@@PhilGillisDoctor yes indeed, his mouth not moving while talking is a clear sign of him actually talking. You see he is in-fact an uncommonly great puppeteer, and therefor only needs a minimal amount of mouth movement to speak. Thus neither snorkel nor water would be of any him hindrance to him. If he didn’t possess this level of skill, water would’ve gotten in his snorkel, and all we would’ve heard were gurgle noises
You’re a professional crocodilian trainer and handler but damn man you’re an underrated speaker. That’s a big component of what keeps me hooked to your videos.
I didn't know these were rare! I saw a few of them around 2009 or so when I lived on the weeki wachee river in Florida. I lived about a mile or 2 downstream from the spring. lots of longnose gar too. and lots of normal looking river turtles. This video reminded me of that house a lot. I used to freedive to find stuff people dropped in the deeper parts of the river(never hospital hole though). There are a lot of snakes in that area, and I got bit by a moccasin but luckily it was a dry bite.
This might be one of the best videos I've ever seen. I'm crazy about freshwater turtles. I live in the UK so would plan my holidays going to countries where I could find them. I'm mostly stuck in bed these days so "swim" with you as you discover them was the biggest treat. Thank you for all the info as well. :)
@@ehfoiwehfowjedioheoih4829 Facts. There was actually one time i went to disney and in the river I saw a godzilla sized bullfrog but other than that nothing interesting
I'm "swimming" along too. If I could, I would be out and about. Unfortunately, I broke my back and now have limited mobility. If you like turtles you should check out Kamp Kenan here on TH-cam. He's a Florida guy with turtles from around the world. He's very knowledgeable.
Cool images, wonderful message and a reminder to look after our waterways. Very pleased you found the alligator snapping turtle. Congrats and thanks for sharing. Great video.
I love how he says he won't scuba dive in the caves because it's too dangerous, meanwhile he's swimming in muddy river water under sticks and vegetation with alligators nearby. I guess the danger you know is better than the danger you don't know!
Man u are lucky af to have such pristine diving spots. Here in India, almost all urban water bodies are polluted and those which are not polluted are either in isolated rural areas, where locals prohibit any outsiders from any water activities or in protected wildlife reserves, where any and all access to water bodies is strictly prohibited to civilians
Before hubby retired from police work, he moved a snapper off the road by getting it to bite his nightstick. It wasn’t as big as the one you saw, but it was quite large. He’s a big guy and had to use both hands to move it. Eventually it let go of his nightstick, lol,and paddled off into the river. We live in Delaware…
Good for him! I'm happy to hear he was willing and able to get it to safety. Alligator snapping turtles aren't found that far north. What your husband encountered was likely a Common Snapping Turtle, which may grow quite large in your area. Common Snapping Turtles frequently cross between bodies of water and are often seen crossing roads. They're also much feistier than Alligator Snapping Turtles and have a much longer neck that they can use to strike much further from the body, making them much more difficult to handle than their larger cousins.
@@jeremyg5425 I learned something…very cool and thank you! I’m originally from East Tx and the South, so just didn’t think they’d be different up North, lol. Also the Southwest, but didn’t see any of them in Tucson. Lots of things that snapped, but not turtles!
@@jeremyg5425 part of the reason he did it it was I once told him some folks where I used to live ran over them on purpose…though the first time I moved a rattler off the road he just about passed out. My Dad taught me how to handle snakes safely…in the Depression he caught rattlers for a scientist in San Antonio working on an anti venom.
@@sharonkaczorowski8690 That's wonderful. There seems to be a pattern in many of the rural parts of our country where the oldtimers grew up with a healthy respect for their natural surroundings, followed by a couple generations of people who just seem to be at war with anything that moves. I'm glad your father was able to pass on his respect for nature to you, and that you were in turn able to pass it on to those around you. Keep up the good work!
@@sharonkaczorowski8690 Yep. You'll find both snapping turtles throughout Texas. The Alligator Snapping Turtle is restricted to the southeastern states, while the Common Snapping Turtle can be found well up into Canada, everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains. They're like tanks. I've seen them climb fences, burrow under walls, and cross into about every god awful water source imaginable. Alligator Snapping Turtles, on the other hand, seldom venture over land. This giant male may very well have never left the river after hatching. Only occasionally will they wander across land, usually during heavy flooding. Otherwise, females may travel up to 100 yards to lay their eggs before returning to the water.
