Off Shore Boat Dive - May 30th (Panama City Area)

[b1draper]

Going off shore this Saturday. The weather looks good, and seas are predicted to be 1-2 foot. I need 2 divers. I'd like do some filming and open the boat up. How about Cave's Ledge or Empire Mica or something like that. The cost will be a share in the gas, so figure 30-40 per person.

[b1draper]

Spots filled

Originally Posted by b1draper

Going off shore this Saturday. The weather looks good, and seas are predicted to be 1-2 foot. I need 2 divers. I'd like do some filming and open the boat up. How about Cave's Ledge or Empire Mica or something like that. The cost will be a share in the gas, so figure 30-40 per person.

[b1draper]

The Empire Mica is an excellent wreck and is certainly a "must see". Using the numbers in the Ned Deloach book we landed anchor on the stern of the ship. Following the anchor line down brought us right to where the engine room used to be. We were greeted with the boilers and a large amount of fairly intact structure; from what I've heard the trip Dive Locker does brings you to the bow of the ship where there's not much left.

We had probably 60-70+' vis with a wide array of fish. There were some goliath grouper, grouper, urchins, star fish, angels, spades, spot tail pinfish, parrot fish, damsels, blennies, AJs, Cobia, barracuda, plus too many more to name. The boilers are intact, there are lots of places to explore; I wouldn't attempt any penetrations.

At the surface the temp was 78.2 (per my depth finder) and 73 at depth per my computer. There were very few jelly fish.