The June
Sea-gram
For ocean lovers, divers,
and "deep-thinkers."
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"Hey, Join Us for World Sea Turtle Day!" |
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(Paul Mila Photo, Cozumel, Mexico©)
Harry Hawksbill & his sea turtle friends invite you to celebrate World Sea Turtle Day --
June 16th!
(Click on Harry to learn how you can help sea turtles, and much more!)
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Welcome to the June 2023 Sea-gram,
This month we're revisiting our old friends, the sea turtles: loggerheads, greens, and hawksbills.
World Sea Turtle Day is June 16th, and nesting season has started in the Caribbean and along the south-to-mid-Atlantic US coast, from Florida to the Carolinas.
In this month's Featured Creature section, we'll spend some time learning about green sea turtles.
We have several interesting Stories Behind the Photos featuring hawksbill, loggerhead, and green sea turtles that Sea-gram readers have sent in from as far away as Hawaii.
I know you will enjoy them.
To celebrate World Sea Turtle Day we have a great offer on children's books, so please check out our Tropical Book Nook.
In the Kids' Corner, see what three New Jersey beach-buddies found along their class beach walk to learn about ocean life (not turtles, but still pretty cool!).
I hope you enjoy the June Sea-gram, and share it with your friends and family.
Paul Mila
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Uh-Oh! Willie White Shark, from Guadalupe Island, isn't happy that we forgot about World Ocean's Day, June 8th!
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(Paul Mila photo, Guadalupe Island, Mexico.©)
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"Yo Harry! You sea turtles are okay, but don't forget about us sharks! The Sharks Angels Conservation Organization is holding their online auction starting June 3rd, to celebrate World Oceans Day, June 8th. Click on their invitation below, on or after June 3rd, and check it out!"
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Shark Angels Executive Director, Jamie Pollack, says:
"This year’s United Nations World Oceans Day, on June 8, 2023 will highlight the theme 'Planet Ocean: tides are changing'.
"With 90% of big fish populations depleted, 33% of shark species at risk of extinction, and 50% of coral reefs destroyed, it’s crucial that we work together to protect our vital ocean resources.
"We chose this time for our auction because protecting sharks also means protecting our beautiful Planet Ocean. By bidding on these items and helping to spread the auction link, you can play a part in preserving this essential ecosystem."
Thanks for sharing Jamie! Good luck with the auction.
Sea-gram fans, please support this very worthwhile and important campaign!
Just click on the above auction photo, but NOT until June 3rd, when their auction starts.
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Featured Creature:
Green Sea Turtles
(Paul Mila photos & videos©)
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Green sea turtles are the largest of all the hard-shell sea turtles (leatherbacks are larger, but have a soft, "leathery" shell, or carapace.) Adult greens grow to up to 4-feet long, and can weigh up to 400 pounds.
Greens don't have the sharp "hawk beak" of the hawksbill turtle, and their eyes are more almond shaped. Their heads are smaller than the massive, thick heads of the loggerheads.
They are not actually "green" but have dark brown, grey, or olive colored shells, and a pale, yellow/white underside.
They are called "green" because their flesh is green, due to their diet. When young, they eat a varied diet including worms, small crustaceans, aquatic insects, grasses and algae. But once mature, they eat sea grass and algae. Greens are the only sea turtles that are strictly herbivorous as adults.
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Like all sea turtles, when weightless in the water they are graceful swimmers. |
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Contrast that with this video of a momma green turtle in Cozumel, slowly hauling her massive body back into the sea after completing her nesting duties: |
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Green turtles nest every two years, on or close to the same beach where they were born. They will nest several times during that season, laying approximately 100 eggs per nest.
This one in Cozumel is shown completing her nest, bathed under a Sea Turtle Ecological Society member's red light - a light spectrum which turtles cannot see.
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The temperature of the nest determines the sex of the hatchlings. Warmer, more females. Cooler, more males.
