While Florida is known for its stunning beaches, blue waters and streets lined with palm trees, West Palm Beach diving is some of the best in the state thanks to its amazing underwater views and short proximity to the Gulf Stream. There’s excitement to be found in the clear blue waters for divers of any skill level.
Blue Heron Bridge is great for entry level divers because you can follow along the 800-foot-long Snorkel Trail and discover treasures like sunken boats and shark statues. It’s part of the Phil Foster Park, a world renowned protected area for underwater photography. Luckily, the manatees, pipefish, seahorses, frogfish and bumblebee shrimp in the water aren’t camera shy!
The deepest spot at the Park is seven meters, or 23 feet, so decompression limits aren’t a concern. SCUBA diving lessons in West Palm Beach will prepare you for situations like this!
We also recommend checking out the world famous Breakers Reef, a two-mile-long reef that’s accessible from Palm Beach Inlet. Soft corals, barrel sponges, sea turtles, eels and what is left of a King Neptune statue are just some of the things you find after diving down about 45-60 feet. This site is covered with huge barrel sponges, moray eels, resident lemon sharks, sometimes a Goliath grouper, giant and bulb anemones with gorgeous tiny Spotted Cleaner Shrimp, and normally Turtles! Manta Rays, Hammerhead Sharks, Sawfish, Octopi, Guitar Fish, and Caribbean Reef Squid are also not out of the question on this site!
Juno Ledge is perfect for anyone looking to see a wide variety of marine life. Get face to face with sea turtles, colorful corals and sponges in shades of burgundy, lavender or orange, and share the sites with sharks and eels. If you’re lucky, a school of goliath groupers might be in view. These gentle giants can weigh up to 800 pounds and are the same size as a Volkswagen Beetle!
The infamous ledge starts at 68 feet on top of the reef and extends 20 feet down to the sand’s depth of 92 feet.
Shark Canyon is part of the Cathedral reefs and is home to Caribbean Reef sharks in fairly deep waters in Juno Ledge. They aren’t shy about approaching divers either and usually turn away when about three feet from a group.
Jolly Jacks is worth a visit because its formation consists of extremely deep undercuts and massive erosion as part of a gradual slope down a 12-foot ledge. Tropicals, sea turtles, moray eels and rays inhabit this area. All in all, if you’re in search of marine life combined with unique ledges and curves, then this area is perfect for you! This is a great site for hunting as well as hogfish, snapper, and grouper tend to hang out here, among other game fish and lobsters.
If you’re curious about drift diving or experience in the practice, heading to nearby Jupiter to experience its ripping currents is a fun time. Diving conditions in Jupiter have an average water temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit and the best time to dive is during the summer due to calm winds and clear waters. But as the warmest region in the Sunshine State, you can’t go wrong any time of the year! Another added bonus is the city’s proximity to the Gulf Stream, or the major ocean current seen as the lifeline for all scuba diving adventures in South Florida.
Jupiter is best for more advanced divers as opposed to newer ones, and typically we recommend at least having a nitrox certification to fully enjoy the depths of the water where the best wrecks and reefs are.
Sign up for a private class with John and get your SCUBA certification in West Palm Beach today. This location is an astonishing and beautiful area to learn to dive in. In these classes, you can learn from a Discover SCUBA Diving or Try Diving course, all the way up to the professional ratings of Divemaster. Experience an engaging, fun, and safe learning experience today with Dreaming Sea Divers.
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