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First, if you were born after January 1, 1988, you’ll need a boating safety education identification card and a photo ID to operate a jet ski in Florida waters. If you need to get your boating safety ID, you can take the safety test at our marina. You’ll also need to be 16 years of age to drive one of Aquatic Adventures’ jet skis.

Next, your jet ski isn’t foolproof. If you are going to go for a jet ski ride, you’ll need to wear a life jacket. You should also know the basics of how to keep your head above water in the event of an emergency. If you aren’t comfortable swimming or treading water, then you may want to choose a different watercraft for your Panama City Beach adventures.

You should also be aware that jet skis aren’t exempt from the laws of physics. The rule that an object in motion will stay in motion is true of these machines just as it is for land crafts. Your jet ski will keep moving even if all power is cut off. But, without power you’ll lose your ability to steer your jet ski. This means that if you lose power while in motion, you craft will keep going in whatever direction it was facing when the engine was turned off. It will take your jet ski some time and distance to come to a full stop. You’ll need to plan for this extra distance when moving toward another vessel or bringing your jet ski in for a shore or dock landing.

Speaking of cutting your jet ski’s engine, you will save yourself a lot of hassles if you always remember to use a lanyard. Your lanyard attaches to you and the jet ski’s key. If you fall off the vehicle the key comes with you, cutting off the engine. Yes, the jet ski will coast for a bit, but having the craft travel a short distance away from you before stopping is far better than having it speed a mile up the coast!

Also, we know speed is fun. Riding a jet ski can be thrilling. But while you’re enjoying your ride remember—gravity hurts. Your ability to control your jet ski ends when it leaves the surface of the water. Don’t try to jump your vehicle using the wake of boats or other devices. Once in the air, your jet ski could tip over and come down on top you or someone else. Trust us; you can have plenty of fun on your jet ski without trying any dangerous stunts.

While riding your jet ski, remember that there are a lot of other people out there. Keep an eye out for other water craft and remember you’ll need time and distance to steer clear of them. A good rule of thumb it to keep at least 100 feet between you and other vessels. Watch out for swimmers and divers, too. Hopefully, anyone who is diving will put out a buoy to warn you of their presence. But watch out for other signs that divers are nearby, just in case. Avoid riding your jet ski close to popular diving spots or diving tour boats.

Finally, be kind to our aquatic friends. Dolphins, rays, sea turtles, and other sea creatures may approach your vessel when you’re stopped or cruising slowly. Or they may be headed at cross directions with you. Try to avoid collisions—neither you nor the sea creature wants to meet by accident! Besides, if you keep a close look out, you’ll have the pleasure of seeing these amazing animals in their natural habitat. How cool is that?

Riding a jet ski can be a fast, exhilarating ride across the water, but it can also be a slow cruise to some amazing places.  When you rent a jet ski and chart your own course, you can experience both jet ski adventures. Take some time to enjoy the scenery. Then, speed things up and experience the spray in your face and the wind in your hair. Either way, you’ll love it!

For your convenience, Aquatic Adventures has jet skis available for rent near most of the major resorts along the Panama City Beach gulf coast. Just choose your location and pick up your machine. Don’t forget your boater safety card and photo ID if you’ll be doing the driving. Our jet skis can hold up to 400 lbs. each so you can share the ride. Now, grab your family or friends and plan your jet ski adventure today!

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The further you go into the gulf, the more varieties you’ll find. Swordfish, tuna, and even shark may grab your line in the deep waters. Some gulf coast species may be caught without limit, but a few have daily bag limits or other restrictions. Daily catches will vary depending on your location and season.

If you’ve been dreaming of a fabulous fishing vacation, fall is a great time of year to hit the gulf. The summer crowds are gone and the coast is open for business. So pack your bag and get ready to reel ‘em in with a fishing trip at Panama City Beach!

Find the Best Fishing in Panama City Beach

To help plan your trip, here’s a guide to some of the best places to bag your catch.

Sitting on the docks of St. Andrews Bay

St. Andrews State Park has two fishing piers, one on the gulf and the other on the Grand Lagoon. Fishing from these piers is included in the cost of park admission. Fish that you may catch near the Grand Lagoon include gag grouper, scamp grouper, bonito, trout, flounder, blackfin tuna, vermillion and white snappers, and sheepshead.

