We were up early again today for another three tank dive trip. Today we were lucky enough to be heading for the signature Palau dive site, The Blue Corner. We were on a new boat that was also well set up with lots of room to gear up. We dove with Jade who is an informative and energetic dive guide.

After a 50 minute boat ride we arrived at our first dive site, The Blue Holes. There are three holes that lead down into some open caverns. Farther back is an enclosed chamber called the Temple of Doom. Some unlucky turtles made their way into the temple and couldn't find their way out for air, leaving behind their eerie skeletons.

The dive through the Blue Holes leads you out to the wall that runs up to the Blue Corner. This was our favorite dive so far. The wall is lush and dropping into the holes is a spectacular experience.

We dove the German Channel second. The German channel is a channel made during Palau's German administration era. It is a shallow but serviceable channel leading through the western reef. We waited for Mantas for a bit and then just wandered around the coral heads and walls of the channel. It is a nice dive with turtles and sharks, and would be awesome with a manta sighting.

We lunch at a magical place in the rock islands. It is a little sand spit running in between two islands with miles of shallow warm water on either side. Everyone enjoyed lunch and a nice swim.

Our third dive was the Blue Corner. This is billed as the signature Palau dive. Unfortunately for us it was not a good time for it when we were there. The Blue Corner is a dive best done when the current is running into the lagoon. This gives you the clear ocean water and lots of wildlife to look at. Our dive was low vis and shifting currents. Certainly an anticlimax, but all in all we had a wonderful day diving.

Palau certainly moved up the charts today but I think we need to catch the Blue Corner on a good day to give it the number one spot. Hideko and I still rate Cozumel and French Polynesia (particularly the Tuamotus) over Palau.

We had a long beautiful ride back to Sam's through the rock islands. Sam's provides hot showers for divers and cruisers and we all took advantage of the opportunity. Afterwards we went out to dinner at Kramer's and retired for a long and deep sleep.