Yet another amazing siting .....

[fabindia]

I was chatting with a young couple from Denmark the other morning before setting of for diving. They in fact weren't going diving but were going snorkelling and asked if they were likely to see any turtles. I told them that I hadn't myself seen any turtles at this particular spot this year but I had seen a very big eagle ray that I was the only diver to see but the snorkellers on the surface did get a good view.

"Some times you just get lucky", I said "but every day's a lucky day in one way or another out on the ocean". And goodness, it turned out a really lucky day.

We were about half way to the dive site when the captain spotted two enormous leatherback turtles (adults weigh up to 1,000 lbs) on the surface. From the way they were behaving, we are pretty sure that with a bit of luck baby turtles will be on the way soon. These creatures normal spend most of their well under water, just coming up briefly for a snatch of air occasionally so to see them at the frolicking at the surface is extremely rare.

Although leatherbacks are in the area, I've personally never seen one when diving, we normally see the small hawksbill turtles pottering around the reefs.

For the couple from Denmark this turned out to be an incredibly 'lucky day' ... and for me too.