Our sea turtle guide said the best way to remember this fact was to think of "Hot chicks and cool dudes." Because of global warming, more females are being born than males.
Approximately 60 days later, the hatchlings emerge from their underground nest, and race to the sea!
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A hatchling's journey to the sea is fraught with danger, as this short video shows! This little turtle had a tough time, but he or she was not to be denied. Enjoy this one! |
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Who Said Sea Turtles Are Slow?
We were doing our safety stop on a dive site in Cozumel called Palancar Caves, when we saw a free diver descend from a boat. He was chasing a juvenile green sea turtle.
We were amazed, both by the free diver's skill and by how fast the little turtle swam when the diver got too close.
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Threats to Their Survival
Their greatest threat is from commercial harvesting of their eggs for food. Sometimes small turtles are even stuffed and sold as curios. Please don't purchase sea turtle products!
Incidental by-catch in commercial shrimp trawling is an increasing source of mortality, although the use of special nets which allows them to escape is helping.
And of course, PLASTIC POLLUTION is a major threat!
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Stories Behind the Photos
This month we celebrate World Sea Turtle Day
with several interesting
sea turtle photo & video stories. Enjoy!
By Larry Cheek
Divers Larry Cheek and Greg Stadter were in Cozumel recently, when Larry got his great shot of this hawksbill, among other critters that we'll be showing you in future Sea-grams.
Here is Larry's Story Behind the Photo:
"Since Cozumel diving is drift diving, all encounters are by chance. We found turtles on both deep and shallow dives. Depending on the current and closure rate on the subject a lot of times I only get a chance for one photo.
"I usually lag behind the group with a fast current, which allows me time to get into position to take a photo once the dive master identifies the subject. I stay about 20-feet higher on deep dives. This allows me to cover more area, since if something is spotted below me I can always descend to get the shot.
"This pic was taken on a deep dive on Santa Rosa Wall. I saw the turtle swimming towards me against the current, so I positioned myself to intercept, and stayed lower in order to shoot upward."
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Larry's photo equipment:
"My camera gear is all SeaLife: DC 2000 camera, twin strobes, video light and wide-angle lens."
Thanks for sharing your fantastic hawksbill with us, Larry!
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"Near Kiss"
By John Hand
John Hand was diving with Scuba Network in Cayman Brac last month, where he had a close-up encounter with this loggerhead. Not exactly a "near miss," but more like a "near kiss!"
Here is John's story:
"This is the loggerhead turtle that I almost kissed!
We were in the waters at Cayman Brac, our second dive of the morning, approximately 65 feet deep.
The turtle was swimming exactly in my direction."
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"He was humming by at a fast pace, so I snapped shots as fast as I could and then he was gone.
The turtle shot was close-up, not cropped."
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John's Photo Equipment:
Camera: Canon G16
Housing: Fantasea FG16
Strobe: Sea and Sea Ys-03
Thanks for sharing your amazing photo story, John!
[Editor's note: the tiny hooks on the flippers indicate this was a male turtle.]
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By Kim Breeden
This photo was taken by Kim Breeden in Cozumel.
Here's is Kim's Story Behind the Photo:
"We encountered this loggerhead in the grassy area just before our safety stop after diving San Clemente on May 18. It is not the one with the scar in its shell." [Editor's Note: that one would have been the famous, Larry Loggerhead!]
"The turtle had a small conch shell in his mouth but he spit it out. I thought it made a nice photo with my buddy, Ramiro, beside him."
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Kim's photo equipment:
"I use a Canon Powershot S120 with only ambient light, and then edit a little on my iPad."
Thanks for sharing your great photo story, Kim!
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"Turtle Mania"
By David Grindberg
David Grindberg and his daughter, Kari, were diving in Cozumel last month, when they came across this hawksbill sea turtle sharing breakfast with several angelfish "friends." David got some great video:
Here is David's story:
"We were diving on Cedral Wall at 55ft. We had 100-plus-foot visibility and strong current.
