By Adam Straub
While Blue Corner and German Channel get most of the attention in Palau, Turtle Wall is not to be missed: This three-part dive site combines to create a whole lot of awesome.
Drop in and swim across the shallows to the entrance of a shaft in the reef, filled with sea fans. It ends at about 60 feet (18m) with a sloping, sandy bottom. Here, careful eyes may locate a disco clam.
From here the dive focuses on a gorgeous wall covered in sea fans, wire coral, soft and hard corals and anemones. If the current is slow, you can seek out squat lobsters, wire-coral shrimp and gobies, plus lots of nudibranchs and colorful flat worms.
If the current is moving too swiftly to stay in one place, just enjoy the ride as schools of pyramid butterflyfish and squarespot anthias swirl by, and keep an eye to the blue for larger critters.
As the wall comes to an end, you’ll reach the third part of the dive in the shallows atop the wall. Here you’ll find a beautiful coral garden, which is a favorite hiding spot for various species of scorpionfish. There are also large and colorful schools of anthias and tropicals in addition to the site’s namesake, resting and feeding turtles.
And this is just a small sample of what you may see at Turtle Wall. Stay near a guide to experience all the hidden treasures you may miss with untrained eyes. Turtle Wall is not only a can’t-miss, it’s a must-request site in Palau.
