By Louie Ferrera

Some things never get old. Snorkeling with Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles is one of them.

When I’m underwater, turtles usually appear out of nowhere, gliding into my view frame when I least expect them to. I’ll be checking out the coral or some colorful reef fish when out of the blue, literally, here comes a honu (Hawaiian for “turtle”). Honu can fly, did you know that? They propel themselves through the water by way of the graceful, wing-like motion of their front flippers, it is truly poetry in motion! I sometimes imagine a turtle breaking through to the surface; its flippers become wings as it lifts itself from the blue of the sea into the blue of the sky and beyond.

This species of turtle is endangered and thus federally protected. It’s always a thrill to see a honu from the shore, especially when it comes to the surface to breathe. Their faces are oddly human-like. But to really experience these majestic creatures you’ve got to get into the water with them. If you’re lucky enough to encounter one while snorkeling, stay at least ten feet away, these aren’t zoo animals. My most memorable honu meetings and the ones I always hope for are when we get to swim together. The turtle will either be swimming below or beside me. I try my best to keep up with it by way of my puny human propulsion. If the turtle is moving at a leisurely pace this tandem swim can last a minute or two. During these brief encounters I can feel honu’s energy; this creature is ancient and wise and knows more than I’ll ever know. And just as suddenly as it appears, the turtle is gone, it simply melts into the blue at the limit of my visibility.

While on the beach in Maui, I always see fellow tourists getting super excited over the sight of a turtle, they’re calling their friends over and snapping photos with their phones. I’ll sometimes engage these folks in conversation, usually this is their first honu experience. The joy on their faces is still the joy on mine… every time I see a turtle. Like I said, some things never get old.