With a gentle flick of its front flippers, the turtle glides past beneath us. It has a brown hexagonal pattern on its shell - a common green sea turtle, I think. It dives down, looking for food, and then swooshes into the distance, while we watch, transfixed, through our snorkelling masks.
Rosa says turtles are cute, and I agree. I also find their ancient reptilian faces, probably unchanged in 200 million years, noble and enigmatic. They move graciously, and seem to command the water around them, never in too much of a hurry.
I admit it: I am a Disney Dad, shamelessly spoiling my teenage daughter with a week’s holiday in Barbados.
It is just the two of us in a small apartment backing onto a postcard perfect West facing beach: coconut palms, soft pale sands and gentle waves. Eating our supper every evening watching the sun set over the Caribbean Sea. The real deal. I barely notice my Parkinson's here.
I don’t much enjoy travelling long haul any more but I want to cut Rosa a small slice of our wondrous planet to taste and savour, and to live life to the full before time catches up with me.
Swimming with turtles.
Life’s most treasured memories are made from days like today. I feel so very lucky.
