USVI-On-Line

Yesterday was a good day for snorkeling with the turtles at Maho Bay beach! We spent about an hour swimming with 5 turtles, a southern stingray, and a barracuda. Has anyone else seen a turtle at Maho that looks like it has a bite out of its left side? Shark bite? It was all healed over, but looked like one big bite was taken out of him/her.

You lucky dog savvy! We snorkeled at maho last Friday and I looked all around for turtles with no luck . We did see a stingray, but no barracuda...very cool!

I saw the turtle with the injury today. It looked like it happened a long time ago and is well healed.

We were at Maho last December and are going back in April. We saw no turtles. So bummed. Is there a particular area you snorkel in?

over the grass beds, of course, to see turtles. Always scanning the sand bottom for rays. The barracuda was just kind of hanging out at the bottom. He wasn't moving around too much.

Some turtle trivia....spring mating they get quite aggressive and often bite and claw each other to injury.

I saw a turtle with what looked like a bite out of its side a couple of years ago. Pic:




Interesting to learn about the aggressive behavior in mating season.

Liamsaunt, What another spectacular underwater picture! We got a new camera and got better pics this year than in 2012...but nothing as clear as what you take. I'm going to keep working on it

Liamsaunt- the turtle we saw had a large area missing from just behind its front flipper to just in front of its hind flipper on the left side. And it was shark-mouth shaped! Great photo!

If you are out snorkeling for turtles and see a person on a Stand Up Paddle board, ask them if they see turtles. They have a great view and have always pointed out a turtle when I ask them.

Went back to Maho today. High surf advisory had been canceled, but the water was murky. Still saw a turtle and a stingray. Also saw some trunkfish - my favorite - and the pelicans were fishing right along the beach. Tomorrow is the walk of woe. It has been a great 10 days.

liamsaunt: Would you consider opening an on-line or on-forum (900 number, whatever) class on how to take such astounding underwater photos? Your turtle shot is awesome, and puts any duffers here, myself included, to shame. Congratulations! You are proof that it can be done, which has to give the rest of us hope.

All the best,

Kevin