I have asthma and claustrophobia so the free diving parts were making my chest feel tight and my heart race. At the same time it’s so fascinating! I used to go swimming in springs in central Texas and was always a little bummed but also grateful that I couldn’t go diving in them.
Incredible footage, well done Chris! Cave diving is an incredibly rewarding experience, and you've certainly got the skill and the passion to master it and be safe while enjoying it. Remember that it's something that you can work up to, start small with other diving certifications and then approach it once you're comfortable! Would love to see that kind of content from you.
You're are advising a free diver and snorkeler to do the most dangerous sport imaginable which only scuba divers do. Maybe not a good idea to recommend
Cool film! I enjoyed that. I recently just picked up a mask and snorkel to do some of my own underwater films. Love these Springs out here. Thank you for not disclosing your location.
I'm a cavern diver. I can't remember the exact name but its like the devils nose or something like that. This one goes pretty deep before the light cuts off. It's also huge once you get past the log but the current is also the strongest right there. You also have to be careful coming back out because of said current. If you lose your grip you could decompress way too fast.
I'm with you about these cool backwater type waterways and all the natural beauty exploration (except that horrendous garbage of course!), Chris.........my wife would freak out but I could maybe handle 75% of this great exploration but also avoid those deeper dives and breath holding escapades........just like your 65 foot free dives with sharks.......give me nightmares!! Literally!! I hear what you say about practicing and technique but those free dives and some of this great video.....give me claustrophobic heebie jeebies beyond compare!! Great Florida river/spring alligator snapping turtle adventure!! Jim C.
As a thalassophobe this is really interesting. To see someone so interested and passionate in something I'm terrified of is strange, not that I don't understand it. Also just watching this makes me a bit uncomfortable at times, especially in the cave or under the trees.
at 12:45 there was a female Swanny turtle ... it has 3 holes around the perimeter of it's shell, near the back ... any idea what would cause these holes ?
These holes are markings used by researchers to identify individual turtles in a study. It's a standard technique used in population studies of wild turtles. The process doesn't hurt the turtle, as they don't have any nerve endings in the marginal scutes. Some of these turtles were marked nearly 20 years ago and are still captured in surveys to this day.
I always wished I could swim under water and not have to breath. When I was young I tried a scuba tank breathing device and it caused an immediate phobia about my breathing so I never pursued it. I can hold my breath all of 10 seconds now so watching this guy stay down so long is worrisome.
When i Lived in Mississippi Alligator snapping turtles where extremely common to get on tree wires (We'd catch a brim & put it on a high tolerance wire tied to a thicc tree branch come back the next day). We'd set about 6 lines out hoping for 50 pound catfish (also common, we'd have huge catfish fries). Unfortunately we'd get around 2 huge ancient alligator snapping turtles every time. If anyone's interested the road to get to little local the river is called, River Road Drive, Gulfport, MS.
I wish we could get all our rivers and streams this clean. I just subbed. I live in NC and when I was 14yrs old I caught a Bowfin that was almost 14lbs. We call them Grendle or Blackfish here.
I had an alligator snapping turtle. His name was Gamera. He was vicious and he grew so quickly I had to let him go. When I first found him he was the size of a quarter.
Hey, Chris, I just watched and subscribed! That river [from your perspective] looks so serene and peaceful and pristine. Love turrtles, too!!! I've always thought them to be some really cute animals. And I'm soooo glad you spoke on the TRASH that people throw in the water. That's pretty disgusting and irresponsible!!!! Can't wait to see what you have coming up in the future.
I actually found a baby alligator snapping turtle in my parents yard when I was cutting their grass and what was shocking was they lived about a mile away from the closest creek but I took the turtle to a pretty big pond and let it go.
7:27 I've seen that sign in a lot of videos. There are so many horror stories of cave diving, I cognitive never do it. I'll just admire everything I can see from the entrance.
