Green sea turtles and Stingrays!

I love to swim in the ocean.  So yesterday it was back to Macqueripe, with my merdaughter in tow, to meet a couple of fellow triathletes.  

The water was a little choppy and it was somewhat overcast; however, at certain points the water was crystal clear and yet again, an abundance of sea life could be found.  

As we came into the secluded beach that only the more fearless swimmers venture to I slowed down, as there are a lot of rocks, therefore a great deal of marine life.  My nephew and his friend had seen 'Baby George' a young sea turtle a couple of days earlier, and as I'd reached a a moment later I'd missed him.  So, determined to have my eyes peeled at that very point and not miss a single creature, I peered into the ocean, gliding as tranquilly as I could.  Shoals of fish swarmed around including colourful parrot fish and other brightly coloured species I can't name and I revelled in the magic of the situation...of being able to drive my car for 25 minutes and be centimetres away from this array of sea life.

Picture taken from internet by Dr. Evan d'Alessandro

And then I saw it!  A full size green sea turtle was gliding through the water towards me, going about its business with no concern for my presence.  I could've reached out and touched it, it swam so close.  My heart wanted to burst with joy and I stuck my head out of the water to call my daughter so she could experience this natural phenomenon with me; however, she was swimming at speed as apparently her wonderment at seeing the baby turtle which crossed her path was overpowered by the anxiety that a shark may be the next sea dweller she would see!

Filled with childish joy I swam into shore.  No one shared in my delight, in fact they all found me somewhat insane for hanging around long enough to take a good look at the creature, and not hightailing it before it attacked me.  But I was content.  Particularly as I'd seen the exact thing I was looking for.

As we continued our swim, back out to the edge of the bay before returning to shore, I saw something else incredible.  

This is the closest to what I saw, although
it was much darker...

I believe it was a stingray, it was certainly a ray of some description, which could have had deadly venom in its spikes.  It was a chocolate brown with yellowy orange spots, perfectly round with a thin tail.  Again I was struck by its beauty.  I grabbed my daughter's hand to see it, but in micro seconds it was gone, off on its journey to goodness only knows where.  



That I had absolutely no anxiety in being in such close proximity to these creatures, while my companions were all freaking out, was interesting to me.  Now, I know I've inherited my mother's wonder at all natural wonders of the world, but I also have suffered from varying degrees of anxiety, particularly when in the deep dark sea. However, I think I'll choose not to overanalyse, and instead breathe a sigh of relief that I get such joy from swimming in the sea at the same time as feeling an immense sense of gratitude that I have to opportunity to witness such wonderful scenes.  My next dream is to swim with the porpoises who sometimes visit the bay....