HOW TO SPOT A TURTLE in the beautiful Barbados

HOW TO SPOT A TURTLE 

in the beautiful Barbados 

Barbados is home to both the hawksbill and leatherback turtles and there are many ways you can share a swim with these cutiepies. The leatherback is the largest turtle species and swim as ar out as the North and East Atlantic. There is currently a ban on turtle hunting in Barbados to allow population numbers to increase. The Barbados Sea Turtle Project monitors the number of turtles making their nests on the island and provides a 24-hour Sea Turtle Hotline (230-0142) year round which the public can use to call in information on turtles nesting, hatching of eggs, or injured turtles. 

Adult turtles return to the beaches that they themselves hatched on 20-30 years previously, in order to make their own nests. Where they locate their eggs is important, for sea-water kills the developing embryos. The sex of embryos is determined by sand temperature: cool temperatures found closer to the tide line produce males and warm temperatures produce females [1].  

Organised boat trip 

One way to see the turtles is to go on a boat trip. We had a day on a catamaran with Cool Runnings and on the first snorkel trip at Carlisle Bay we saw a little turtle. The leaders of the group have bags of dead fish to attract the turtles and they're also good at stopping the over excited tourists from chasing the turtles and scaring them away. Although the water can get busy with all the people in it this is an almost guaranteed way of seeing a turtle. A day trip with lunch and lots of snorkelling trips with Cool Runnings costs US $95.00 (BDS $190.00) per adult. 

Swim out from Carlisle Bay 

We have done this on two separate trips now and it's worked both times! After our boat trip took us to Carlisle Bay we thought why not go back the next day. The boat trips run every day and normally follow the same routine. Where they feed the turtles is not very far out so with a good pair of flippers its fairly easy to swim out from the shore. Me and my dad swam out together as a boat trip group was just leaving. The leader gave us his bag of fish so we could feed the turtle ourselves. We had a good 15mins on our own with the turtle before the next boatload arrived and the waters became crowded again. 

Rent a paddle board 

We had no intention of seeing turtles when renting out some Standup Paddle Boards but I guess we got lucky!! We rented the boards from a shop underneath the Dipper's beach club at Carlisle Bay (it seems this is the place to find the turtles). It cost US $20 per person to rent a board for two hours and they taught you how to use it properly. We weren't very far out but we spotted a turtle swimming around and coming up for air every now and again. He was pretty chill around us even if we did fall in. As for the paddle boarding it was fun but good balance is necessary!

[1] https://www.visitbarbados.org/the-barbados-sea-turtle