Swim with Sea Turtles

“Spotting our first turtle, a green sea turtle, within less than 5 minutes of entering the water was sheer exhilaration. It was about 10 feet from us on the other side of the rope so we had to stay within the area and view from there. It still took my breath away. Holding my camera out in front of me as far as I could reach, I took about 20 photos hoping to have at least one in focus.”

“The first stop was in Akumal, where we went into the ocean to snorkel with sea turtles. We had to wear life vests, and the group stayed fairly close together while following the guide. The water wasn’t completely empty, there were other groups around, so at times it felt a bit crowded. Still, within minutes we started seeing turtles. I personally saw four, swimming calmly just below us, along with fish and even a stingray passing by. The guide was very attentive in the water, regularly checking that everyone was okay and pointing out animals. The waves were a bit noticeable, especially for beginners, but manageable with the life vest.”

“The first time I swam with them was in the Caribbean off the shores of Curacao in 2013. We were laying on the beach and suddenly we saw their tiny heads surface, so we grabbed our snorkel equipment and swam along side them. It was an incredible experience and the turtles must have been young because I remember them being about the size of a frisbee.”