Samoa Tour 2006
KAMO INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
Te Kura Takawaenga O Kamo
K.I.S Special Event - 2006
22nd October - 27th October 2006
TURTLE TREAT
By Kate P, Aimee S, Annelise W (KidzBiz Special Correspondents)
Wow! Everyone looked like they had ants in their pants! We had just waved goodbye to the friendly kids at the local High School, after an amazing visit, and now Mr Kini was telling us that our next stop would be swimming with turtles . . .REAL LIVE TURTLES!! It was a fantastic surprise for all of us. The plan had always been for us to feed the turtles at the Turtle Conservation Reserve, but now we would also be allowed to swim with these magnificent creatures as well. We couldn’t wait!
After making a detour to Tanu Beach Fales to grab our snorkeling gear, we finally arrived at the reserve after what felt like an eternity, and the sight of the pool made us gasp. It looked exactly like a lagoon, except that it was surrounded by rocks, to enclose the turtles and prevent them from swimming out to sea. There was also an old rickety wharf that we were supposed to walk on – let’s just say there was quite a lot of hesitation. Before we hopped in, the owner gave the usual safety rules lecture and then told us some fascinating facts about green turtles and their reserve. He told us that their pool was 50% fresh water and 50% salt water, and that they were only allowed to keep each turtle for 5 - 7 years. He told us that turtles and their eggs had been widely hunted and eaten all through the Pacific, and that they were now under threat. A lot of work has gone in to educating people about them and it is now illegal to hunt turtles in Samoa. If poachers are caught, they are sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Changed and ready, we were about to hop in when some of us seemed to edge away from the water. We could see about 25 - 30 turtles of all sizes, swimming around gracefully in the small, enclosed space, and we didn’t want to imagine how many more were hidden beneath the deep, murky water. It took a while but everyone slowly, but not so surely hopped in. We were warned not to jump or dive in, as that aggravated the turtles and they would most likely chase you until they took a chunk out of you. We were allowed to ride on their backs, which was an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience. When you went to grab hold of them, sometimes your hands slipped off, as their jigsaw-like shells were smooth and slimy. You had to be wary, watching them, incase they turned around and tried to bite you, and never forget that they were actually wild animals. When it came time to get out, we were all very reluctant, and you could see the sad expressions on everyone’s faces, as we didn’t want to leave. Glancing back for one last look, I thought I caught a glimpse of a fin, waving us goodbye.
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