Lately, the gloom and doom enveloping the country has been matched by conditions in the water (not that I can access it anymore since all beach parks are closed). A series of swells and high winds has churned things up so that visibility is a hit and miss proposition.
So it was a joy to encounter this small turtle coming directly toward me one day, in a patch of relatively clear water. I took a couple of photos, and this one captured the moment it slid past before easing away into deeper waters.
Graham's Island 
Graham, the markings on this turtle are amazing.
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Sometimes the markings are obscured by algae, but if they’re clean and especially if the sun catches them right, they really stand out.
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Interesting. I never thought of turtles as shiny. I learned something new today! Thanks, Graham!
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Exquisite. It looks almost as though it was cast out of bronze, except of course that bronze doesn’t float!
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Turtle shells have some lovely markings that really come out when the light hits them just so.
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That reminds me that the famed tortoiseshell (as in spectacle frames) of the past, was often actually made from turtle shells. Thank goodness that practice has now ceased.
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Yikes, I didn’t know that. I think all the turtles here are protected in one way or another, so that’s good.
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Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! 💙
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Thanks. Encounters like this are why I get in the water.
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