Dive Sites: Shark Canyon & Jolly Jacks
Pura Vida Divers was onboard the Narcosis Dive Charters vessel today with our guest, Chris Knop, private dive guide Allison Knox and photographer Laz Ruda. We headed north from the Lake Worth inlet to Shark Canyon for our first dive. With 1-2 foot seas and clear skies, it was a very enjoyable ride to the dive site. One of Narcosis’ dive guides jumped in to check conditions where we were alerted to a negligible south current, 30-35 feet of visibility and a slight cold-water upwelling bringing the temperature down to 78 from our lower 80’s average for the week.
Upon our descent we found ourselves in a soup of siphonophores near the surface. This colony of jellyfish-like looking creatures belong to the same phylum as corals — Cnidaria. They are not true jellies. They are most commonly seen in mid-water and are harmless except for the Portuguese Man O’War, which thankfully we did not see today.
Descending to the reef, Shark Canyon exploded with fish activity between all the brightly colored sponges and corals. A reef shark swam the edge of visibility checking us out. A large southern stingray rested on the sand while our guest, Chris Knop, hovered overhead. We enjoyed a relaxing drift dive along this beautiful reef for over 45 minutes.
Back on the boat the conditions topside were still looking great. With calm seas, plenty of Florida sunshine, and a boat full of like-minded divers, conversations and smiles abound. After an hour surface interval we were once again giant striding off the back of the Narcosis dive boat to a dive site called Jolly Jacks.
Tons of tropical fish scurried throughout the nooks and crannies of the reef. A juvenile hawksbill sea turtle was resting under the reef ledge. Eels, lobsters, grouper, and lion fish were plentiful throughout this reef.
The amazing diversity of marine life in Palm Beach never ceases to amaze. Come join us on our underwater diving adventures in Palm Beach, Florida.
