Turtles leave the water, as this  Soft Shell Turtle has, to lay eggs. That's a good time to photograph them, but wait until they complete their nest.

This soft shelled turtle crossed paths, or should I say ripples, with this tiny baby alligator. The gator mom was nearby, and for a while I stood there expecting the turtle to get eaten by her. Nothing happened though; both the turtle and the little alligator each swam their separate ways.

Green Duckweed covered the surface of this shallow area, and the turtle could barely see through it. Scroll down a bit for a better look down the throat of this creature.

The soft shell turtle below caught my attention because it wasn't there. It was completely buried in the mud except for its head. Two eyes and a snout were poking through the surface of the calm clear water.

Talk about biting off more than you can chew! This soft-shelled turtle swam by really fast as though going to some secret spot to fill up on fish without fear of having supper stolen.

When I happened upon this baby soft shell turtle, I was too pregnant to bend to take pictures, and I didn't think that was the best time to be touching wildlife. It's sitting in a flower pot base, and right after this quick shot it got tipped gently into the lake it was trying to get to when we caught it.

Soft shell turtles are fairly easy to spot if you look into and around fresh water in Southeast Florida. I've found them quite a bit further north as well. Watch out when you get near any turtle. They can stick their neck out a lot further than you think they can, and do it FAST. Snappers are particularly dangerous. Enjoy turtles from a safe distance.