested in exploring the underwater world to their fullest potential. In addition to exploring new diving locations, the following are examples of just a few of the areas available for additional training that will not only provide more experience but also open doors to other areas of diving not previously experienced:
Advanced Diver Cave Diving
UnderwaterHunting Deep Diving
Search & Recovery Research Diver
Underwater Environment Wreck Diving
Underwater Photography Diving Leadership
Underwater Video Night Diving
Rescue Diver Divemaster
Assistant Instructor Instructor
LORAN READINGS FOR SOME COMMON LOCAL WRECK LOCATIONS
PONTOON 14078.0 46973.7
SMITH BARGE 14066.9 46976.0
HOLLAND BARGE 14065.7 46981.1
BLOWN-UP BARGE 14052.4 46992.5
PCMI BARGE 14042.8 46999.8
OFFSHORE TWIN 14069.0 46968.0
LONGBEACH BARGE 14067.3 47018.3
LIBERTY SHIP 14064.9 46918.7
TARPON 13979.5 47001.7
GREY GHOST 13891.1 46991.7
QUANSIT HUT 14011.1 46966.9
CHICKASAW 14056.8 46978.6
STAGE II 14068.9 46997.7
STAGE I 13979.8 46957.7
STAGE I EAST 14011.3 46925.
FONTAINEBLEAU 14019.7 47028.5
MIDWAY SITE 14072.4 46949.5
WARSAW SITE 14037.1 46977.5
PANAMA CITY EMERGENCY NUMBER LIST
LAW ENFORCEMENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Bay County Sheriff 785-4351 Panama City Fire 785-4343
Florida Highway Patrol 785-6196 Panama City Beach 234-3473
Panama City Police 769-9421 Bay County Volunteer Fire 769-5000
Panama City Beach Police 234-2285 Florida Marine Patrol 763-3080
United States Customs 763-8418
HOSPITALS RECOMPRESSION CHAMBERS
Bay Medical Center 769-1511 Bay Medical Center 769-1512
Gulf Coast Community 769-8341 DAN (Divers Alert Network) 919-684-8111
Ambulance Service 769-1638 Life-Flight (Pensacola) 1-800-342-3222
Bay Emergency Walk-In 234-8442
FAA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION
785-6631
(Remember, dialing “0” puts you in touch with an operator who is trained to assist you in an emergency.)
RADIO FREQUENCIES
CB Channel 9 (Marine Patrol and Coast Guard)
VHF 16 call channels monitored by Coast Guard
VHF 26 local marine operator
