Sea Turtles and King Tides
Tales from the sea
You can read this story for free here.
We have been very fortunate this month, having visited both Maui and our other favorite spot, the North Oregon coast.
Does the ocean or the mountains speak to your soul? Personally, for me, the pull and sound of the crashing white foamy waves give me peace like no other destination. If I am in a reflective and creative mood and long for quiet nothing compares to a beach walk.
I had so looked forward to not only sunny, warm days in Hawaii but snorkeling in the sparkling blue-green crystal waters of Maui. Unfortunately, this was not meant to be. Read my story here if you would like a bird’s eye view of what transpired.
One of the highlights of visiting the islands is what I might call “communing with the turtles.” These gentle giants come out of the sea and plant themselves on the beach. Basking in the sun, they barely open their eyes and occasionally spread their flippers in the sand. They do not seek to harm or judge anyone and seemingly accept anyone, race, creed or color that comes near. They do not attack anyone.
Adult Hawaiian green sea turtles are around 4 feet in length and weigh anywhere from 300 to 400 lbs. Their diet of seaweed and seagrass is largely responsible for their green color which comes from the hue of their fat.
The large and strong front flippers act like paddles to propel them through the water, while the smaller back flippers function as rudders to help them steer.
They are the most frequently observed sea turtle swimming in Hawaiian waters and the only sea turtle in Hawaiʻi that exhibits basking behavior (resting) on the beach. Green sea turtles or “Honu” are estimated to live up to 70 years or more!
With lungs two-thirds as long as their shells, it is believed they can stay underwater for many hours depending on their size. The longest recorded downtime for Hawaiian green sea turtles lasted five hours.
On the Big Island of Hawaii I had the honor of swimming with the turtle more than once. It was an experience I will never forget. Looking underwater at various colorful fish, I encountered turtles swimming by me. We were both minding our own business while sharing the beauty around us. We have a lot to learn from these magnificent beings.
But please don’t Touch the Turtles!
Not only does touching turtles cause them stress, but the bacteria on your hands can actually be harmful to turtles. You can even be fined up to $100,000 and jail time for illegally doing so in Hawaii. Standing twenty feet away seems to be the respectful and acceptable thing to do.
This is the first year that we have experienced watching the “king tides” on the North Oregon Coast.
King tides, also known as spring tides, occur when the alignment of the sun and moon combine to add extra pull on the Earth, causing its oceans to swell by more than 10 feet in some areas. They are strongest in the months of November, December, January, and February.
In my many visits to the Northern Oregon Coast, since I was eight or so years of age, I had never experienced this phenomenon!
We walked four miles of sparse beach and watched the incredible six-foot and more Oregon waves. It was a bright, blue sunny day that happens occasionally in the Winter months. It was glorious! The waves were 1–2 feet higher than normal. Heavy logs and debris filled the sandy shore. Warning flags were up and people were advised to not turn their backs to the ocean to not be swept away or knocked over by hazardous logs drifting ashore.
One must respect the ocean and the high tides of Mother Nature..
I recently read an article I could certainly resonate with by Rachel Lynne about goal setting and striving. Thank you for this thoughtful piece.
For anyone who has ever doubted their self-worth, read this story by Sanghita Pal on self-love. Inspiring and Uplifting!
✍ — Published by Lisa Precious / Smiley Blue at Dancing Elephant Press. Click here for submission guidelines.
