Kayaking often brings a sense of calm and discovery. Whether gliding through still waters or admiring nature’s quiet beauty, there’s always something unexpected waiting to be found.
Carolina Diz and her partner, Brittany, set out for a tranquil day on the water in Central Missouri. What began as a simple outdoor adventure quickly transformed into a rescue they never anticipated.
It all started with a strange wooden box, partially buried in the muddy shoreline.
A Curious Find
As they paddled across the lake, Carolina and Brittany noticed the unusual box lodged in the mud. Intrigued, they steered closer to investigate.
Then, something inside moved.
“Oh, it’s moving”, Carolina said.
Their curiosity turned to alarm. Whatever was inside was alive, though completely covered in mud and difficult to identify.
They waited, watching closely as the shape slowly became clearer. To their surprise, it was a turtle.
Carolina was puzzled. The opening of the box was far too small for the turtle’s size.
“OK, he’s too big to fit through that opening, which means he must have gotten in when the water was still high, and now he’s stuck,” Carolina told The Dodo.
Carolina, who had worked on turtle-related media projects, understood the urgency. The water level had dropped, leaving the turtle stranded. With cold weather setting in, the turtle needed to return to the lake quickly.
“I’ve worked on many turtle videos, so I knew that turtles need to be in water to survive through the winter,” Carolina added.
More Than One Life To Save
Realizing they had to act fast, Carolina and Brittany tried to move the box, but it was too heavy. Using a kayak paddle, they carefully scooped the turtle out of the mud.
Just as they thought the rescue was complete, they noticed more movement.
There was another turtle. Then another. And another.
Altogether, four turtles had been trapped inside the box.
The kayakers gently placed each one at the lake’s edge, giving them the chance to return to their natural habitat.
One by one, the turtles began their slow but determined journey back into the water.
“It was amazing to see that they all instinctively knew to go straight back into the lake,” Carolina concluded.
Thanks to Carolina and Brittany’s quick thinking and compassion, four turtles were given a second chance at life in the wild.