A must-do activity on the north coast of Peru is swimming with green turtles. This magnificent sea creatures are easy to encounter at El Ñuro, a sanctuary for green turtles and a great place to swim with them. Almost all @EcoSwell volunteers go on this trip during their time here to have a unique experience and see these fascinating animals up close.
Pictures don’t do the size of these turtles justice. Green turtles can weigh more than 160 kg and could easily tumble a human being. Good thing they’re gentle creatures!
Four of us EcoSwell volunteers went on a journey to El Ñuro, where we took a boat ride touring the nearby shore while the captain gave a short speech about the area and the sea life. After the 20 minute boat ride, we made a stop near land for the main event: swimming with the turtles! The captain threw bait into the sea and the ritual began. The turtles rapidly came in groups of 5 or more to eat and do their habitual routine of hanging out near the boat and interacting with the excited tourists.
Ironically, the youngest children in the boat were the first into the water. After they’d jumped in, though, they suddenly realized the intimidating size of the turtles. Two of the little girls howled and cried while the confused and probably annoyed turtles swam slowly by them. We dove into the water moments after and were just an arm length away from the turtles. They grazed our bodies and nibbled our clothes, but most of the time ignored us with an indifferent demeanor.
Nonetheless, it was a fun and interesting experience. Aside from the momentary excitement and joy while in the water, I felt pleased with El Ñuro. Tourism has successfully displaced the unsustainable fishing that sustained the community for years. Fishermen no longer make money from trapping turtles and their eggs, now they make even more by protecting them. This shift towards conservation is preserved by tourists like me and the other volunteers that went. It is sometimes the case that tourism comes and ruins natural beauty through unsustainable development, but El Ñuro has done a decent job at keeping harmful forms of tourism at bay. It has ample room for improvement but it remains largely untouched by investors looking for quick profits. With a sigh of relief and hope, I look forward to what El Ñuro can become: a conservation heaven for sea turtles.
Post written by Alejandro Alfaro
Photo by Javier Rosas
@EcoSwell is a for-impact, sustainable development organization based in Lobitos, Peru. Since 2014, we have been working everyday to help coastal communities thrive in unison with nature. All the revenue generated from our SteemIt posts go directly back into our projects. If you would like to learn more, please visit our Facebook, website, and follow us on SteemIt!