10 Reasons to Dive the Florida Panhandle

On the Sunshine State’s northwest coast, the only things bigger than the shipwrecks are the beaches. Here are the top 10 reasons to dive the Florida Panhandle.

1. Cocktails and Dreams

Fried oysters, voodoo punch, a salt-weathered patio overlooking the Gulf — these are the reasons the sun sets to a packed house every night at Schooners Restaurant and Beach Club in Panama City Beach, which calls itself the “Last Local Beach Club.” And until you can watch a glorious Panhandle Florida sunset in person, check out Schooners sunset cam.

2. Core Values

Visit paddleboard manufacturer YOLO, at the intersection of 30A and 393 in Santa Rosa Beach, to rent a board or demo newly designed gear. Do it right, and you’re on your way to a six- pack that you can’t buy at 7-Eleven.

3. Loose Lips

A top-secret 1944 military operation off Pensacola brought the downfall, literally, of the San Pablo, also known as the Russian Freighter. (Apparently a U-boat attack wasn’t enough to sink it — the ship was refloated after.) Now the 315-foot former banana boat rests at 80 feet, where its busted boilers and refrigeration coils are still recognizable to divers.

4. Tuesday Is the New Friday

Maybe Tuesday isn’t the best night for rocking out, but during Pensacola’s April-to-October outdoor concert series, Bands on the Beach, everyone makes an exception as they unfold the beach chairs, and settle in with adult beverages and beachy beats.

5. Best Reason to Add Lead

The Southern fare at Fish Out of Water, the oceanfront eatery at Watercolor Inn in Santa Rosa Beach, includes snapper ceviche, a different deviled-egg selection each evening, and a chocolate soufflé that’s so perfect, you’ll ask for the recipe.

6. Training Grounds

After a first career as a fleet tug, the 143-foot USS Accokeek served as 
a salvage — and ordnance — training vessel for Panama City-based Navy divers. The vessel was sunk a number of times until 2000 when it found its final home at 100 feet.

7. In Your Wheelhouse

“It’s great for penetration — the wheelhouse windows are all wide open,” says Dive Locker’s Todd Yarbrough. He’s talking about the 1993 purpose- sunk Black Bart, an oil-field supply vessel in depths starting at 45 feet. On the dive plan: the easily navigable staircase and cargo holds.

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8. Such Great Heights

The ride is pricey but worth it for aerial views of the hotel strip, beachgoers in the surf, dolphins near the inlet, and gators in ponds. Plus, it’s proof of the Gulf’s clear water: On some days, you can spot stingrays and other deep swimmers against the white sand.

9. You’ll Know It When You Dive It

The Mighty O — also known as the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany — is the world’s largest artificial reef at 902 feet. Whereas the control tower once received flybys from the E-2 Hawkeye warning aircraft, it is now buzzed by whale sharks, manta rays and mola mola.

10. On the Map

The area’s 12 best shipwrecks together form the Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail. Grab a passport and track your progress while diving across the gulf.