Panama City Beach Labeled "Wreck Diving Capital of the South"

Panama City Beach offers a laundry list of excellent dive sites for novice to experienced divers. Panama City Beach has long been known as the most popular place for diving in North Florida and is 2nd only to the Florida Keys as the most visited dive destination in the state. Skin Diver magazine labeled Panama City Beach as the “Wreck Diving Capital of the South”.



Deep below the World’s Most Beautiful Beaches, you can see over 50 artificial reefs, including sunken ships, barges, and bridge spans. In addition, there are hundreds of natural limestone reefs that range in depths of 18’ to in excess of 100’. Perhaps the best dive available on the Emerald Coast is located at The Jetties at St. Andrews State Park. The channel side of the West Jetty is 70’ in some spots. The rocks there attract a wide variety of sea life including red snapper, grouper, octopus and other tropical fish.

In the 1970s, the  Panama City Marine Institute initiated a program of artificial reef building. Panama City Beach is home to some of the most diverse marine life in the Florida Panhandle. Divers can explore artificial reef sites including: (15) 160-ft. long x 35 ft. high bridge spans, the City of Atlantis, Twin Barges, and more.

Through a dive charter, you can see the Gulf of Mexico’s most famous wreck, the 465 foot Empire Mica in Panama City Beach. Explore the Grey Ghost, a 110 foot tug boat, the Chippewa, a 160 ft coastal freighter, a 441 ft World War II liberty ship, a 110o ft tug the Chippewa and the SS Tarpon, a 220 ft World War II tug.

April through September is optimal time for great dives in the area.

For more information on dive charters, contact Dive Locker