How beautiful I be been snorkelling I look down into the deep and think ….arregh can I go down there ? Nah! Your very brave and love the film so beautiful down there
Hey I moved to FL two years ago and I love the idea of going diving but...what about alligators? Are there places where it's known to be safer or is it just a risk everytime you go in the water? Closest springs to me is wekiva
Wekiva river has plenty of gators (then again most all FL waterways have at least fairly healthy gator populations lol). Colder it is they will be more lethargic, most aggressive during mating season (late April- June) but attacks can happen any time of year. People think they don't get into the springs but they do. Seems the state just takes out large ones that hang around springs (happened in Alexander springs, multiple attacks but it was mating season and I've been there, one of the more remote swampy springs for sure) Basically if you swim in any FL waters, but especially stained water-- trust your gut. Never dive/ swim alone, or at least tell somebody where you are. Avoid the water during mating season (isn't much to ask), get out if any gators get too close or make noise. Obviously don't swim at night. Basically common sense stuff. Trust your gut, know your limits. Respect their turf, or don't bother (or stick to pools &/or well trodden springs)
I saw a large alligator snapping turtle in that area. the creek coming out of naked springs off of Suwannee river to be specific. Fifty pound turtle at least in 3 feet of crystal clear spring water. Amazing looking animal for sure. Be careful in that creek as there is a large alligator nesting area at the mouth of it.
Good day of diving. I found a tagged AST 6 miles (as the crow flies) upstream of where you filmed this. Was lucky enough to find it out in good lighting, so got some footage.
their tracks would damage the environment and you can't observe wildlife very well from inside a tank. so the snorkle obviously is the better choice in this case. when observing turtles in africa, i would opt for the tank instead.
I just subscribed. You popped up for me and I’ve been bing watching all evening. I love your videos. You do great things. Thank you. PS I can’t believe how you were all over that scary water. I was freaked out for the whole video. 😳😳🙈🙈🙈
When you said you know how to handle alligators I just started laughing and was like nobody can handle an alligator if it’s your time it’s your time bud😂😂🤣
I was fortunate to come across an alligator snapper that had to be 250 lbs or more. His shell was ancient looking. This was in central FL at college I was attending, a boardwalk over the swamp. I've heard that a bullet from the silver war has been found embedded in a shell of one. ~Panzik Artistry
I love to scuba dive but I could never make myself enjoy places like the ones you are in this video🥴have in Florida. I'm in the Northwest we've got the nice cold clear Puget Sound and all kinds of rivers and nice lakes. I've never dove in water like this!! with all that creepy moss and already with a slimey squishy bottom. I don't know why..🐊🐢 everything just 🐍🦖looking creepy I've never been had any desire to dive in a river like. So that's why I like watching videos that you guys put out. I can see all the cool stuff and I don't have to let my feet get stuck in the muck. 💋Thank you for what you do
The bottom of the spring runs aren't squishy. It's pretty similar to beach sand unless you get into the grassy areas. Even in the river most of the bottom is fairly sandy, again unless you're in the grassy spots. (I grew up close to that spring area and did certification (open water and intro to cave) dives there.
It's believed these prehistoric creatures have a lifespan up to about 100 years. One of the coolest features is their tongue; it has a little piece that dangles and acts as a lure of fish into their open mouth. Very cool creatures indeed!
I loved this video, it was one cool thing after another! (How cute was that little nest-building fish?🥰) Thanks for sharing and as always, educating us along the way!💚
I used to live on a lake and we had those cute little Sunfish out here in Washington state. They make perfectly circular nests that they made were spot-on measurement wise.. And then the little guy just gets in the middle of it and waits for his fair Maiden to swim by so he can show her how nice his place looks. They're so cute.. but they are tough... don't be messing with their pad.
I’ve only seen 1 alligator snapping turtle in my life, and if was when I was a kid in the 80s out in Southmayd, Texas at our farm. He was crossing the road, because it was about to rain, and he was enormous. About half the size of a Galapagos turtle, so he was gigantic. I think they’re pretty rare.
@@chrismcdonald6554 there are no alligator snapping turtles in North Carolina only common snapping turtles. If you think you have spotted a alligator snapping turtle in North Carolina contact your local Wildlife fish and game officer immediately so the animal can be removed and put into a safe habitat.
i feel weird watching this video. The way you explain the whole videos is soooo relaxing however what you did in the video is intense. It feels like im holding my breath from the intensity but at the same time feeling relax lol. Nonetheless, a very unique experience watching your video dude ! Nice job !
My sweet girl, Lilypad, is a yellow-bellied slider turtle, and I have no idea how she got in the predicament I found her in: trundling down the aisle of a store in the local mall. NO PET STORE IN THIS MALL.She was hungry, dehydrated and was just starting to shed some of her skutes...she was looking pretty rough. I took her home...I declined to advertise her specifically because if she was a pet, she was a badly-NEGLECTED ONE. I advertised that I had found a POSSIBLE pet...if they could identify her-yellow-bellied slider turtle-they could have her back. Along with a butt-chewing for neglecting their pet. No one contacted me. So now she's staying with my other aquatic rescues.
