| A hawksbill sea turtle uses its strong beak to break apart coral to get to its favored meal of sponges.
On this particular dive in Tubbataha Reefs Natural Reefs Park, Philippines, we were decompressing in a shallow coral meadow surrounded by at least a dozen of these creatures patrolling the reef looking for a snack.
It was wonderful to watch but equally wonderful to hear them eating.
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a successful marine protected area located in the center of the Sulu Sea.
It was heartening to see so many of these critically endangered sea turtles on a single dive within a marine sanctuary.
For more ocean images.