Searching turtles at the Chipola River

The author has traveled to the Chipola River located in the northern part of the state of Florida (U.S.A.) for over twenty years in search of the turtles of that river system. By using such methods as wading, diving with mask and fins, and canoeing, he has found most of the turtles that occur there. By far the most abundant and visible is the loggerhead musk turtle, Sternotherus minor minor and the most secretive the alligator snapping turtle, Macrochelys temminckii. But with the exception of very cold days during December and January, turtles in at least a few numbers can usually be sighted at most times of the year. The river is extremely picturesque even now in our modern world and it remains a wonderful place to view not only turtles, but other wildlife as well.