Sleeping on the Reef
Another shot from Belize, here’s a sleeping Hawksbill Turtle that we found lying on the sand under a large shelf in the reef. It wasn’t exactly nighttime, but was getting dark around 5:30 in the evening. This lovely creature let me get very close to it and take several portraits. They can hold their breath for long periods of time underwater and it seemed quite content catching a snooze!
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LargeSelf 
The nighttime snorkels and dives in Belize are THE most amazing thing! I’m so excited to see more of your trip!! Just gorgeous.
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Thanks, Dawn. Yes, the night life on the reef is quite different than during the day. Some creatures are sleeping while others are out hunting. We did a dive every evening at 4:30, and while it wasn’t night yet, it was starting to get dark towards the end of the hour long dive. It was almost like a shift change as the undersea live was getting ready for night. We saw things that I had never seen before – really fun!
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We did one incredible night dive, after sunset, in the dark. Our guides and we had high power flash lights, and it was incredible! An octopus hunting and a squid squirting ink at me were the highlights, but no real photos… it was amazing!
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Gorgeous!
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Thanks, Mimi!
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Do these critters sleep with their eyes open, Cathy? I’ve been known to do just that in meetings here at The Grind. Maybe I have some Hawksbill in me? We do look a bit alike …
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Too funny, V! I’m not exactly sure, but I think that sea turtles have a clear eyelid that protects their eyes from abrasions. They feed on the coral on the reef and I’m suspecting that they keep this eyelid closed as they’re rooting around under the shelves on the reef. At least, that’s what it looks like to me. And yes, sleeping with your eyes open can be a useful skill…
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Aww. I probably would’ve tried to pet him. 🙂
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I know! It’s tempting not to actually pet them! I really wanted to!
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Great shot, Cathy. I love the close-up of his armor.
janet
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Thanks, Janet. They really are beautiful up close. This one was especially fetching. 🙂
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[…] LargeSelfWeekly Photo Challenge – Nighttime […]
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Magnificent shot! Beautiful turtle 🙂
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Thank you, Amy. I got several close-up shots of turtles on this dive trip. So fun!
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very Kewl 🙂
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Thanks!
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Isn’t he beautiful?! Wonderful detail and color, Cathy.
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Thank you, Leon! He is truly beautiful This was a big one, too! I’d suspect maybe three feet long? It’s so awesome to see them doing well in the wild!
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That’s amazing. I had no idea of the scale of him from the photo.
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Cheers to the patient one resting while letting you get so close … thus thanks for capturing the beauty.
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Thank you, Frank! I’m glad you enjoyed it! This lovely creature was quite cooperative and didn’t seem to mind my portrait session! 🙂
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Stunning shot! I was thinking sea turtles too, but I got mine on the way into the water, and a fair bit smaller than this beauty!
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There were several large Hawksbills and we also saw a couple of Loggerheads – really large ones! We saw turtles every day of the nine days of diving. It was amazing! Thanks so much for the comment!
Cathy
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What incredible diving you had. It always gives me such a thrill seeing turtles going about their business underwater. :o)
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fantastic!
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