Swimming with Turtles: How Wonder Reconnects Us to the Natural World

A memoir of discovery, loss, and wonder that shows us how to slow down

When psychologist and author Susan Baur first slipped into a Cape Cod pond with a snorkel, she wasn't looking for transformation, just a swim. But beneath the surface, she discovered something extraordinary: minnows hiding among water lilies; fresh-water jellies like jewels and-most striking of all-painted, musk, and snapping turtles. Whether the turtles were buried in mud, teetering on a submerged branch, or drifting like ancient astronauts, they pulled her into a mysterious happiness she could not explain.

Learning to move slowly enough to see them became both her new discipline and her greatest joy. Each dive required patience, curiosity, and humility, and she learned to read the water, follow a subtle shadow, and anticipate the turtles' rhythms without disturbing their world. As she mastered the art of swimming with turtles, Baur also fell in love with an older man whose companionship deepened her connection to the natural world. When he passed away, grief drove her deeper into the water. There, among the turtles, she found solace and purpose: a reason to keep diving, looking, and learning.

Over nearly two decades, Baur became a self-taught naturalist, children's author (of The Turtle Sisters series), and unlikely environmental advocate, founding Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage to protect the ponds she had grown to love. With humor, heart, and vivid observation, Baur shows that wonder isn't reserved for the young or the lucky-it waits beneath the surface for anyone willing to slow down, look closely, and stay a while.

SUSAN BAUR is a retired psychologist who has published several books of clinical tales, including The Dinosaur Man: Tales of Madness and Enchantment from the Back Ward and Confiding: A Psychotherapist and Her Patients Search for Stories to Live By. More recently, she published four books in her The Turtle Sisters book series for children, and her other writings on turtles can be found in Griffith Review and Passager Journal. She is Founder of Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage (OLAUG) and lives --and swims--on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.