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Whatever your diving fantasy, Palau can fulfill it! Walls, caves, holes, coral gardens, wrecks, channels, micro life, macro life, sunshine, rainbows, white sand
beaches! Palau has been rated number one of the seven underwater wonders of the world...above Great Barrier Reef and Red Sea!! (CEDAM- Scientists).
Marine Life Highlights
You want sharks? We got 'em!
(The good news is there has never been a known shark attack in the entire history of Palau). Macro/Micro - whatever your pleasure! Manta rays, barracuda, turtles, whales, anemones, nudibranch, giant tridacna clams and
eels are among the abundant varieties of ocean life you'll see in the waters of Palau.Blue Corner, off the Ngemelis Islands, is one of those dives that is consistently electric, providing fish action in every
imaginable shape and size. Large sharks are common, as are small ones, sea turtles, groupers, schools of barracudas, snappers and small tropicals, Napoleon wrasse and bumphead parrot fish, and even an occasional moray
eel or sea snake. Incredibly big stingrays have also been seen here.
The amazing thing about Blue Corner is that about 90 percent of all of these animals are spotted on every dive.
The Corner is an area of
the reef flat that starts in about 45 feet of water and runs for a great distance, jutting out into the sea before dropping off abruptly to form a wall. Small hills, sand tunnels, and gorges are cut into the upper side.
A strong tidal current runs through, providing food for the bottom of the marine chain, which in turn attracts the middle and upper chain critters.
A typical dive starts by descending along the wall through
schooling fish and at least a dozen reef sharks who are curious about the noise of the diver's bubbles. Prior to the tip is a cut in the wall that boasts immense gorgonian fans as well as feathery black coral trees.
Once up on the 50-foot level, the schools of fish that course the corner can be watched for hours. Some schools actually mix together, with as many as four different species swimming in one dense formation. By
moving a little further into an area of heavier coral growth, it is not unusual for a diver to see hawksbill sea turtles grazing on hydroids. On one dive, I counted six in a matter of about ten minutes.
Because
it is so consistently active, the Blue Corner has become a mecca for world-class underwater photographers and should be considered a must-see for every serious diver. The currents here can be powerful and tricky at
times. Be sure to watch for down and up currents that run along the walls and that can bring a diver up or down faster than wanted and really mess with a dive profile. The sharks here are well-fed, but treat them with
respect anyway, especially during mating season in May and June. |
