The Green Sea Turtle- Laniakea Beach, Oahu

Few experiences are more rewarding than meeting wild animals in their natural environment. Laniakea Beach on Oahu´s North shore, is a unique place to observe one of the oldest creatures in the planet: the endangered Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle.

Laniakea Beach, also referred to asTurtle beach, is a real haven for this wonderful marine reptile. Known as honu in Polynesia, the Green Sea Turtle comes to this rocky beach in order to feed on abundant green algae called “limu”.

Life moves deliciously slowly on Laniakea Beach. The hypnotic rhythm of the waves, the sea turtles peacefully basking in the sun, the sense of calm and peacefulness this rocky beach emanates is definitely other-wordly.

Meeting the Sacred Honu

The Honu is a sacred symbol for the the islands of aloha. It represents longevity, endurance, peace, good luck, wisdom and mana (a Hawaiian word that means spiritual power or vital life force).

The turtle also symbolizes “The Navigator“. Their ability to travel the immensity of the Pacific ocean made them highly respected by the Polynesians who believed that by following these graceful animals would increase their chance to find a land.

We felt like the most fortunate in the world when we spotted a pair of green sea turtles breaking the surface. Serenely, they swam to the shore and crawled towards the beach.

These remarkably ancient creatures seemed to enjoy our presence as much as we enjoyed theirs. To our delight, this wondeful setting was completely deserted the day we visited it making the experience even more intimate and special.

Feeling the company of an animal of such magnificence close to us was absolutely indescribable. After admiring the beauty of the teardrop-shaped sea turtles, the sun disolved magically into the horizon.

Protect The Precious Honu

Hawaii’s beloved green sea turtle deserves admiration and deep respect. Although their population has shown positive increases in recent years, they are still in need of our help.

I would like to say a big thank you to all the volunteers who inform visitors about the turtles and spend their valuable time caring for them. The future of the honu depends on us!

 

 

What can you do to protect the Honu?

  • Don´t get too close. Observe the sea turtles from a respectful distance.
  • Do not handle or touch the sea turtles.
  • Do not feed the turtles.
  • If you find any trash in the water or on the beach, please pick it up.

 

 

 

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Inspired by James Cook voyages, Rakel decided to travel the world and live a life of adventure. Rakel

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