Turtle time in Northland
Nature photographer Crispin Middleton finds a friendly face
You never know quite what you're going to see when diving, and Crispin Middleton was focusing on getting a great shot of some local fish at the Poor Knights when someone else decided to get in on the act!
"I was diving at the Rock Garden between Aorangi and Tawhiti Rahi. I followed a stream of blue maomao, and had just found a large school hanging out near a white sandy patch at about 10 to 12 metres. I was engrossed in taking pictures of the fish when I felt a light tap on my shoulder, only to find this little green turtle!
"It was very relaxed and stayed with me for over 40 minutes. I've seen the same turtle before in this area but it was the most chilled out I'd seen it. Or maybe it was just cold!"
To see more of Crispin's work, visit instagram.com/seacologynz/
About green sea turtles
Green sea turtles love seagrass meadows, saltmarshes and reef systems. They play a significant role in maintaining the health of seagrass beds, and take part in symbiotic cleaning relationships with several fish species. They don't breed or nest in New Zealand, but juveniles are fairly regularly sighted in Northland's coastal waters, particularly around Rangaunu Harbour and the Poor Knights Islands. There have been a few records of green sea turtles south of the Bay of Plenty but you're unlikely to encounter them any further south.