I stumbled on the Hawksbill...he was so hunkered in I almost missed him. It was breakfast time, and he was completely disinterested in me. In fact I was so close that, at one point, I had to shorten my selfie-stick.
We had a fabulous time. Kari is now hooked on Cozumel diving (Friday was 'turtle mania')!"
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David's camera equipment:
GoPro Hero 10 with a standard red filter. No artificial lighting.
Shot at 2.7k/240 fps (rendered at 1080p/60fps for YouTube). The GoPro is mounted on a selfie stick.
Thanks for sharing your fascinating video story, David!
[Editor's Note: In David's video, French and gray angelfish were hanging out with the turtle.
Photo Tip: whenever you spot several angelfish swimming around a large object, look closer. Odds are the "object" will be a sea turtle munching on a sponge, providing a "sponge meal" for hungry angelfish as bits & pieces float around!]
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A Family Meets Hawaii's Green Sea Turtles!
Bob Santoro and his family encountered green turtles on Maui, near Ka'anapali beach, and sent in some great photos!
Bob's Story
"This little inlet is located in Ka’anapali, West Maui. We were at a condo complex. Residents frequently gather to view these “celebrities” from a ridge about 3 feet above the sand. The turtles are Hawaiian Green Sea turtles (HONU). The turtles (we saw up to 44 at one time) come each afternoon to bask in the sun and return to the ocean in the evening."
Bob's daughter Christina and granddaughter Serena watch the turtles approach as a dozen are resting next to them.
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"Locals say they know some of the turtles return year after year, because a few are tagged for ID purposes and some have identifiable markings.
The pictures here show the turtles come into this same tiny inlet between large rocks every day. They have miles of beach to choose from but have a preference for this particular spot."
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Bob's Granddaughters, Serena, five-and-a half, and her sister, Mila, two-and-a-half, watch the sea turtles climb onto the beach.
Thanks for sharing your family's Hawaiian Sea Turtle Adventure, Bob!
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Your Tropical Book Nook
These exciting beach reads
will get you ready for summer!
Click on my Tropical Author Page below . . .
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. . . and also click on the Tropical Authors logo
to dive into tropical adventures with our other
Tropical Authors!
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Celebrate World Sea Turtle Day with this great book offer for your sea turtle lover!
(Click on the cover photo spread for product details.)
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Personally signed copies
of the above books in the
Sea Turtle Adventure Series
discounted to $10 + shipping.
Order more than one book,
$10 each, and FREE shipping!
For this offer, please email me your selections directly:
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* *Kids Corner* *
Grandson Max (middle) & baseball buddies
Bennett (left) and Jackson (right) visited the
Sandy Hook NJ seashore recently, to learn about
sea shells & ocean life.
Along the way they found large, barnacle-encrusted horseshoe crab shells!
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Some Fun Things to Check out! |
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My beachfront studio condo in Cozumel, Mexico is available for rent.
Perfect for your romantic getaway or dive vacation!
For additional details please visit:
Also call 516-578-1482
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Loggerhead Marinelife Center Update
There's always something exciting going on at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Check out:
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Discover the
Coastal Discovery Museum,
Hilton Head, SC.
You can adopt a
sea turtle nest,
and so much more!
Click on the
sea turtle hatchlings
for more information
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Two Great Dive Industry sources of Information:
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For New York Area Diving
For the best
Cozumel diving
contact Alison Dennis:
Looking to buy your
Slice of Paradise?
Contact Nancy Edwards
Fulvio manages my
Little Slice of Paradise.
For other properties that Fulvio manages, visit:
* * * * * * * * *
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About MilaBooks.com
Your home for exciting dive adventure novels, nonfiction, children's books, and YouTube videos.
Just click on the reading dolphin, and swim around our website for more information.
C
Thanks for visiting;
we'll see you next month!
Paul J. Mila
MilaBooks.com
75 Titus Avenue
Carle Place, New York 11514
516-578-1482
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