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Snorkeling with Honu

Brutus "sunbathing"

Brutus "sunbathing"

“Honu” is the Hawaiian word for Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, Chelonia mydas. These herbivores spend their time flowing with currents, feeding on algaes and sea grasses.

On my recent trip to Oahu my friends and I were fortunate enough to see Brutus, the 35-40 year old male Turtle basking at Laniakea Beach. We were also lucky enough to meet a pair of these graceful creatures while snorkeling at the Nature Preserve, Hanauma Bay. 

The Green Sea Turtle is an endangered species, and is protected by both Hawaiian State Law, and Federal Endagered Species Act. That makes touching, feeding, or harassing these animals both a State and Federal Offense. There was a pair of young Sea Turtles that were trying to eat algae off of rocks at Laniakea Beach. However, the surf was pounding people and turtles alike. While scraping algae with their beaks, the little Sea Turtles were tumbling over the rocks with each crashing wave. We wanted to help them, but there were volunteers on the beach to educate and monitor the Sea Turtles. They assured us that it was natural for the Turtles to do that, and they were in no immediate harm. I guess these kids are tougher than most people! Kinda helps when you’ve got a thick shell, doesn’t it?

"Whoa... Jelly dude"

"Whoa... Jelly dude"

I’m not sure what it is about these Sea Turtles, but I just love them! I can’t get enough of them, and thanks to Finding Nemo’s Crush and Squirt, I love them even more. I guess you can say that we could learn to slow down in life just like the Sea Turtle, and enjoy things? I just have this feeling that we like the Sea Turtles more than they like us!
 I can’t get enough of Sea Turtles, so what wild or domesticated animal do you love besides your cat or dog?
  • Matt

    Every time I scuba or snorkel I think about my trips to Hawaii. I love being in the water next to a sea turtle. There’s something very serene in the way they move and in their gentle nature. Here in San Diego we don’t have sea turtles swimming about, but we do have a ton of sea life. June thru September is my favorite time to dive because that’s when the Leopard Sharks can be found in huge schools along the shores of La Jolla. They are very docile, and it’s a thrill to swim among them! Every once in a while one will bump into you as if to check you out, then goes on its way enjoying the warm shallows. If you look for them, you can also find a ton of Rays. I’ve even found a few spots where Sand Dollars congregate and reproduce. It’s pretty cool to see a couple hundred of them sitting in the sand when you’re 20 feet down.

  • http://www.scubabasics.com scubabasics

    At every time when i read the articles for scuba divind or snorkeling, i tried to find some articles for Honu.This is the first time i found such a beautiful and interesting post on Honu’s,and the picture of Honu under water is realy beautiful.Keep writing on such interesting topics.