Sometimes it’s easy to forget and misunderstand creatures we do not often see or interact with. I found peace sitting beside the Scugog River when the pandemic started. There was an old beaver lodge, a complicated looking root system, lots of mud and tons of aquatic plants. I noticed a rock and then suddenly, that rock moved - it was actually a snapping turtle! There was not one but over seven different individuals (maybe even more), some buried deep in the mud. Stories like this are important to share because it shows a different, more gentle side of the misunderstood snapping turtles.

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An Ocean Storytelling Showcase submission by Clare Stone