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Video from March 30th, 2019 at 3:43pm

I’ve swum with sea turtles before in Hawaii, but never the sheer numbers that we saw in the Galápagos

Chris Pederick

Conversation


@chrispederick At Hookipa Beach here on Maui, it is not unusal to see 18+ just resting on the beach. They have had to put a barrier round them because of the crowds coming to see them


@Miraz They really are beautiful, graceful creatures.


@crossingthethreshold I think I may have been there although I didn’t see that many sadly! At the one spot in the Galápagos that is in the last clip of the video we lost count at 50 all resting and swimming together. It was incredible and not unusual according to our guide.


@chrispederick 50, wow! I have never seen that many.



Did you pat one on the back?



@m._milo It was hard, but I resisted the temptation.


@crossingthethreshold I’ve swam with sea turtles multiple times off Kauai. An experience like no other. My wife also had a monk seal beach itself practically next to her in Poipu while I was out snorkeling. And we saw sea turtles taking a snooze on a black sand beach on the Big Island. (And no wonder, rough surf that day for them to be in.)


@retrophisch I have definitely seen an increase in sea turtles since I started visiting the islands about 12 years ago. Even in the three years since we moved here (or back here in my wife’s case) there has been a noticeable increase. And then there is their fearlessness of humans, I because of their protected status…which also speaks to the increase in numbers. But I have never seen a monk seal!


@crossingthethreshold From 2012: retrophisch.micro.blog/our-frien…

My wife told me my back was to the seal as she swam by me, passing within about 6-10 feet of me.


@crossingthethreshold @retrophisch That’s brilliant that you’ve seen an increase in sea turtles! (Also, one of my upcoming videos from the Galápagos will be swimming with sea lions. It was incredible.)


@chrispederick I have never seen a seal here. Would love to, never mind swim with one as well!


@retrophisch I love how trusting these sea creatures are.


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