Reported By: Jay Cashmere
Photographer: Tom Special
November 28, 2006
If you thought you had to travel far to get a good look at coral reefs in Palm Beach County think again.One popular local reef offers a unique look at life underwater and continues to reel in divers.
We didn't have to go far for this story...in fact we joined the Breakers dive team on board the dive boat Narcosis for a closer look at the Breakers reef. This popular underwater attraction always gives divers a special experience and it was no different Monday when we took the plunge.
It is one of Palm Beach County's most popular reefs nestled close to the shores of Palm Beach.
"Awesome dive...the minute we hit the bottom lot of color, lot of reef, lot of fish."
A lot of everything lives on the Breakers reef. The 60 foot deep north to south patch has reeled in divers for years. So much so that two to three charters a week on board the Narcosis head straight for its coordinates.
"Everybody loves it. I don't care if its 10 feet of visability, they get to see plenty of fish and sealife."
That's why hundreds of divers across South Florida and hundreds of dive certified guests at Breakers always seem to find themselves hovering over the vast colorful stretch a half mile from the Breakers hotel.
Mike Engel, Chief Dive Instructor at the Breakers with 20 years of logged dive time, knows exactly why its such a draw.
"The honeycomb reef pickets are full of fish..its very popular great dive for divers who are novice on up."
The marine life is so common on this reef that each dive brings a new experience like this one which left our group in awe:
A sea turtle getting nosy with our camera. It graced us with its presence and that was just the beginning. Five minutes later we we're in for another treat. A sting ray half camoflauged in the sand took a graceful swim out of hiding for another resting spot.
"Its always good for turtles, always see turtles on that reef, southern stingray's, lobster plenty of schools of fish.."
With a few quick glances at this main attraction, its not hard to see why it has made a huge impact on diving off the Palm Beaches. One reef full of everything from lobsters to
species of fish has taken tourism to a new level and continues to keep divers hooked.
"Every now and then stay long enough down there come across really huge things alot of good memories."
RELATED LINKS:
www.narcosisdivecharters.com
Phone: 561-630-0606
www.thebreakers.com
