‘Turtles don’t know how beautiful they are.’

Lulu said it as we swam yesterday together on our afternoon swim down the length of the promenade.

Huh. I guess not. I mean, it’s not like they can turn around and look at their backs. We had just watched a sea turtle pass underneath us in the shallow water, extra-long flippers paddling away, its shell catching the light with golden, earthy flecks. And the pattern of their shells – I think it’s officially called carapace, was beautiful. Does the turtle ever know this? Maybe it catches its own reflection on the inside of the sea surface, like the inside of your skin.

Who knows. Come to think of it, eagle rays have the same problem. We see them most of the time around Questie, digging around in the sand. They have funny, upturned beaks. Makes them look like something out of Walt Disney. Finding Nemo didn’t do them justice – and I love that movie. They are more comical in person. Hard to get a photo up close though. I’ll keep trying.

Anyhow, they have beautiful, midnight-blue wings. A metre or so across. White starry spots all over their backs. Do they know how they beautiful they are too? Like turtles, their eyes don’t face that way. Those guys need a mirror.

To be honest, I wasn’t going to write a blog with words tonight. I was just going to post a picture, which is the majority of what we’ve been doing the last couple of days. Three pages of it. I swear, Maths Tuesday will never be forgotten on Quest, for better or worse. Sickness or in health.

There is something painfully exquisite about numbers- for me. They range from being emotionless to completely infuriating – until you get the right answer. When you get the right answer, they become simply wonderful. The best kind of puzzle. Anyhow, the trigonometry homework is done – and it’s sent. Please don’t tell us if it’s wrong!

At least we get to go swimming with turtles and spotted eagle rays afterwards. That part still blows my mind.