Snorkeling with sea turtles in the sea of Iriomote Island!

Let's swim with sea turtles in Iriomote Island!

The sea around Iriomote Island is crystal clear, and you can see a variety of tropical fish.
Beautiful and vast coral reefs are also abundant, and the sea of Iriomote Island attracts visitors.
The sea of Iriomote Island is full of such attractions, but what we would like you to experience as a sea activity is to swim with sea turtles.
This is because seeing sea turtles migrating through the ocean up close and swimming at their pace is something that is not easy to do anywhere else.
Iriomote Ishigaki National Park, of which Iriomote Island is a part, is considered an important spawning ground for sea turtles.

Where is Iriomote Island in the first place?

Here, we will briefly introduce where Iriomote Island is located where you can swim with sea turtles.
Iriomote Island is located approximately 2,100 km southwest of Tokyo and is one of the most southwestern islands in Japan.
You can cross from Ishigaki Island to Iriomote Island by boat, which takes about 50 minutes.
Belonging to the Yaeyama Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, it is a relatively large island, the second largest in Okinawa Prefecture after the main island of Okinawa.

Iriomote Island is a World Heritage Site

Iriomote Island is part of the Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park.
About 90% of the area is said to be subtropical native vegetation, which is very close to the natural environment as it is.
This natural environment is also home to creatures unique to Iriomote Island, such as the famous Iriomote wildcat, and is considered a place of great academic importance and great interest.
In addition, some of the plants that grow on the island are unique to Iriomote Island, and combined with these, Iriomote Island is probably considered to have a uniquely evolved ecosystem.
For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as the Galapagos of the East.
This environment of Iriomote Island, which has been formed over a long period of time, has distinctive features that distinguish it from other places, and it is recognized as a very valuable place, which is why it is recognized as a registered World Heritage site.

Types of sea turtles found on Iriomote Island

From here, we will introduce the types of sea turtles that you can actually encounter on Iriomote Island.
Before that, let's first take a brief look at sea turtles as a whole.
Sea turtles inhabit the warm waters of the world's oceans.
Currently, there are seven species of sea turtles inhabiting the entire world.
Among the seven species, there are three species of sea turtles that can be seen in Iriomote Island, so I will explain the features and other information about these three species of turtles.

green turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Many of the sea turtles you see as images of sea turtles or in aquariums are green turtles.
In this sense, the green turtle is perhaps the most familiar type of sea turtle.
Green turtles migrate through tropical and temperate seas.
They are sometimes seen drying their shells on land, which is one of the characteristics of green turtles.
Green turtles' shells come in a variety of colors, including brownish, blackish, and reddish.
Another characteristic of green turtles is that they have individuals with a variety of carapace colors.
Why are they called green turtles even though their shells come in a variety of colors?
The reason for this is the color of the green turtle's fat.
The green turtle's fat is "blue" (actually green), hence the name.
Other external characteristics may include a small head compared to the size of the carapace (body carapace).
Green turtles are sometimes called "asahigame" because of their smooth, shiny carapace.
The size of the carapace (carapace length) is said to range from 80 to 100 cm for a full-grown green turtle.
Although it is believed to be the only herbivorous species among sea turtles, there are reports that it has been seen feeding on fish and other prey, so there may be some recent changes in the species.

loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)

Loggerhead turtles are familiar with spawning scenes.
Also, the reddish color of the body is the origin of the name loggerhead turtle.
Loggerhead turtles probably have larger heads than green turtles.
This is believed to be because loggerheads use crustaceans and shellfish as food.
In other words, in order to eat hard crustaceans and shellfish whole, including their shells, they need strong jaws, and their heads are correspondingly large.
Looking at the loggerhead from the front, you can clearly see the size of its head, which is powerful, but also somewhat charming.
Loggerhead turtles are slightly smaller than green turtles.
The size of the carapace (carapace length) is said to range from 70 to 90 cm.

hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

The hawksbill turtle is also known as the "tortoiseshell turtle.
It is so called because the scales covering the epidermis on the carapace and head were used as raw materials for tortoiseshell work.
Compared to green turtles and loggerhead turtles, each has more distinct scales and is easier to process, which is probably why it has been used as a raw material for tortoiseshell work.
The most distinctive feature is its beak.
Because of its pointy beak, the difference between it and the green and loggerhead turtles is immediately apparent in its face.
The sea turtle most often encountered in subtropical waters is probably the hawksbill turtle.
In Japan, they are mainly found in the waters of Okinawa, where they spawn.

Activities to see sea turtles in Iriomote Island

I think I was able to easily grasp the characteristics of the three species of sea turtles.
As the saying goes, "Seeing is believing," so it is better to see it in person to understand its features and appearance.
So, here are some activities to actually meet these three species of sea turtles.

Snorkeling Tour

The first one I would like to introduce is the snorkeling tour.
Snorkeling is one of the easiest ocean activities, requiring no license.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the sea around Iriomote Island is highly transparent, making it suitable for floating on the surface of the sea and looking underwater.
The high transparency of the water makes it possible to see deep into the ocean without having to dive underwater.
The sun's rays pour into the sea, and in the calm brightness of the sea, you may see sea turtles swimming peacefully or relaxing among the coral reefs and rocks.
Sea turtles sometimes float to the surface of the sea, and if you are lucky, you may encounter the happening of seeing each other in the immediate vicinity.

Diving Tours

Diving tours allow you to get closer to sea turtles than snorkeling.
You will be able to observe the movements of the sea turtles up close, keep your distance and pace, and even swim with them through the water.
Please be assured that you will not be barred from participating in a diving tour without a license.
If you join a trial diving tour, you can enjoy diving with the support of an instructor, even if you are new to diving.
It will be a wonderful experience to meet sea turtles on your first attempt at diving.

Cautions for swimming with sea turtles

When swimming with sea turtles, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Sea turtles want to live in peace in their own habitat, while being wary of foreign enemies and the like.
It is like a manner of visiting someone's home, so please follow it carefully.

They don't want to touch it!

Living creatures in their natural environment are constantly battling external enemies and environmental changes.
In particular, being contacted is a very threatening and fearful act for the creature.
If you swim with sea turtles, you may find that the distance between you and them gradually shrinks, but please do not touch them.
Maintaining a reasonable distance is the safest course of action for both parties.

Beware of dangerous marine life

There are poisonous and thorny creatures in the sea.
These are called "dangerous creatures," but they do not attack unnecessarily.
The "poison" or "thorn" they have is for their own protection.
Therefore, it is important not to behave in a way that could be considered dangerous to them.
Specifically, do not get too close and never touch them.
Examples of "dangerous creatures" that you may encounter in the sea of Iriomote Island include onidaruma-okoze, sea snakes, and habu jellyfish.
Once you join a tour, listen carefully to the warnings of the guide or instructor and never approach or touch dangerous creatures.

summary

Iriomote Island has such a precious natural environment that it is registered as a World Heritage site.
The surrounding sea will be clear and suitable for marine activities.
One of the things I would like you to experience is swimming with sea turtles.
On Iriomote Island, you can encounter three species of sea turtles.
The method is either a snorkeling tour or a diving tour. When participating in such a tour, listen carefully to the guide or instructor's explanations and do not disturb the sea turtles.
Also, please stay away from dangerous creatures, do not touch them, and safely enjoy the precious experience of swimming with sea turtles in the sea of Iriomote Island.