By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Columnist

A slim shape broke the surface of the water, but it was not clear at first whether it was a turtle flipper or the tip of an eagle ray's wing, both of which were common in this area.

The shape kind of waved in the air for a moment, then disappeared.

As my one-man canoe approached, the shape of a turtle resolved out of the murky water.

What also appeared was a line of fishing net floats, sunken 6 inches below the surface.

The green sea turtle was caught in the net, its head wrapped up in netting near the floater line. One flipper was able to reach the surface. That's what I'd seen.

The turtle wasn't moving independently. The flipper reached the water's surface as the animal's body rolled in the ocean chop. I thought it might be dead.

I eased my canoe up over the floater line, grabbed the turtle by the carapace, and pulled the animal up onto my lap. It was about 18 inches across the shell from the head to the tail end.

At first the animal was limp, but suddenly it took a breath, and I realized it was alive. I often carry a folding knife when I paddle, and I began cutting the net from the turtle's head.

Most of the netting was caught on a tumor growing out of the turtle's left eye. That's a problem with green sea turtles: tumors called fibropapillomas, which appear to be caused by a herpes virus. This tumor had not only partially blinded the turtle, but had also acted to snag the animal on the net.

When its head was free of the net, I dropped the webbing and let the canoe drift. I couldn't paddle with the turtle in my lap, but there was enough wind and current to move us away. Once we were some distance off, and it appeared the animal was breathing normally, I tipped it into the water, in a direction away from the net.

The lay net had been through a late November storm and was badly torn. It might have been moved by the storm, so that the people who set it couldn't find it. I hoped they hadn't simply abandoned it. It had been in the water for at least a week, boaters in the area said later.

Later, after I reported the net and when state Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement agents hauled it out of the water, I was pleased to see that it was turtle-free. Other forms of marine life were still in the net, including a shark, a lobster, crabs, more than a dozen fish and coral.

It was a blustery, overcast day with muddy water off east Kaua'i, and not a day on which I'd normally have gone out paddling.

But on this day, I was glad I had.

Jan TenBruggencate is The Advertiser's Kaua'i Bureau Chief and its science and environment writer. Reach him at at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.