Woman’s Remarkable Friendship With Sea Life

WOMAN’S REMARKABLE FRIENDSHIP WITH SEA LIFE
WITH PIX AND VID
By Shuk Yee Tsang
A woman has formed an extraordinary bond with the marine creatures that inhabit the crystal-clear waters or Bonaire, Netherlands.
Elora Kooistra, 32, who works in tourism, spends much of her free time snorkelling in the shallow reefs and sandy shallows there.
She often encounters green turtles, eagle rays, and even remoras that gently attach themselves to her hand during her dives.
Elora often visits the same spots, building familiarity with the wildlife, including a friendly octopus she affectionately calls Egbert. “
Elora says she prefers snorkelling over coral rubble rather than deep reefs.
Despite the calmness of her underwater encounters, Elora also highlights serious issues like fibropapillomatosis, a virus affecting green turtles that causes tumour-like growths around their eyes.
Her posts have captivated viewers worldwide, many commenting on the peacefulness of her interactions and the deep sense of respect she shows for the ocean’s creatures.
Some of her videos show Egbert greeting her, collecting shells, and even playfully reaching out to touch her hand.
In another clip, a curious green moray eel nudges her camera while a tiny banded shrimp crawls across its face.
Elora said, "Egbert on the move.
"I watched him hunt for about 30 minutes, he was collecting shells and crabs and stuffed them under his tentacles.
" It’s amazing that he allows me to stay and see what he’s doing.
"I found this friendly green moray eel while diving in Bonaire.
"I followed him and he went up to the camera to check it out, pushing the camera with his head.
“In the sand and rubble, there are many small animals hiding and camouflaging.
"The bright light makes the colours pop, and the footage always looks beautiful.
"This eagle ray was super curious; he circled around me for about 15 minutes on my swim.
"A beautiful healthy coral reef is awesome.
"But I find that often there is so much to see that you don’t really look for any small hidden life.
" It’s more like watching a beautiful view.
"I love snorkelling in the shallow water over sand and rubble."
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