The water is great, with temps in the mid to upper 80s on the top and a few degrees lower at the bottom. The weather should be getting better and the seas calmer and this will make for great diving so, let’s get out there! Red snapper season is over but there are plenty of other fish in the sea. The big grouper are still a little further out, so don’t be afraid to travel longer and dive deeper on some hard bottom. The water visibility has been good on bottom about 30’ to 50’, but the vis in the upper parts of the water column has been less than perfect, only about 3’ to 10’. There is a lot of life on many of the wrecks, like stage 1 and 2, for you to take pictures or even harvest. However, Stage 2 is very close to shore, only about a mile out, and the fish are mostly small but still a great last dive of the day because its only about a 50’ dive. Stage 1, however, is about 12 miles offshore down about 100’ with big mangrove snapper, gag grouper and beeliners.
One bit of good news, the lionfish in nearshore waters are almost impossible to find. Great job everyone in working to get them out of our beautiful waters.
Safety tip: If you want to do repetitive dives, I urge you to plan them very carefully. The best way I have found is to write them out on paper and go back to it throughout the day of the dive to make sure you are diving the plan you and your friends laid out. If you need help with the dive tables, any of the great dive shops in Panama City will be glad to help you.
Always PLAN YOUR DIVE AND DIVE YOUR PLAN!
CAPT. JAMES TEW
Kitchen Pass Dive & Fishing Charters
850-896-6476