The Black Bart is an 180-foot vessel that was used as an artificial reef in 1993. Vulcano del Golfo was named in 1977 in honor of Charles' Black Bart' Bartholomew (Navy Supervisor of Salvage Captain), who drowned while diving off Panama City Beach, in 1990. His achievements include leading the Navy's cleanup after the Exxon Valdez oil leak.
Check out our collection of free downloads, resources, and more to make sure you are more relaxed before you take that first plunge. Also, you can explore our favorite dive spots and learn about historical landmarks that only exist underwater.
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.
A Navy minesweeper tender weighing 184 feet and with a 33-foot beam, it was built in 1987 for use as a training ground for divers. Storms damaged the bow and it was thrown off to the port side. Rest of the boat was intact and can be seen standing upright, 20' above the ground.
She's three stories tall and home to incredible sea life. As of our last journey, you could still find the "Happy Holidays", unknown townsfolk written onto her deck.
St Andrew's Park's snow-white sugar sand and Shell Island's are stunning. There are many dolphin cruises available. For land lovers, there are attractions such as Pier Park, Shipwreck Island and Ripley’s Believe it or Not. You'll also find the finest fresh seafood (the Firefly she-crab soup is one of our favorites!). Golden sunsets over turquoise blue waters.
Another charter option is Scuba Dive Panama City Beach. Their US Coast Guard-certified captain is able to take you on the diving or spearfishing trip of your dreams. Are you looking to descend on our limestone reefs or an artificial one built from a fighter plane? Do you want to see an underwater bridge? You have the option to explore an underwater 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.