Sea Turtles

It was on a med cruise; the summer ( July ) 1960. Off the coast of Palma de Mallorca, Spain near some small islands. I was standing on the starboard side just aft of the forward break. It was a beautiful day, the sea was that turquoise color only the Mediterranean can be. The ship was at a complete stop. I could hear a little commotion from the bridge. All of a sudden I heard automatic small arms fire from the bridge with bullets spaying the water near the bow. I looked over the side and saw a large sea turtle bleeding. They put a man over the side and attached ropes to the turtle. After bringing the turtle on board, it was dragged to the galley where they proceeded to clean it to be cooked into turtle soup. I thought to myself that I never had turtle soup before and it should be good. That night at chow time the anticipated soup was served. I looked at it; a gray looking water with nothing else in it. No potatoes, no carrots, nothing; just plain gray looking water. I tasted it and it taste like something in between four day old coffee and mop water. I guess Officer Country got the meat and potatoes, we got the water. I was going to call it broth; but I can't. We got the water. Being hungry still, we had to hit the private food storage locker.