Of the 8 islands that make up Micronesia, Palau just like Chuuk Lagoon is famous for it’s World class Scuba diving. However, the 70 odd marine lakes scattered throughout the limestone “rock islands” of the southern portion of the main Palau archipelago are a great way for non-divers to get a glimpse of some interesting underwater life by just snorkeling on the surface. One lake in particular, draws a lot of attention as being unique- The Jellyfish Lake also known as Ongeim’l Tketau in Palauan.

In a freak incident of nature over 12,000 years ago, a submerged reef rose from the sea creating a landlocked saltwater lake containing some Jellyfish. These intelligent creatures over the years adapted into the Scyphozoa class of jellyfish called ‘Golden Jellyfish’ and ‘Moon Jellyfish’, they lost their sting and thrived in the new environment. In a matter of years the lake was home to millions of golden and moon jellyfish along with some sea anemone. The jellyfish nurture a symbiotic relationship with algae that live in their tissues in exchange for nutrition and capture zooplankton for more. This algae requires plenty of sunlight to grow and the jellyfish ferry across the lake twice daily from one side to the other providing their internal algae with the sunlight it needs. At night, the jellyfish swim to lower depths where the water is rich in nitrogen that helps sustain the algae population. The jellyfish keep away from their lone predator in this lake, the sea anemone that is capable of stinging, trapping and killing them.
The Jellyfish Lake in Palau, Micronesia attracts a lot of tourists to snorkel in it’s jellyfish infested waters. Tour operators in Koror offer trips to the lake on Eil Malk island which is approximately a 45 minute boat ride from Koror. Described as “swimming in a lava lamp with gelatinous blobs floating all around you, bouncing off your arms, head and feet”, it’s an experience unlike anything you will ever have elsewhere. Scuba diving here is prohibited as the bubbles from scuba regulators tend to collect beneath the bell of the jellyfish, harming them. Wearing fins too is not allowed as a simple fin blade could slice the fragile jellyfish in two with little effort. Another reason for the ban on Scuba diving here is that the bottom portion of the 30 m (100 ft) lake has a giant layer of hydrogen sulfide.

A refreshing experience to anyone who has the privilege of visiting beautiful Palau, the Jellyfish lake is guaranteed to be one of the most astounding moments of your life. Snorkeling in the Jellysfish Lake is a must-do for any water lover!!
* Photo Credits: photos by tobze, aSIMULAtor, anthonioo on flickr




successful fish, they have the ability to surprise their prey with short bursts of speed (up to 28 miles per hour (45 km/h) and are voracious feeders. Younger Barracuda swim in large groups known as a battery, and once they reach full size, adult males break away and become solitary hunters. Barracuda are opportunistic hunters and will prey on any kind of fish that chances along its way when its hungry. Barracuda are also known to have great eyesight, but being opportunistic hunters, they are also notoriously known to attack first before identifying its prey.
Most barracuda attack victims have been fisherman and only a couple of incidents in decades of a diver being attacked. Barracuda will only attack in murky waters if it mistakes a human as prey, or if it spots a shiny object which it mistakes for a fish, if it is provoked, or if a diver/fisherman is swimming with dead fish in their hands. Spearfishing near barracuda or hand feeding barracuda is considered extremely dangerous.

The managed this almost impossible feat by followings the sightings of sperm whales with sucker marks on their skin. The researchers then chose a spot to lower a hook baited with a single small squid and an automated digital camera that snapped a picture every few minutes and sent it down to a depth of nearly 3,000 feet. Their operation was a success as the giant squid came for the bait. The unlucky squid however got a tentacle snagged on the hook and struggled for 4 hours trying to get free. In the struggle however, the researchers obtained more than 500 pictures of the squid, which scientists called Architeuthis. They then tried to haul the heavy weight squid into the vessel as a live specimen, but the squid lost the battle and its life while trying to get free.







Only called a whale due to it’s massive stature, the whale shark is actually a fish and not a mammal and it holds the record for being the largest living fish on the planet.Whale sharks are believed to have originated about 60 million years ago and have an average life span of 70 years.
























