Sammy is an older looking Tortle with a sea green shell and greenish skin. He is missing an eye, which is covered by an eye patch and is smoking a curved pipe. Every inch of skin is covered in elaborate, colored tattoos. Many of the tattoo's seem to tell stories that feature a Tortle (probably Sammy) having various adventures and interacting with various fantastic places, people and creatures. At least one portrays Sammy and a dragon, another with a fiery armored giant. The tattoo's are not only colorful, and beautiful and skillfully done, but are in constantly motion, animated, playing out stories and engaging in constant swirling interaction with each other.
One small tattoo however, high on the center of Sammy's chest and neck, is different. Starkly black and white, it portrays a single masted ship and a constellation of stars.
In addition to the tattoos, Sammy's shell is also decoratively carved and in places inlaid with semi precious metals and gems. In contrast to the tattoo's (which are most somewhat realistic (though fantastic) depictions of people, creatures and events, the shell carvings are more abstract, swirls and designs that seem to capture and hold the eyes.