Sea turtles are beautiful marine creatures to behold.
Coral reefs provide shelter, life, and protection for sea turtles, especially when they are young and seas are rough and turbulent. Sea turtles have a symbiotic relationship with coral reefs.
There are coral reefs throughout Hawaii and other volcanic island around the world which swimmers, surfers, and divers can see in Waikiki Beach, around the Diamond Head volcano, and surrounding the shores of Oahu.
When ocean swells increase and waves crash along these shores and coral reefs, the sea turtles shelter in the safe crevasses of the reefs. It can also be very dicey swimming in and out of the coral reefs where one wrong decision can lead to very serious gashes and injuries.
So when I swim in and out of the reefs in Hawaii (and elsewhere) when the surf is high – and I see and swim over and near sea turtles lurking amid the gaps and in the openings of the reefs, I know I am – more likely than not – making the right navigational IQ decisions.
Like Crush and Squirt in the Disney movie Finding Nemo, sea turtles are our friends and can give us hints where to swim safely in and around coral reefs.
© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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