The Little Mermaid

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And there it was. After 8 dives here, I had been waiting to finally see one. I had heard there used to be plenty, but over-diving had scared them and the sharks into deeper water. Big fish and funny coloured sea slugs are all well and good, but this is what I had to come to see.
My dive buddy is a veteran. John. He must have done over 1000 dives and his aging body looks like it. I haven't asked him about the huge scar running up his leg. He's American, his kids live in San Diego, but he's not from there. Not anymore. He's been diving around the world for 17 years non stop. He shows me stuff I would have never spotted, points me into underwater caves with flashlights and guides me through holes in the coral. It is a privilege to dive with him and ask him for advice.
On this, my 9th dive I am gliding behind him already marveling at the stacks of coral and huge fish in the distance. All of a sudden a huge piece of coral floats upwards from the bed to my right. It sprouts flippers and a head with a beak. It is massive! I couldn't stretch to hold it lengthway's. It's a hawksbill sea turtle. I've woken it up.
I shout "bloody hell!" underwater, which sounds like "mmm mm mmmm". I swim to tug on John's flipper and point with all the might I can put into my pointing finger. "mmm mm mmmm" he says. We turn to find our 3rd buddy, Tom who is photographing small fluorescent things. He's miles away with his back to us. In my excitement I pull my respirator out of my mouth and try and shout "TOM" underwater. It's stupid I know, it won't work. But then I see John also trying to shout "TOM" next to me.
The turtle glides majestically to the surface to re-breath (?) and comes back down to go about its business. Drifting amongst the coral and chewing on plants. I check my air levels, and I have 20 minutes left. We swim with the turtle for ages and I have one of those moments where you take stock of where you are and I think to myself "Bloody hell, I'm underwater looking at a massive turtle!" I take a mental snapshot to make sure I always remember this. And then Tom takes a photo of me with the turtle. Even better!

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Comments

[anonymous]

COR!!!!!

[Mum]

WOW
That is an awsome picture what a moment it must have been how great someone was there to capture the memory. x