Now that Spring is finally here, I've been taking walks around the Washington Park Lake to watch for turtles. I'm rather fond of them and, so far, I've found quite a few of them sunning themselves on the matted remnants of last year's cattails. Most of the turtles I've spotted this year are fairly small - not much bigger than my hand. And then there is this handsome old creature; I've nicknamed it The King of Washington Park Lake.
Last August, I was standing a few inches from the edge of the water near the northeast edge of the Lake. I was looking out over the water at nothing in particular when I got the feeling that I was being watched. I looked down and there, not even a half foot from me, was a giant turtle. I'm talking about a shell nearly as big as a Fiat tire. It was floating there with its head just above the water, staring right at me.
I nearly had a heart attack and, of course, I didn't have a camera with me.
Since then, I've managed to catch sight of this huge turtle a few times. Once, while trying to take a picture some dragonflies, it slowly swam out from behind some vegetation to watch me for a few minutes before diving away. But I haven't been able to get a good photo of it...just some blurry shots of it floating out near the middle of the Lake.
Until yesterday morning when I spotted its peering from the matted cattails where a dozen or so smaller turtles were basking. Such an awesome, ancient-looking face.
Quite a wise looking turtle!
ReplyDeleteYES! My boyfriend has spoken of this turtle, he said he saw it towards the N. Lake side of the lake. I am in the park so often and I have never seen the turtle and doubted its existence. Thanks so much for this great photo, and bringing the myth to reality.
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