This is a critically endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle, about to enter the ocean for the very first time. The last of 180 to enter this morning about half an hour after sunrise. It didn't really hit me until I was on the way home how special the opportunity was to witness it (and photograph it). It's something I may never see again in my lifetime. There are less than 150 nesting female Hawksbills in ALL the Hawaiian islands. They nest every four years and only about 1 in 1,000 will survive to maturity. My money is on this one =)
A beautiful turtle steals a couple breaths of air before returning to the sandy bottom off of South Maui in the Makena area.
Here is another milestone image for me personally. Taken at Secret Beach, it was the first over/under I took with my DSLR and the beginning of an obsession that continues today. These images represent Hawaii...beauty and vibrant life above and below the surface.
