One of nature’s finest phenomena is that of turtles. I lose track of time swimming alongside turtles. Their shells, like intricate mosaics dappled by sunlight, their soulful eyes reflect wisdom and patience, and telling wrinkles that hint at all that these living dinosaurs have seen. They glide effortlessly through the water, rhythmically beating their flippers, pausing only to breathe, forage or nap. They travel great distances, endless migrations with perfect navigation ‘have shell, will travel”. The odds are against sea turtles, with approximately only 1 in 1,000 surviving to adulthood, the chances of meeting each individual isn’t lost on us, each and every encounter is a miracle.
”Their shells, like intricate mosaics dappled by sunlight”
The life cycle of a turtle is a tumultuous one, for a few months at select beaches around the world, turtles gather in large numbers to mate in the shallows. As the sun sets, the females haul their heavy bodies out of the waves and crawl tentatively up the beach into the dunes, ever wary. There, she painstakingly digs a sandy sanctuary for the next generation, lays her eggs one by one, before she slips back into the sea.
Months later, as dusk falls and the sand cools, the hatchlings stir and begin to bubble from the sand. Turtles upon turtles erupt, each no bigger than a child’s palm. They pause briefly to orient themselves, this moment is crucial, as they will one day return to this very beach to lay themselves. Admin done, they look to the brightest horizon, and so begin their mad dash for the waters edge. Chaos ensues as they hurtle over any obstacles in their path, many secumb to the many predators awaiting them. Those that reach the sea, enter their lost years, and they are seldom seen again until they return as larger turtles to the reefs.
Currently working as an underwater photographer onboard whale shark tour operator Ningaloo Discovery, I am privileged to encounter turtles frequently. Some of the images featured below were captured on tour and wouldn’t have been possible without the Ningaloo Discovery team.
