Palm Beach’s best kept secret.

Palm Beach is well known for its parade of mansions and sophisticated lifestyle. But what not too many people know is that it has some of the best scuba diving in Florida.
Nothing tops the scuba diving that the Florida Keys have to offer, but the fact that not too many people are aware of the excellent diving in Palm Beach means that the reefs aren’t crowded with boats and scuba divers.
The best time to go is in the morning at high tide. The water is crystal clear, very refreshing and calm. Once you reach the bottom, that’s when it hits you. There are hundreds and hundreds of fish of every size and color swimming among the valleys and valleys of reefs. It’s worth it to even dive along the bottom, as there are tiny fish that burrow into the sand.
What makes the dives worth it is seeing some other creatures besides fish that also frequent the reefs. On more than one occasion, I was lucky enough to see a sea turtle swim by. On another dive, I saw a green moray eel that was resting on the bottom. I still envy that other diver who was lucky enough to bring an underwater camera to take its picture.
Even more fascinating is that there is good wreck diving in the area, too. At 90 feet down lies the Mizpah, a yacht used to carry troops in World War II. Eventually it would be sunk to start an artificial reef. I have yet to try a dive down there, as conditions have to be just right for diving with no strong currents. There are several other artificial reefs to explore, including a sunken Rolls Royce. There is no other place in the world other than Palm Beach to offer this kind of diving.
There are lots of dive shops near my hometown of Lake Park that offer dives off Palm Beach, but the one that I dive with most often is The Scuba Club. Their web site has an interesting article with more information on the advantages of diving off Palm Beach. The dive shop itself offer some very reasonably priced afternoon dives and excellent service, and I recommend them highly to handle your Palm Beach dives.
If you should pass through the Palm Beaches on your way to scuba diving in the Keys, it is worth it to stop by and take a plunge and explore the reefs near Palm Beach. I may just get in trouble for letting the secret out.