I am one of the luckiest divers in the world.  I get to dive on a Carribbean Reef at Shedd Aquarium.  The  reef is home to a large green sea turtle named Nickel.  Nickel was recovered off the coast of Florida after she was hit by a motor boat.  The boat caused damage to her shell and made her rear flippers unusable.    After it was determined that she could not be returned to the ocean and surive, she was given to Shedd Aquarium about 5 years ago.  Since that time Nickel has grown into a healthy, large adult sea turtle.  Recovery programs like this are happening all over the world. 

Recently many news programs reported on the recovery and survival of a Sea turtle named Allison.  Allison had lost 3 of her fippers by shark attack.   Two-flipper turtles can be adopted by zoos, and three-flipper turtles can be safely returned to the wild, but with only one, a turtle spins and struggles to break the surface to breathe.  The only other opiton until now was to euthanize the animal.  However , and interen marine biologist at Sea Turtle Inc., on South Padre Island developed a new type of wet suit for Allision.  A built-in rudder allows her to swim, dive and surface which is a natural act for sea turtles.  They need to dive to eat off the bottom and be able to surface to breath.  Using her good flipper and the specially designed suit Allison can act in a more normal manner.  

Sea turtles can live to be well over 100 years old.  The inventors of the wetsuit have already calulated how to redesign the suit as Allison get older and larger.  Swimming with Nickel, I can appreciate the efforts of these pioneers to save to lives of our sea creatures.