Panama City Beach is home to a wide variety of artificial reef material. Materials include bridge pilings, old-piers, and special designed reef habitat. Although these locations aren't likely to attract divers, they can provide a great opportunity for divers to see sunken ships surrounded by reef panels. Warsaw Reef is a top-rated reef dive.
Dive Locker has a maximum of 14 scuba divers per trip to ensure everyone is comfortable and safe. Our charters can be accessed by the public, provided there is enough space. We typically run two trips per day during season. Technical Scuba Instructors are available from TDI.
Warsaw Reef is one of the most popular reef dives. It is a natural hole made of concrete rubble and tire packages. It is a favorite spot for fish and they often travel between it and nearby wrecks such as the Black Bart. Panama City Beach was directly hit by Hurricane Michael in October 2018. It was a Category 4 storm. It was the most powerful storm ever to hit the Panhandle, with sustained winds of 154 mph. Hurricane-force winds affected over 650 artificial reefs. The report was compiled by members of the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association, and the Florida Wildlife Commission.
It's a great time for scuba diving lessons and to start a new adventure. We offer lifetime certifications for those who love diving. Three days of instruction in the water as well as some online learning is required for the first level of your dive training.
Panama City Beach was directly affected by Hurricane Michael, which was a category 4 hurricane in October 2018. It made landfall in the Panhandle with maximum sustained winds of 154 mph, and storm surges exceeding 10 feet. Hurricane-force winds impacted over 650 artificial islands.
They offer dive training, equipment rentals, and repair. Dive Locker - our newest dive shop - is another asset. It's also an excellent location to become certified through PADI (the largest scuba certification organization in the world). Their knowledge and experience will make you a more competent and confident diver.
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.
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).