Pier fishing in Panama City Beach

In Panama City Beach, anglers have access to three gulf side piers and one pier extending into the Grand Lagoon. Two concrete piers, referred to as the City Pier and County Pier each extend 1,500 feet from shore. These amazing piers allow anglers of all ages to reach far into the Gulf of Mexico to try their luck. A one-day fishing license can be purchased for pier fishing. Spectators pay a lower fee to watch the action. Your daily catch from the pier may include ladyfish, trout, black drum, Spanish mackerel, and redfish.

Rent a pontoon and go where the fish are biting

The shallow waters in the bay and around Shell Island are great for fishing. You can rent a pontoon from Adventures at Sea and take your gear to where the fish are biting. What you catch will depend on where you go. But you’ll be guaranteed to see lots of wonderful marine life while you’re out.

Our boats can carry up to twelve passengers and your pet is welcome aboard. Just remember, pets may not be allowed on shore where you make landing. If you rent your own boat, you’ll need a fishing license. Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission online before you visit to obtain yours.

Deep water fishing in the Gulf of Mexico

For an epic fishing adventure, take a charter cruise out to the deep waters of the gulf. An Adventures at Sea chartered fishing cruise offers you comfort and convenience. Each boat has an air conditioned cabin and full galley so your party has a place to relax and enjoy the cruise. Meanwhile, on deck, our boats are fully equipped to help you reel in your big catch. Each charter fishing package includes the licenses, bait, and tackle you need for a great excursion. Plus, our expert crew and captain know where to find the best fishing spots.

Our chartered fishing boats can carry up to twenty passengers. Excursions can last from four hours to twelve hours, depending on your goals. For a four to six hour tour, you’ll be fishing along the coast and in the bay. For longer trips, your captain will set sail for the gulf and into deeper waters.

As with any other fishing trip, the fish you can expect to catch will depend on where you drop your line. But seasoned anglers report bites from wahoo, marlin, dolphins, tuna, sailfish, and amberjack.

Get Ready for Your Fabulous Fishing Trip

Want to know exactly what you can catch? Florida law regulates fishing along Florida’s gulf shore and inlets. Fishing for certain species are prohibited during some parts of the year. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission publishes this handy chart to help you keep track of when and what fish you can catch in Florida’s waters. Once you’re further out to sea, federal law sets the rules.

When you’re ready to get started, just give us a call. We’ll help you choose your date and the best tour to suit your needs. Whether you want to set out on your own pontoon or book a full deep-sea cruise, we’ll make sure you have your best fishing expedition ever!

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The Gulf of Mexico has the largest concentration of bottlenose dolphins found in U.S. waters.

There are lots of ways to seek out bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat during your visit to Panama City Beach. You can take a dolphin boat cruise or guided wave runner tour, or rent a boat and venture out on your own.

These curious creatures may even come looking for you as you snorkel or swim in the Gulf waters. However you find them, you can bet that seeing these beautiful animals in the wild will be a highlight of your vacation.

Here Are Some Interesting Facts About Our Friends in the Gulf:

Porpoises and Dolphins are Different

Porpoises, dolphins, and whales are all members of the animal classification order Cetacea. (The word Cetacea is derived from a Greek word meaning “large sea creature.”) These marine mammals share similar characteristics including their flattened tails, called flukes, and their cylinder-shaped bodies. The bottlenose dolphins common in the Gulf of Mexico are sometimes called grey porpoises. But, of course, they aren’t porpoises at all. There are no porpoise species that call the Gulf of Mexico home.

What’s the difference? Dolphins usually have a longer snout, or beak, and cone-shaped teeth. Porpoises have a more rounded face, and their teeth are flat. A dolphin’s body is usually more streamlined than a porpoise’s body. And, the dolphin’s fin is curved with a signature hook shape. A porpoise’s fin is just a rounded triangle. You might say that a porpoise is Richie, and a dolphin is the Fonz. Dolphins are just cooler.