Is this the Santa Fe river? I spent a few years up there and did lots of canoeing and tubing there. Poe Springs, Blue Springs, Ginny Springs, Rum Island (Rum Island the likely source of the garbage). Nice video!
I recently saved a big snapping turtle out back of my townhome. Kept hearing crows squawking. After 10 minutes of them, I opened my back door and see a murder of crows surrounding this big turtle who wandered over 200 ft. from the pond at the condos next door. About 6 more were across the way on the rooftop squawking. Well the ones flew off and Im like this poor guy or gal was way far from the pond. So I picked it up and carried it down and into a wet area by the ditch. The crows were not happy with me at all. But Slow--Poke 🐢 was happy. 😊 No worries... People put out food for the crows over in the small field and I've put stuff out....no breads! Fruits..veggies....and pedigree dog food. 😊
Gotta admit, he is pretty good at talking underwater with a snorkel in his mouth
What gave it away? When it shows his face swimming with the snorkel and you can clearly see his mouth isn’t moving?
@@PhilGillisDoctor it was just a wee joke JC. Just a bit of fun, no need to be so obtuse.
@@PhilGillisDoctor yes indeed, his mouth not moving while talking is a clear sign of him actually talking. You see he is in-fact an uncommonly great puppeteer, and therefor only needs a minimal amount of mouth movement to speak. Thus neither snorkel nor water would be of any him hindrance to him. If he didn’t possess this level of skill, water would’ve gotten in his snorkel, and all we would’ve heard were gurgle noises
😂😂
@@pegleg2959 woosh
You’re a professional crocodilian trainer and handler but damn man you’re an underrated speaker. That’s a big component of what keeps me hooked to your videos.
I take solace in you bringing us along on your journeys. Thank you for sharing!
@O.G Autistler Is this like a reference to some anime/manga or something?
I didn't know these were rare! I saw a few of them around 2009 or so when I lived on the weeki wachee river in Florida. I lived about a mile or 2 downstream from the spring. lots of longnose gar too. and lots of normal looking river turtles. This video reminded me of that house a lot. I used to freedive to find stuff people dropped in the deeper parts of the river(never hospital hole though). There are a lot of snakes in that area, and I got bit by a moccasin but luckily it was a dry bite.
been diving 50 years. When I learned back in 1973 in Orlando, My instructor Jim Hollis said "There are no old cave divers"
This might be one of the best videos I've ever seen.
I'm crazy about freshwater turtles. I live in the UK so would plan my holidays going to countries where I could find them.
I'm mostly stuck in bed these days so "swim" with you as you discover them was the biggest treat. Thank you for all the info as well. :)
Come to the Everglades on holiday:) far more interesting than Disney, friend.
Don’t believe him there not rare he just doesn’t see them
@@ehfoiwehfowjedioheoih4829 Facts. There was actually one time i went to disney and in the river I saw a godzilla sized bullfrog but other than that nothing interesting
I'm "swimming" along too. If I could, I would be out and about. Unfortunately, I broke my back and now have limited mobility.
If you like turtles you should check out Kamp Kenan here on TH-cam. He's a Florida guy with turtles from around the world. He's very knowledgeable.
@@michael-ik5db universal has a lot of snapping turtles in the river under the bridge the connects Jurassic to Hodsmeade!
Cool images, wonderful message and a reminder to look after our waterways. Very pleased you found the alligator snapping turtle. Congrats and thanks for sharing. Great video.
Tysm for sharing!!! The music was really relaxing making a great video!
You got brass cajones my friend . Excellent footage and you are so calm and relaxed the whole time. Well done!
Exciting, original, educational and engaging. Thank you Florida's Wildest for this amazing content.
Love the content. Much more relaxing than all the cave diving videos I’ve been watching too much of.
What an incredible video! Thank you for sharing this with us.
I love how he says he won't scuba dive in the caves because it's too dangerous, meanwhile he's swimming in muddy river water under sticks and vegetation with alligators nearby. I guess the danger you know is better than the danger you don't know!
The tranquility in narration is so awesome! Thanks for sharing defiantly subscribing
i could feel my breath shorten when you got deep into the spring lol, but its so cool!
13:21
Man, this is awesome. It's a beautiful animal. Great job man.
