18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Up for Air

The turtles that frequent Maho Bay, St. John, USVI are majestic to watch. I could spend all day observing their behaviors. This particular photograph must have taken over an hour to get just right. The turtles only surface every 4-5 minutes, and you must respect their space and not disturb their feeding habits. They are used to people as they didn't shy away from me. This turtle was actually curious and swam with me, which afforded me this photo opportunity. It's almost as if he is kissing the clouds as he comes up for air. And the wave behind him cooperated just perfectly to show his head above the surface and body below. You can see the water film over his face.

Photo Detail
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: St. John, USVI, United States Minor Outlying Islands
Copyright: © LaDon Paige