Today we went to La Loberia to get data for our research project about the behavior of sea turtles in their near shore habitats. We saw over 20 turtles in the hour we were out there. The water was warmer than I’ve ever seen it and the visibility was fantastic. We found turtles resting in the sand, swimming through the bay, and feeding on the algae there. We also had a few encounters with the sea lions who live there. Yes, they are everywhere. The bull, who we’ve nicknamed Bob, was swimming back and forth right off the beach, so we were a bit nervous about him when we started in. Fortunately, he did not bother us, although another, smaller, sea lion did take an interest in us. She swam out with us in the bay and danced with me. It was incredible! I’ve played around with the sea lions before, but never like this. She would swim up until she was almost nose to nose with me and then shift and ducked under me. Then, she’d spin around in the water and I’d do the same. Then, she’d look at me and I’d spin again. Then, she’d spin again. 
She stayed with us for a good ten minutes. It was one of those amazing experiences I’ll never forget. Looking into her eyes, I was struck by the innocence and the curiosity there. I can’t understand why some people don’t think these creatures are worth protecting.
Green turtle surfacing for air
She blends in well, but there's a sea lion there.
Green turtle resting on the bottom
Of course, spinning around in the water while breathing through a snorkel only works if you remember to clear the snorkel before trying to breathe through it again. Oops.
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