Gotta be honest here this dudes been very interesting to watch. I've been binge watching for a week lol
Man u are lucky af to have such pristine diving spots. Here in India, almost all urban water bodies are polluted and those which are not polluted are either in isolated rural areas, where locals prohibit any outsiders from any water activities or in protected wildlife reserves, where any and all access to water bodies is strictly prohibited to civilians
Before hubby retired from police work, he moved a snapper off the road by getting it to bite his nightstick. It wasn’t as big as the one you saw, but it was quite large. He’s a big guy and had to use both hands to move it. Eventually it let go of his nightstick, lol,and paddled off into the river. We live in Delaware…
Good for him! I'm happy to hear he was willing and able to get it to safety. Alligator snapping turtles aren't found that far north. What your husband encountered was likely a Common Snapping Turtle, which may grow quite large in your area. Common Snapping Turtles frequently cross between bodies of water and are often seen crossing roads. They're also much feistier than Alligator Snapping Turtles and have a much longer neck that they can use to strike much further from the body, making them much more difficult to handle than their larger cousins.
@@jeremyg5425 I learned something…very cool and thank you! I’m originally from East Tx and the South, so just didn’t think they’d be different up North, lol. Also the Southwest, but didn’t see any of them in Tucson. Lots of things that snapped, but not turtles!
@@jeremyg5425 part of the reason he did it it was I once told him some folks where I used to live ran over them on purpose…though the first time I moved a rattler off the road he just about passed out. My Dad taught me how to handle snakes safely…in the Depression he caught rattlers for a scientist in San Antonio working on an anti venom.
@@sharonkaczorowski8690 That's wonderful. There seems to be a pattern in many of the rural parts of our country where the oldtimers grew up with a healthy respect for their natural surroundings, followed by a couple generations of people who just seem to be at war with anything that moves. I'm glad your father was able to pass on his respect for nature to you, and that you were in turn able to pass it on to those around you. Keep up the good work!
@@sharonkaczorowski8690 Yep. You'll find both snapping turtles throughout Texas. The Alligator Snapping Turtle is restricted to the southeastern states, while the Common Snapping Turtle can be found well up into Canada, everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains. They're like tanks. I've seen them climb fences, burrow under walls, and cross into about every god awful water source imaginable. Alligator Snapping Turtles, on the other hand, seldom venture over land. This giant male may very well have never left the river after hatching. Only occasionally will they wander across land, usually during heavy flooding. Otherwise, females may travel up to 100 yards to lay their eggs before returning to the water.
Just floored at how good this video is...super impressive a d educational. Thank you
Really nice underwater cave? Thanks for sharing. 👍👍👍
I have asthma and claustrophobia so the free diving parts were making my chest feel tight and my heart race. At the same time it’s so fascinating! I used to go swimming in springs in central Texas and was always a little bummed but also grateful that I couldn’t go diving in them.
that is sad. Was your mom a smoker or parents smoke around you at a young age?
@@divest2099 What?
@@321gates she said she had asthma its sad horrible disease. A lot of times it is from second hand some
Good thing this isn’t all about you then
@@xzed6394 What’s your issue? You are implying she is making this about herself.
Amazing...
As a Floridian it is so cool to see what lies beneath the surface.
Incredible footage, well done Chris! Cave diving is an incredibly rewarding experience, and you've certainly got the skill and the passion to master it and be safe while enjoying it. Remember that it's something that you can work up to, start small with other diving certifications and then approach it once you're comfortable! Would love to see that kind of content from you.
You're are advising a free diver and snorkeler to do the most dangerous sport imaginable which only scuba divers do. Maybe not a good idea to recommend
@@grantweller1225. Yes cave diving is so terribly dangerous, I’ve seen lots of videos on it.
So amazing. Thank you for sharing this with us. I bet chris can hold his breath for like 5min
think the largest alligator snapping turtle on record was almost 250 lbs and was well over 100 years old
I love this type of videos.. you take me places I'll never get to see! Thank you chris
Thanks for explaining the waters mixing. For a moment there I thought you crapped your pants 😆
Cool film! I enjoyed that. I recently just picked up a mask and snorkel to do some of my own underwater films. Love these Springs out here. Thank you for not disclosing your location.
What an amazing video! This video was captivating. Thank you so much for sharing.
Your nuts sir. I would NEVER get in and under all of that. I wouldn't get into any water whatsoever. You got some bravery.
I've been cavern diving in that spring with the log in it and its incredible inside. Definitely recommend learning and getting certified for it.
which cave is this?
