Swimming with turtles

Swimming With Ancient Souls

Sometimes I forget how lucky I’ve been and what amazing things was once part of my daily life. Like a few years ago in Sri Lanka I was swimming in a bay with sea turtles every day. Usually, since I get up early, it was just me and the turtles in the sea because the fishermen had already come back with the mornings catch.

Every morning when I was swimming at least one of the turtles came and said good morning to me. The turtle showed itself to me when I got into the water. There were 3 turtles in the bay and I knew where they hung out. Two of them used to eat where I was swimming, it was one old giant turtle and one smaller one. On this occasion when I brought along my camera, both of them showed up. Looking back at what used to be my morning routine I just feel amazed, this was my everyday life. How amazing.

Swimming with sea turtles every day might have changed the way I move through the ocean — maybe even, the way I move through life. There’s something grounding about sharing water with a creature whose lineage stretches back more than 100 million years. Long before humans ever dipped a toe into the sea, turtles were already here, gliding through prehistoric oceans. Coming from the cold waters in the north of Sweden, sea turtles are something I had never seen before. Just like some people don’t realize that reindeer are real animals I could hardly understand that sea turtles were real.

They move with a calm confidence, not seeming to be in any hurry to go anywhere. Sea turtles can hold their breath for hours at a time, slowing their heart rate as they rest. Maybe that’s why swimming beside them felt meditative, like the ocean itself was asking me to slow down. No rush. No noise. Just steady movement and breath.

An amazing fact about sea turtles is that they have a great sense of direction. Sea turtles travel thousands of kilometers across open ocean, yet somehow return to the exact beach where they were born. Scientists believe they navigate using Earth’s magnetic field — an internal compass far more reliable than anything we carry in our pockets. I just felt very safe to be swimming alongside the sea turtles.

Despite their size, they’re gentle, almost shy. When a turtle swam close, it never felt invasive — more like a cautious curiosity, a silent acknowledgment like it was greeting me. Seeing each other was part of our morning routine. Their shells, often mistaken for armor alone, are actually living parts of their bodies, complete with nerve endings. It made me more aware of how important it is to simply observe, to share space without interfering.

The turtles seem to have humor as well. Later in the day other tourists showed up and wanted to see the turtles. One time I saw the turtle swimming behind the tourists and showing itself, but the tourists didn’t notice they just kept snorkeling looking for the turtle who in turn was following them. And I could enjoy the sight from the beach.

Green sea turtles, in particular, play a vital role in ocean health. By grazing on seagrass, they help maintain entire underwater ecosystems. The turtles are the ocean’s caretakers, doing the essential work that has to be done.

All seven species of sea turtles are now threatened or endangered, which adds weight to those memories. Seeing them daily wasn’t just beautiful—it was a privilege. One I didn’t fully understand until later. Sea turtles usually live until they are 50 to 80 years old, but they can become 100 years old too. I’ve met a turtle called Harry, who lived in the port of Chania in Crete who was 56 years old at that time. Hope he’s still there, and that the turtles in the bay are still there enjoying their days.

I didn’t just swim with sea turtles. I drifted alongside ancient navigators, gentle gardeners, and living reminders that the ocean doesn’t need us — but we desperately need it. And, we need to keep the oceans healthy in order for us and all amazing creatures that have lived there much longer than we have been here.