We had driven to the other side of the Island for the moon. It was almost full, and we were both feeling it effects and needed some moonshine for a little bit of peace within.
Hardly a cloud in the deep blue above us, the crashing waves in front of us, lured us to the light soft beach. We hesitated a little unsure if we would get stopped entering the beach. At this time of year and this time of day, it was entirely possible.
I had a sense of where I wanted to be and took off purposefully in its direction. I wanted the sand beneath my feet and an isolated place to be. I stopped dead in my tracks, my friend following behind me. My eyes needed to focus, what was that in front of me at the edge of the water? I held my breath. I could hardly believe what I looking at. Sure now my friend confirmed it, it’s a Tortuga he whispered! We looked at each other aghast and terrified that we might halt this slow procession out of the sea. But she wasn’t looking at us. She had a goal and was slowing dragging her land encumbered self up and over the seaweed onto the dry sand. We tucked ourselves down, hidden in plain sight we hoped, and watched. She was big and shiny, still wet from the sea. She had barnacles on her back that told us that she had time spent on this planet.
We see the Hawksbill Turtles swimming when we scuba dive here in Cozumel. It’s a miracle too everytime, maybe they are quietly munching on a sea sponge or pulling themselves past us at a slow steady speed, unperturbed by our presence. But nothing prepared me for this. This moment was perfect and glorious. The clear, bright moon illuminating her path, her intent and her nature laid out in front of us.
We watched and time was taken to reach the spot where she came to a stop at the edge of the beach grasses. Then, kicking the sand and took herself slowly below ground level. How could the girl hide so? She was enormous! We settled in, let the waves land on the beach, and the clear moonshine its perfect energy all around. Little meditations were taken, many gratitudes and thanks were shared. Resting back on the sand we drank in the moment. Both being very still and very quiet. Each had time to settle into ourselves and let go of the day. Letting go of the tensions within that we had in part put down to the cycle of the moon. Little fluffy clouds formed, changed shape and dispersed, giving the impression that the stars were shifting. A sky full of moving stars and planets.
She was moving again. Was she going to be heading back to the water? Mental note, let the group studying them know she was here. No, she was finding another spot. So we stayed and watched, time passed and it didn’t matter. Time for the brain to slow, unfocus a little, let go. Breathing slowed and followed the flow of the perfect moment. What a blessing I thought, I just really wanted to see the moon tonight. No plans as to where I went, just a little away from the town I was thinking, away from the orange glow. But this. How lucky was this? My mind came into focus again, she was on the move. She pulled, hoisted and rested little by little as she manoeuvred to the shore. Was she covering her tracks? She seemed to be. We’ll never know.
On the journey back, windows down, no aircon, we still wanted to be attached to our connection with nature. We had sourced nature, but in the end, she had found us.
Joanna Hughes 