Are you a cavern diver or a cave diver? Cavern divers can't enter full cave systems, they can only go as far as they can still see the exit.
I'm a cavern diver. I can't remember the exact name but its like the devils nose or something like that. This one goes pretty deep before the light cuts off. It's also huge once you get past the log but the current is also the strongest right there. You also have to be careful coming back out because of said current. If you lose your grip you could decompress way too fast.
I assume the bodies of people who die in the caves arent recovered correct?
Very cool, love doing this type of snorkeling as well. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful swim. I really enjoyed your video.
Totally amazing, thanks for taking us along with you, what an amazing experience!
I think I found my new favourite youtube channel! Thanks for the amazing content!!!
I'm with you about these cool backwater type waterways and all the natural beauty exploration (except that horrendous garbage of course!), Chris.........my wife would freak out but I could maybe handle 75% of this great exploration but also avoid those deeper dives and breath holding escapades........just like your 65 foot free dives with sharks.......give me nightmares!! Literally!! I hear what you say about practicing and technique but those free dives and some of this great video.....give me claustrophobic heebie jeebies beyond compare!! Great Florida river/spring alligator snapping turtle adventure!! Jim C.
As a thalassophobe this is really interesting. To see someone so interested and passionate in something I'm terrified of is strange, not that I don't understand it. Also just watching this makes me a bit uncomfortable at times, especially in the cave or under the trees.
Really interesting! 💗 thanks for taking us along 👍
at 12:45 there was a female Swanny turtle ... it has 3 holes around the perimeter of it's shell, near the back ... any idea what would cause these holes ?
These holes are markings used by researchers to identify individual turtles in a study. It's a standard technique used in population studies of wild turtles. The process doesn't hurt the turtle, as they don't have any nerve endings in the marginal scutes. Some of these turtles were marked nearly 20 years ago and are still captured in surveys to this day.
Wow, I love this. Thank you for sharing!!
I always wished I could swim under water and not have to breath. When I was young I tried a scuba tank breathing device and it caused an immediate phobia about my breathing so I never pursued it. I can hold my breath all of 10 seconds now so watching this guy stay down so long is worrisome.
When i Lived in Mississippi Alligator snapping turtles where extremely common to get on tree wires
(We'd catch a brim & put it on a high tolerance wire tied to a thicc tree branch come back the next day).
We'd set about 6 lines out hoping for 50 pound catfish (also common, we'd have huge catfish fries). Unfortunately we'd get around 2 huge ancient alligator snapping turtles every time.
If anyone's interested the road to get to little local the river is called, River Road Drive, Gulfport, MS.
this is actually cool, wish to see more of this content
I really love your adventures sir... I have a common snapping turtle in my house.
Love the video! Thanks for sharing. Please people! Do NOT throw your trash in the water. 💕💕
Now I know why I can't cast without getting snagged up.
I wish we could get all our rivers and streams this clean. I just subbed. I live in NC and when I was 14yrs old I caught a Bowfin that was almost 14lbs. We call them Grendle or Blackfish here.
I had an alligator snapping turtle. His name was Gamera. He was vicious and he grew so quickly I had to let him go. When I first found him he was the size of a quarter.
Hey, Chris, I just watched and subscribed! That river [from your perspective] looks so serene and peaceful and pristine. Love turrtles, too!!! I've always thought them to be some really cute animals. And I'm soooo glad you spoke on the TRASH that people throw in the water. That's pretty disgusting and irresponsible!!!! Can't wait to see what you have coming up in the future.
I'm A recent subscriber also. This channel is awesome...
Love these views. Nothing better than snorkeling
I actually found a baby alligator snapping turtle in my parents yard when I was cutting their grass and what was shocking was they lived about a mile away from the closest creek but I took the turtle to a pretty big pond and let it go.
Extraordinary, congratulations. What an species. Snorkeling on that kind of rivers sounds a true freshwater safari.
you know your in FL when your diving for turtles and you find a little bowl! love my state
7:27 I've seen that sign in a lot of videos. There are so many horror stories of cave diving, I cognitive never do it. I'll just admire everything I can see from the entrance.
