Discover the undersea riches of Palm Beach The Palm Beach area of Florida isn't called the Treasure Coast for the many gold-laden Spanish galleons that wrecked here long ago. It's named for the ultrarich residents, their expansive waterfront estates and the resultant real estate prices that come with being a desirable location. But the moniker could also apply to the surprisingly rich diving environment just offshore. Sea turtles and other large animals favor the waters off Palm Beach because of the area's unique geography. Starting just north of Palm Beach and running to about 50 miles north of Miami, America's submerged continental shelf narrows to just about 5 miles wide. That means this stretch of coast is closest to the bottomless depths of the open Atlantic. This section of coast also bulges west, out into the northbound path of the Gulf Stream, allowing a great push of water to track closer to shore than anywhere else along the eastern seaboard.Consequently, the coastal waters of Palm Beach are not only warm most of the year, but also a brilliant blue. Underwater visibility can reach 80 to 100 feet. Only seasonal variations in the Gulf Stream's path and occasional storms from the northeast take visibility and corresponding temperatures down. But conditions usually return in a day or two. Most identifiable with Palm Beach County diving are sea turtles. This segment of the Treasure Coast is a major nesting area from late April through July for four of the world's seven species of sea turtle. Hawksbills and loggerheads are seen most often because both are year-round residents. Tripping over up to a half-dozen of these ancient reptilian mariners during a dive is not out of the ordinary. Of course, seeing a loggerhead the size of a coffee table snoozing with only its head under a ledge might strike you as a little peculiar. Like loggerheads, green turtles can also reach hefty sizes, but they tend to be noticeably skittish around divers. While the chances of seeing a leatherback are significantly slimmer than other species, they do make appearances. When an 8- to 9-foot-long, half-ton colossus does swim by, be prepared to move out of the way. A bounty of life:The variation in the Gulf Stream's path is also responsible for the region's limited reef development. In place of the spur-and-groove formations typical of southern Florida and the Keys, reef development here consists of elongated ridges of limestone bedrock. Running parallel to the coast are two separate reef tracts, one at 45 to 60 feet deep and the other at 70 to 100 feet.The bottom contours seldom amount to more than one or two ledges. Varying in height up to about 15 feet and often deeply undercut, these contours are favorite sleeping spots for sea turtles seeking a few ZZZZs away from predators and wave surge. Poking your nose under these ledges can also put you face-to-face with large green morays and nurse sharks. The Gulf Stream's flushing and nourishing process supports a wide variety of fish, crustaceans, sponges and corals. Some of the most colorful include small, red polyp octocorals and regal sea fans, and plenty of branching tree and convoluted elephant ear sponges in brilliant hues of orange. The two reef tracts serve a diverse population of Nekton creatures much like an expressway does for a commuter. Regulars like spadefish and amberjacks, eagle rays, sea turtles and Caribbean reef sharks cruise through these pathways every day. Out-of-town visitors that come in from the adjoining sand bottom sometimes join the regulars. Time and time again I've had sightings of whale sharks, sailfish, and even a rare species of pelagic, free-swimming octopus. This was even the location of my first manta ray encounter years ago. Last January off Jupiter, slightly north of Palm Beach, I was tracing the edge of a 70-foot reef when I unexpectedly encountered dozens of adult lemon sharks resting on the sand bottom. Why this aggregation took place is still an unsolved mystery, one I'm looking forward to investigating further. Later that same season, an 80-foot dive on a popular wreck slightly north of the Lake Worth Inlet turned into a round of hide-and-seek with a pair of 200-pound Goliath groupers. Each dive in this area seems to render a new surprise, like encounters with Caribbean reef sharks, eagle rays and, of course, lots and lots of sea turtles. I bet the local residents don't even know about the treasures hidden just off their coast. Diving with a Different Drift:With the Gulf Stream's steady push, which can vary from 4 knots to as little as a half-knot, and bottom topography offering limited relief, drift diving is the only practical way to go in Palm Beach. Once the boat has completed its lineup on the intended reef tract, groups of divers quickly disembark following the jumpmaster-type command ''Dive! Dive! Dive!'' On the bottom, groups work with the current while staying in visual range of the leader or divemaster in charge of a tethered surface float. Working in this fashion, divers follow the reef contour and can cover long distances. Accordingly, the odds of finding whatever they are looking for increase substantially. More Information:For more information about diving the Treasure Coast area, click on the home page below.