Molesting Sea Turtles

[Splitlip]

No not a joke,
Why do so many people who have the opportunity to dive in the oceans, feel they need to grab and torment a sea turtle..for what, impress the girls?
Come on please. It is illegal, unhealthy for the animal and just plain wrong. And you know what, once you do it, divers will never get close to the turtle again.
Yesterday group of "divers" from someplace up south, harassed and probably chased off for good, one of the old (and disabled) turtles that the locals cared for.
Go grab onto a snapping turtle or gator you ignorant clowns.

[BobArnold8265]

I couldn't agree with you more !!! It's beyond just turtles though. You shouldn't be touching or harassing any of the creatures you encounter. Please show some respect to the animals and also let future diver's enjoy the sites that you are seeing today !!!!

[Splitlip]

Thanks Bob. Of course all the marine life needs to be respected.
The turtle thing sets me off because my daughter and I once helped rescue one. They named her Maggie at the rehab center. Unfortunately she died. We went on to "adopt" a couple more here http://www.marinelife.org/.
People feel the need to torment them, and I cannot comprehend why.

[Splitlip]

While I am on a soap box, anyone can "adopt" a turtle.
http://www.marinelife.org/adopt_a_turtle.htm

[datamunk]

have you ever gone to see the leatherbacks go and lay eggs on the beach in the stuart to jupiter area, splitlip?

[comet24]

I agree with you but what if the turtle molests you.

Seriously. I dove in the Baltimore Aquarium and in the ray tank there is a sea turtle. If you kneel on the bottom he likes to come up to you and put his head between your legs and tries to push you around.

[Splitlip]

Originally Posted by datamunk

have you ever gone to see the leatherbacks go and lay eggs on the beach in the stuart to jupiter area, splitlip?

Yes, we used to go pretty often. The "turtle walks" were always fun. Good excuse for a party. I have always lived pretty close to the beach, and it was better than being out on the road Friday nights .

[Splitlip]

Originally Posted by comet24

I agree with you but what if the turtle molests you.

Seriously. I dove in the Baltimore Aquarium and in the ray tank there is a sea turtle. If you kneel on the bottom he likes to come up to you and put his head between your legs and tries to push you around.

Yeah, there are some turtles that seem to want to get scratched and will come up to people for that.

But, I am pretty sure diving down on some sleeping turtle, grabbing her from behind, swinging her like Triple H to impress your friends while she goes into a panic trying to break for the surface, is not in the animal's best interest.

Truly, there are those who don't see the difference though.
One of my DM friends got on couple of clowns for doing just that. There comment on the surface was they had seen him "petting" one of the turtles.

Best bet I guess, is hands off for everybody.

[danielh03]

All I can say is, "leave it better than you found it". So many of us forget the first rule of the wild.

[tbuckalew]

Agree with everything! And, if a turtle comes up to you, you can't stop that. You just can't approach the turtle. They are curious enough that you can be near them without scaring them off - as long as everyone follows the rules.