How beautiful I be been snorkelling I look down into the deep and think ….arregh can I go down there ? Nah! Your very brave and love the film so beautiful down there
Hey I moved to FL two years ago and I love the idea of going diving but...what about alligators? Are there places where it's known to be safer or is it just a risk everytime you go in the water? Closest springs to me is wekiva
Wekiva river has plenty of gators (then again most all FL waterways have at least fairly healthy gator populations lol). Colder it is they will be more lethargic, most aggressive during mating season (late April- June) but attacks can happen any time of year. People think they don't get into the springs but they do. Seems the state just takes out large ones that hang around springs (happened in Alexander springs, multiple attacks but it was mating season and I've been there, one of the more remote swampy springs for sure)
Basically if you swim in any FL waters, but especially stained water-- trust your gut. Never dive/ swim alone, or at least tell somebody where you are. Avoid the water during mating season (isn't much to ask), get out if any gators get too close or make noise. Obviously don't swim at night. Basically common sense stuff. Trust your gut, know your limits. Respect their turf, or don't bother (or stick to pools &/or well trodden springs)
I saw a large alligator snapping turtle in that area. the creek coming out of naked springs off of Suwannee river to be specific. Fifty pound turtle at least in 3 feet of crystal clear spring water. Amazing looking animal for sure. Be careful in that creek as there is a large alligator nesting area at the mouth of it.
my bad it was off sante fe river
Awesome find! Thank you for sharing
Love these videos ! That pipe in the river was a party foul tho 😂
Pipe? I thought it was something else... 😂
What is that glowing light down there at 9:17?
Good day of diving. I found a tagged AST 6 miles (as the crow flies) upstream of where you filmed this. Was lucky enough to find it out in good lighting, so got some footage.
Great find. The exploration is what breaths passion alive.
Do you even pick up the trash you find on your journeys? Great video!
Yes when we have bags and places to put the garbage
@@FloridasWildest It’s trash. Garbage will rot away quick.
@@festyguy7405 Can’t exactly pick up all of the trash when you don’t have anything with you to put it in.
Great video. Really enjoyed it. Keep em coming
That looks like an incredible hobby ! Thanks for sharing
How on earth do people get in those types of bodies of water voluntarily? Especially in Florida!? :D
I would never have the balls to do this myself, so it's cool to at least see some of it
I know you need to keep the location private, but is this the Suwannee river? Could you give a general location? Maybe which county it is for example?
I know that it's likely in Florida, hence the title of the video and name of the channel, but I don't know any other details
Wow I love turtles and this was amazing. Thank you for sharing!
I love AST's ! They're so primitive. Mine hangs out in his caves all day and comes out to hunt at night.
I'm curious why you do this with a snorkle instead of tanks?
their tracks would damage the environment and you can't observe wildlife very well from inside a tank. so the snorkle obviously is the better choice in this case. when observing turtles in africa, i would opt for the tank instead.
@@peterszeug308 you win today.
So cool to see all this, thank you for sharing
Wonderful video and thanks for sharing. What mm wetsuit do you have and what model of gopro?
grew up camping here a few times a year great video
When you showed your face after the thick darkness that give me a heart attack😂
I just subscribed. You popped up for me and I’ve been bing watching all evening. I love your videos. You do great things. Thank you. PS I can’t believe how you were all over that scary water. I was freaked out for the whole video. 😳😳🙈🙈🙈
this area definitely looks like a paradise for all aquatic life!
Thanks for cool video. When I was little I snorkeled deep in some mangroves. It was ehh..... shady. But I saw some massive fish.
When you said you know how to handle alligators I just started laughing and was like nobody can handle an alligator if it’s your time it’s your time bud😂😂🤣
I was fortunate to come across an alligator snapper that had to be 250 lbs or more. His shell was ancient looking. This was in central FL at college I was attending, a boardwalk over the swamp. I've heard that a bullet from the silver war has been found embedded in a shell of one. ~Panzik Artistry
I love to scuba dive but I could never make myself enjoy places like the ones you are in this video🥴have in Florida. I'm in the Northwest we've got the nice cold clear Puget Sound and all kinds of rivers and nice lakes. I've never dove in water like this!!
with all that creepy moss and already with a slimey squishy bottom. I don't know why..🐊🐢 everything just 🐍🦖looking creepy I've never been had any desire to dive in a river like. So that's why I like watching videos that you guys put out. I can see all the cool stuff and I don't have to let my feet get stuck in the muck. 💋Thank you for what you do
The bottom of the spring runs aren't squishy. It's pretty similar to beach sand unless you get into the grassy areas. Even in the river most of the bottom is fairly sandy, again unless you're in the grassy spots. (I grew up close to that spring area and did certification (open water and intro to cave) dives there.
