Green Sea Turtles

Description:

A "bird's eye view" of adult Green Sea Turtles in rough coastal waters. There were at least four adults that I spotted here, and I feel so fortunate to have seen them from this vantage point and at this location, because it was a whole sensory experience of sights, sounds, and smells. These aren't beautiful underwater photos, but I really don't think that matters. The mood experienced here was very powerful in every sense of the word. There's even a large blowhole on the other side of this outcrop, so as the waves rolled in, the rock would breathe. Two more turtles were spotted in open water further around the headland.

Habitat:

Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island. Deep water channel between a large rocky outcrop and headland, in an area known as North Gorge. It can be clearly seen on the map, and the YouTube video shows an aerial view of the exact location of this spotting (1 min 25 sec into video).

Notes:

The lookout itself was probably 50 - 60 meters above sea level. The agitated water didn't seem to bother these guys at all, and they all seemed to return to one particular location which was in a slightly more sheltered area, I think to feed on seaweed. Great White Sharks are also known to frequent these waters. Global conservation status of Green Sea Turtles is "endangered". They are listed as "vulnerable" in all Australian states and territories. In Australia, they are a protected species.