Scuba Dive

Hawaiian green beauty...

Every diver has favorite things they like to see underwater.  For some its sharks, for others rays, but for many people turtles top the list of fun aquatic finds.  The Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) in particular has been a scuba favorite for years due to its good looks and reef-dweling nature. 

Despite their name, Green Turtles are actually a light color all over, with the shell ranging in color from olive green to black, depending on where the turtle lives.  Green turtles are migratory animals, traveling thousands of miles each year to nest.  In fact, they only nest on the very beach they were born, so in order to lay eggs, they must return to that same beach.

Green turtles are on the endangered species list and therefore protected in most countries around the world.  Besides humans, the tiger shark is a Green turtle’s main predator.  Adult green turtles can grow to 5 feet long and weigh over 500 pounds, so sharks tend to target younger specimens for snacks.

So if you are determined to dive with these beauties in the wild, where can you go for a guaranteed sighting?  The range of the sea turtle extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  Interestingly, green turtles react differently to scuba divers depending on their location.  On one side of Oahu turtles are curious and friendly, while on the opposite shore they jet the moment they see you, so two different dive sites around the same island can produce very different results.  When visiting green turtle waters, it’s important to get the input of the locals to find the best locations for healthy, long-lasting viewing.  But planning a trip to a locale with a concentration of these green jewels is the first step.

Atlantic

In the Caribbean, major nesting sites have been identified on Aves Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Tortuguero in Costa Rica. Within United States waters, minor nesting sites have been noted in the states of Georgia, North and South Carolina.  Florida attracts them in droves especially near Hutchinson Island, Indian River Lagoon, the Florida Keys, Florida Bay, Homosassa, Crystal River and Cedar Key.  In South America green turtles enjoy the waters off Surinam and French Guiana as well as around the island of Ascension.

Pacific & the Indian Ocean

In Mexico, green turtles are found in seagrass pastures in the Gulf of California.  They are found throughout the Hawaiian Islands, most notably in Oahu and Lanai and west in the waters of the French Frigate Shoals.  The Turtle Islands of the Philippines and the Meru Betiri National Reserve in East Java, Indonesia boast healthy populations.  Green turtles are scattered throughout the Great Barrier Reef, but exist in high concentrations around Raine Island.  The waters around Madagascar support Africa’s population of green turtles.  The Arabian Sea also attracts the turtles, especially in Ash Sharqiyah, Oman and Karachi, Pakistan.  In the same area, the waters surrounding Astola Island, a large nesting site, have plenty of green turtles to fill your bottom time.