It's believed these prehistoric creatures have a lifespan up to about 100 years. One of the coolest features is their tongue; it has a little piece that dangles and acts as a lure of fish into their open mouth. Very cool creatures indeed!
At least. They found a specimen in Louisiana in the 90's, I believe, that had Civil War musket balls embedded into its shell.
@@321gates were they able to determine if the AST was shot by a Confederate or a Union soldier?🐢😂
Thanks for sharing, what an awesome video! 👍👍
I loved this video, it was one cool thing after another! (How cute was that little nest-building fish?🥰) Thanks for sharing and as always, educating us along the way!💚
It was cute.
Floridian here. Thanks for a wonderful perspective of the river. I'd be crazy not to subscribe to your videos.
I used to live on a lake and we had those cute little Sunfish out here in Washington state. They make perfectly circular nests that they made were spot-on measurement wise.. And then the little guy just gets in the middle of it and waits for his fair Maiden to swim by so he can show her how nice his place looks. They're so cute.. but they are tough... don't be messing with their pad.
Bluegills?
Which pokemon is that? Can you fish this in your Garrison?
Great experience. Thanks for sharing. Wish I got into free driving in my my younger years.
I’ve only seen 1 alligator snapping turtle in my life, and if was when I was a kid in the 80s out in Southmayd, Texas at our farm. He was crossing the road, because it was about to rain, and he was enormous. About half the size of a Galapagos turtle, so he was gigantic. I think they’re pretty rare.
Not in NC thousands of them!! High Rock lake Yasmin basin is full of both snappers and alligator snappers
Saw many of them on Merritt Island,FLA.
@@chrismcdonald6554 there are no alligator snapping turtles in North Carolina only common snapping turtles. If you think you have spotted a alligator snapping turtle in North Carolina contact your local Wildlife fish and game officer immediately so the animal can be removed and put into a safe habitat.
Skip to 14:00 it's an ordinary same old snapping Turtle
I would probably think of a joke under the water and then drown... "Hey fish, how 'bout a hand?"
i feel weird watching this video. The way you explain the whole videos is soooo relaxing however what you did in the video is intense. It feels like im holding my breath from the intensity but at the same time feeling relax lol. Nonetheless, a very unique experience watching your video dude ! Nice job !
My sweet girl, Lilypad, is a yellow-bellied slider turtle, and I have no idea how she got in the predicament I found her in: trundling down the aisle of a store in the local mall. NO PET STORE IN THIS MALL.She was hungry, dehydrated and was just starting to shed some of her skutes...she was looking pretty rough. I took her home...I declined to advertise her specifically because if she was a pet, she was a badly-NEGLECTED ONE. I advertised that I had found a POSSIBLE pet...if they could identify her-yellow-bellied slider turtle-they could have her back.
Along with a butt-chewing for neglecting their pet. No one contacted me. So now she's staying with my other aquatic rescues.
New subscriber. Great visuals, great content/info, and great narration!
10:23 you took the turtles boof 😩
Is this the Santa Fe river? I spent a few years up there and did lots of canoeing and tubing there. Poe Springs, Blue Springs, Ginny Springs, Rum Island (Rum Island the likely source of the garbage). Nice video!
Yeah more than likely. Santa fe has loads of turtles, looks that clear & swift from the springs. The Suwannee river is darker
why is you voice so calming 😂
Tbh the gars and bowfin really stood out to me. They are just really cool fish to me
Hey what's your filming gear?
meeting an alligator while snorkelling does count as "getting lucky" for me
I recently saved a big snapping turtle out back of my townhome.
Kept hearing crows squawking. After 10 minutes of them, I opened my back door and see a murder of crows surrounding this big turtle who wandered over 200 ft. from the pond at the condos next door.
About 6 more were across the way on the rooftop squawking.
Well the ones flew off and Im like this poor guy or gal was way far from the pond. So I picked it up and carried it down and into a wet area by the ditch.
The crows were not happy with me at all. But Slow--Poke 🐢 was happy. 😊
No worries... People put out food for the crows over in the small field and I've put stuff out....no breads! Fruits..veggies....and pedigree dog food. 😊
Dog food is really unhealthy loaded with dodgy stuff. Non-organic food is bad too. Best leaving them be unless you can afford organic!
@@hillarytrump9146 yah fk him for not checking to see if it was gluten an gmo free