JUNO LEDGE

Juno Ledge: A few miles north of Palm Beach Inlet, a number of dive sites offer “wilderness diving” because of their relative lack of divers and rugged, pristine reefs. One of the best dives is Juno Ledge, about seven miles north of the Inlet, just east of the town of Juno Beach. This 15 to 20 feet ledge is in 65 to 90 feet of water.

The marine life along the Juno Ledge is diverse and colorful. Spade fish, game fish, and moray eels make their homes here alongside soft corals, turtles, and sharks. The visibility allows for well-lit daytime diving. Lemon sharks also frequent the Juno Ledge region, a non-aggressive species that grows 10-13 feet in length. From December to March, these yellow-tinged sharks flock to the eastern coast of Florida in great numbers, where it’s not uncommon to see groups of 50 or more swimming together.

This ledge starts at 68-feet on top of the reef, and extends 20-feet down to the sand to a depth of 92-feet. It also features some peripheral spots such as Lee’s Ledge, a 60 to 85-foot dive with visibility in the 80 to 100-foot range. This area is home to loggerhead turtles and nurse sharks, as well as the goliath grouper. These hefty fish can grow up to 8 feet in length and weigh more than 700 pounds.

When the water is as clear blue as a gemstone, you can see the reef 90 feet below. Like many other Palm Beach reefs, the ledge here actually faces west, but unlike most, Juno has up to 20 feet of vertical reef face. Juno also has mini canyons stacked with schooling grunts and snapper hiding from the current.