Echolocation is all in a Dolphin’s Head

Most dolphins, including the bottlenose dolphin, have a slightly rounded, pronounced forehead. This part of their body is important for echolocation. Echolocation allows dolphins to use sound waves to locate items in the water. Dolphins operate this sonar system by emitting clicking sounds that travel through the water then bounce back after hitting an object. The dolphin’s large forehead and jaw capture these return sound waves and transmit them to the dolphin’s brain for analysis.

Dolphins Have Good Taste

Dolphins like to eat squid, octopus, and fish. On occasion, they may also nibble on krill or another crunchy crustacean. Dolphins often hunt in groups, called pods. They may surround a school of fish with a ring of bubbles or work as a team to herd the fish together. Dolphins have even been known to use their tails to fling fish onto the shore for easy pickings!

Dolphins Love to Have a Good Time

Bottlenose dolphins like to play and dive in the water. Often you will see a dolphin play on the surface of the water. When diving, dolphins will sometimes flip their tails—called flukes—out of the water. Dolphins like to play in the wakes created by boats and the currents created by passing whales. If you are lucky, you may even see a dolphin leap completely out of the water!

A dolphin may breach or leap out of the water for fun or while chasing fish. But if you see a dolphin leaping out of the water repeatedly and slapping the water with its tail or exhaling loudly (chuffing), it is time to leave the creature alone. These are all signs that the dolphin has had enough of your company. The wild dolphins around Panama City Beach are pretty used to us humans wandering around, but it is always good to remember—we are visiting in their home.

Let us Help You Visit the Dolphins When You Come to PCB

Here in Panama City Beach, we love our marine mammal neighbors and want to share their beauty with you when you visit. Our tour guides are trained to respect the dolphins and avoid disturbing them while still allowing you to observe them in their natural habitat.

Stop by one of our locations or book your tour online. We’ll make sure you have a memorable experience meeting our fascinating friends, the bottlenose dolphins.

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Ahoy there, me hearties! Are ye ready to talk like a pirate? September 19, 2016 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! And there’s no better place to be on such a splendid day than Panama City Beach, the Wreck Capital of the South.

If you feel like having a pirate adventure, dig out your map and set a course for PCB.

The waters around Panama City Beach are full of sunken ships. And every good pirate knows, where there be sunken ships, there be sunken treasure! Har! What a lot of treasures Panama City Beach has both underwater and above. It’s enough to make even the most seasoned pirate smile.

The waters around Panama City Beach are full of sunken ships. And every good pirate knows, where there be sunken ships, there be sunken treasure! Har! What a lot of treasures Panama City Beach has both underwater and above. It’s enough to make even the most seasoned pirate smile.

You don’t even need to wait until Talk Like a Pirate Day, Panama City Beach has treasures to discover every day.

Keep a Lookout for These Fine Treasures:

First, there’s a treasure you’ll find nowhere else in the United States—the Man in the Sea Museum. This museum preserves the history of deep water diving. On display you’ll find treasures from sunken ships, early diving suits, and a submarine waiting for you to explore.

The U.S. Navy’s first underwater habitat, the SEALAB-I, is also on display at the Man in the Sea Museum. Now, ye won’t be able to visit International Talk Like a Pirate Day because the museum is closed on Mondays. But Tuesdays through Saturdays, this treasure is open for business.

Next, there be the Underwater Archaeological Preserve. Florida has several sites that make up its Museums in the Sea. The SS Tarpon is number six. This sunken ship is a twin-screwed steam ship that sank in 1937. Advanced level divers can visit the steamer and view the wreckage in person. Divers can also pay a visit to Black Bart, an oil field supply ship lodged 75 feet beneath the surface of the gulf. This wreck was deployed as part of the Panama City Beach area’s artificial reef.

Ye snorkelers can get your chance to view the underwater treasures as well. The E.E. Simpson Tug is just 20 feet below water. This wreck can be seen from aboard your vessel or from the surface with ye snorkel gear. The E.E. Simpson Tug went down in 1929 and is now home to an abundance of sea life including rays, turtles, fish, crabs and squid!

Be ye a land lubber? Then mayhaps Shell Island has the treasure you seek. Shell Island is seven miles of pristine beach with the gulf’s trademark white quartz sands. Spend the day on the island finding shells, hermit crabs, starfish, and sand dollars. Rent a pontoon or sailboat to reach the island or charter a boat to carry you there. Bring a picnic lunch and snorkeling gear and spend the day discovering Shell Island’s hidden gems.

