Hasan Jasim had the incredible experience many dream of: swimming with sea turtles. As he recounts, the process seemed straightforward enough. Divers would locate these gentle giants and guide the group, ensuring everyone maintained a respectful distance. “We were instructed to give their distance, and that seemed easy enough,” Hasan noted.
However, the reality of encountering these magnificent creatures up close proved to be a different story. When a diver spotted a turtle and called the group over, Hasan, thinking he was being astute, positioned himself away from the crowd on a seemingly empty side. This decision led to a startling and unforgettable moment. “I didn’t even see the turtle until it was within 10 ft of me and I full on panicked,” Hasan vividly described.
The sheer size of the sea turtle overwhelmed him, triggering a primal reaction. “They are big. My brain didn’t even care that it was a nice turtle. All I could think was, ‘I’m a squishy human in an ocean with a giant wild animal that’s headed right for me!'” The logical part of his mind, aware of the turtle’s harmless nature, was momentarily eclipsed by instinctual fear.
Just as the encounter reached its peak, the sea turtle, with a surprising air of nonchalance, gracefully resolved the situation. “When it got too close, it lazily dove down to pass underneath me, and I thought ‘Oh yeah, they can do that.'” This elegant maneuver reminded Hasan of the turtles’ natural agility and their complete comfort in their ocean home.
Hasan’s story, accompanied by a captivating photo by Philip Waller, serves as a powerful reminder of the awe and occasional unexpected reactions that can arise when we enter the realm of wildlife. While the initial panic was real, the experience undoubtedly left Hasan with a profound appreciation for the majestic sea turtles and their effortless command of the underwater world.
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