Swimming with turtles in the Tobago Cays

Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Fri 1 Jun 2012 00:38

12:37.838N 61:21.388W

 

Friday 1st June 2012

 

Distance run: 8 nmiles

 

We slipped the buoy in Clifton yesterday morning and sailed around Mayreau to the Tobago Cays, where we had the anchor down in just 3 metres of water by mid-morning.  We wasted no time in putting the rib in the water and making straight for the turtle area off Baradel.  We beached the rib and in no time were swimming among the turtles who seemed totally disinterested in anything except grazing on the seagrass or swimming lazily up to the surface for a breath of air.

 

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Turtles in the Tobago Cays…                                                                                                       …not in the least interested in this sea monster…

 

Anchoring here is quite amazing as apart from the four little islands (the cays) there is no protection from the Atlantic Ocean other than the horseshoe shaped reef that extends around them.  >From the boat we could see across the reef to the ocean beyond and its waves breaking on the other side, but on our side the sea was calm. 

 

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Looking from the boat across the reef to Carriacou in the distance,                                          and in this direction there is nothing but sea until Africa.

 

After a peaceful night last night, the boys set off early again today for diving.  They did a couple of dives off the reefs, and came back happier with their buoyancy control this time.  Steve is still trying to get some decent underwater photos, but the only creature he caught on camera was this….

 

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Smile! 

 

Later, Sydney passed by on his boat and James and Steve chose a souvenir turtle t-shirt each from his stocks.  James was lucky to get a white one, but all he had in Steve’s size was an orange one.  Discourage him as I might, he would insist he would have it, and so now we will see him coming a mile away!  I would put a photo of it on here, but I’m frightened for the camera…..

 

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Sydney – t-shirt salesman extraordinaire!