Snorkeling World

Sal Island in Cape Verde is a haven for marine life, and my recent trip brought me face-to-face (or flipper-to-face!) with one of its most incredible residents: the Loggerhead Sea Turtle ( Caretta caretta ). From witnessing the ancient ritual of nesting to underwater encounters, it was an unforgettable adventure. 🌜 The Miracle of Nesting The Loggerhead is the most common nesting species here, and learning about their nocturnal routine was truly captivating. Imagine the scene: Under the blanket of the Cape Verde night, a massive female Loggerhead hauls herself onto the beach to begin a process that has played out for millennia. Laying the Clutch: She digs her nest and proceeds to lay a substantial clutch—around 100 eggs , each about the size of a ping pong ball. A Master of Disguise: Once the eggs are laid, her work of protection begins. She carefully covers the nest with sand. But she doesn't stop there; she meticulously camouflages the spot by scattering sand all around, an e...

  The day was perfect, not by chance, but because I had sought those conditions by observing the weather forecast. We were on Faial Island and took a short boat trip to Pico Island to swim with dolphins. I was with my wife and another couple, and after finding the dolphins and verifying that they allowed a certain approach, it was time to go into the water. It was stipulated that which couple would take turns going into the water. It was possible to get very close to the dolphins in excellent visibility conditions. Curiously, the dolphins were more receptive to contact with me and my wife than with the other couple. At a certain point during the contact with the dolphins, I started making a sound, a kind of childish sound, to communicate with them instinctively, which made my wife laugh. The surprise came later when I saw and heard the images I captured of that moment. Before the sound I made to communicate with the dolphins, they were making their usual sounds, and just before I c...