Are ye an admirer of the dread pirate Dominique Youx? Do you geocache? Then you can follow his trail through Panama City Beach. Just get the GPS coordinates from Geocaching.com and then go on your own Pirates of the High Seas treasure hunt. The geocached treasures may be long gone afore ye make it, but Captain Youx’s path is still there to follow. Tis a map guaranteed to reveal the secret beauty of Panama City Beach.

Aye Capt’n, Adventures at Sea is at Yer Service

As always your Mateys at Adventures at Sea stand at the ready to assist you. If your vessel be in dry-dock, we can rent you a sailboat or pontoon. And if your captain be indisposed, we can ferry your party to your destination be it a diving expedition or a sunset cruise. Lost your gear at the gambling tables? We can set you up with snorkeling and fishing equipment, too. Just pay us a visit online or in person and tell us what it is ye be needing to make your vacation complete.

And if ye be a thrifty pirate, be sure to check out our coupon page to see if your hotel qualifies you for a VIP (very important pirate) discount.

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Last Blast of Summer in Panama City Beach

Even if you aren’t here for the music, you’ll find plenty of other things to do over Labor Day Weekend at Panama City Beach. Our town will be rolling out the red carpet for all our ‘last blast of summer’ guests.

Here’s a list of some of the other Labor Day Weekend events you can catch here in PCB:

Panama City’s Friday Fest—This event takes place every Friday from March through November. Vendors, show cars, and bands take over four blocks to throw a massive street party. The activities begin at 6 pm and last until 10 pm. You can expect area restaurants to be open late, too.

Bay Area Backstage Pass—Taking place at the Marina Civic Center, the Backstage Pass concert series features local bands. On September 2, 2016, Turtlefoot will take the stage starting at 6:30 pm. General admission or table seating is available. Enjoy drinks and great music at this indoor venue.

Opening Day of the Fall Red Snapper Season—September 2, 2016, marks the first day of the state of Florida’s fall red snapper fishing season. Labor Day Weekend only, you can fish for red snapper for four full days. Florida’s other fall red snapper dates are limited to Friday through Sunday only. So if you want to get the most of your fishing expedition, Labor Day weekend is the time to book your tour.

Shane Johns Project—The Shane Johns will be performing Friday night at  Chillin’ Gelato Café to mark the release of his latest album, “Clear on the Water Beach.” Check out Shane’s music here.

Hogs & Dogs—Spend Labor Day weekend with your favorite things—dogs and Harley-Davidson. Harley-Davidson will host three days of food, drinks, and music at the Panama City Beach location. Dress up your dog for the fashion show and make a donation to your favorite pet charity while you check out the cool motorcycles on display.

5^th Annual Alys Beach 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run—Taking place on September 4, 2016, this event supports the Alaqua Animal Refuge. The races begin and end at the Alys Beach Amphitheater. Alys Beach is located just north of Panama City Beach. The events begin early Sunday morning, and you’ll find activities for all ages taking place at the start/finish line. Your kids will love the giant obstacle course and bounce house. Plus, there will be music.

Of course, these are just a few of the activities and events happening in the area over Labor Day weekend. Area bars, restaurants, water and theme parks will all be open and ready to show our visitors a great time and so will Adventures at Sea.

Make Your Labor Day Weekend Plans Now

If you’ve already booked your room for the weekend, now is the time to reserve your spot with Adventures at Sea. Adventures at Sea is your one-stop shop for all your rental needs while you’re here in Panama City Beach. From jet skis to beach chairs, we have what you need. Charter a fishing boat or rent a pontoon boat and spend your weekend on the water.

Use our convenient online booking system to secure your rentals before you arrive. We offer several locations for rentals and tours around Panama City Beach. You can find Adventures at Seas near many of Panama City’s most popular hotels and the County Pier. Just consult our Panama City map to find the one closest to you.

If you can’t make it here for the Labor Day festivals, don’t’ worry! Anytime is a great time to visit Panama City Beach. There’s always something fantastic to do. Adventures at Sea will help you make the most of your visit—whenever you come.

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