Seeing live sea turtles in an aquarium is already awesome for me. Yet, swimming and being in close proximity with this gentle, majestic creature is beyond words.
I was not aware of what we were about to embark. When we chose which tour to take for Swimming with turtles we were wondering where the location would be. It was in the passage! That in the map that has danger, no swimming sign! These cute turtles live in the dangerous passage! It has a current that can carry you away and a 25 metre depth. I guess it was a good thing we did not do diving, as I like to imagine things when I see deep blue water (yeap, I hear you, thanks to Jaws movies)
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| waiting for the briefing |
Fins and snorkelling google is another factor. Though fins help you move faster in the water, I doubt that they work for me. They were not light and were pretty hard to maneuver. I tried to use my hips like advised, but didn’t seem to move. I was left behind further and further. The tour leader grouped me with an elderly man. Bruce made sure we were safe and not swimming the other direction. Obviously, I am not natural with these fins! And the google, there were times water started to creep in. Honestly, I could panic easily. Where is all the love of water gone when you choke the water. I am really careful now to say "I love being in the water". But amazingly, Cathy, who confessed she cannot swim well, she seemed to be enjoying the experience more than I.
So, with during the whole snorkeling from here and there, 3 spots where the turtles were spotted (most of them were resting in the reefs) I just hold on the safe paddle, held by Bruce. He was the one looking for turtles and we just enjoyed the view. Not just enjoy, I was struggling with breath sometimes the water came in out of nowhere (yes that when i looked down into the water), lost my fin. Thanks Bruce! Really, I have to write it in the review. He carried the elderly man and I joined, then Cathy, then a small boy. I felt like the other people were superhuman. It was tiring and hard work!
At the end of the tour (I did not know it was about to end). I felt nauseous a bit with too much water in my ears, and my energy was running low (the salad did not last long, useless fiber, we need carbs). I felt like vomiting in sea! We survived. Tour was over, time to walk gently to the beach. I felt bad we stepped on the reef. And another strong current we had to cross over, though it was only my hip high, again Bruce was there and I held unto his paddle.
After we finished, I realized there was no place to change, and for a stupid reason, I didn’t pack my sarong! And the towels we carried a small ones! Daebak! Shivering as sun had set we called Eli the taxi driver, from the airport. I think he gave us a bigger discount on this trip. No meter was used in Raro taxi, no matter what Google said about it.
I wonder if we ever had a beautiful underwater picture taken with all the panic, 4 people hanging onto 1 paddle!
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| no swimming sign. and the current |
Months after that experience, I would say yes, I would swim in the passage to see the turtles again!
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