In October of 2018, Panama City Beach took a direct hit from Hurricane Michael, a category 4 storm. With maximum sustained winds 154 mph and over 10 ft storm surge, it was the strongest storm on record to make landfall in the Panhandle. Over 650 artificial reef patches experienced hurricane-force winds.
Panama City Beach was directly hit by Hurricane Michael in October 2018. It is 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.
Panama City Beach was directly affected by Hurricane Michael in October 2018, a category 4 hurricane. With winds up to 154 mph, and storm surges of more than 10 feet, this storm was the strongest ever to strike the Panhandle. More than 650 artificial coral reefs were subject to hurricane-force winds.
1985 saw the sinking a 100-foot long Navy hovercraft. The twin aluminum pontoons can still be seen 10 feet above the seafloor. Although the hovercraft looks unusual, it is unlikely that it will be featured dive site. You can still swim laps of the structure and float down and up the stairs.
Scuba Dive Panama City Beach will take you to the famous Black Bart watery shipwrecks or allow you to snorkel at St. Andrews State Park beachside. The park's incredible rocky jetties at high tide allow you to view ocean creatures like redfish and octopus up close.
The snow-white sugar sand of St Andrew’s Park and Shell Island are picture-perfectly beautiful. Dolphin cruises abound, and there are even attractions like Pier Park, Shipwreck Island, and Ripley’s Believe it or Not for land lovers. At night, you’ll find some of the best fresh seafood around (the she-crab soup at Firefly is legit the best we have EVER had!!) and golden sunsets over the turquoise blue water.
Scuba Dive Panama City Beach offers a full service dive center and aquatic training facilities. The instructors are highly experienced and have over 50 years' experience in the diving industry. They can help students learn in their heated pool or on a variety of open-water courses.
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.