How Did I Live 64 Years Without Knowing I Love Sea Turtles! (Or…What the Heck Else Do I Not Know?)

When I first began beach-combing, I had no clue what incredible eye-opening wonders lay ahead.  The discovery of a sea turtle nest one daybreak left me in awe.  I, being a new beach town resident , stepped right into the ”look what I found” and “what do I do now?”  mode. I couldn’t understand why Fish and Wildlife wasn’t immediately sending out people to mark and protect this nest.  Soon I discovered, as wondrous as this was, it was not a singular event.  I also discovered that the nests are, indeed, well-documented and protected.  Every morning patrols set out to detect, mark, and meticulously record nest details.

Here, in Volusia County, FL, an average of more than 500 nests are dug each season,  which lasts from April to November. This year has been an amazing record-setting one…over 1000 nests, each one with 80-150 eggs.  Because sea turtles primarily lay eggs in the dark of night, it’s a rarity to observe this miracle.

However, the Canaveral National Seashore in New Smyrna Beach offers a wonderful program available during a limited time each summer. Participants report to the visitor center and are treated to a delightful educational film followed by a question and answer session, led by a park ranger. In the meantime, there are park rangers patrolling the shore looking for loggerhead turtles that are building a nest or laying eggs.  When one is discovered, the visitor center is notified and everyone caravans to the parking area nearest the turtle.  Then, quietly, with no flashlights, the group is witness to this hulk toiling in the sand, perhaps using her flippers to dig a nest at least the size of her body and 2-5 feet deep, or maybe dropping her ping-pong sized eggs one by one, or using her flippers to camouflage the eggs.

When I was fortunate enough to be in such a group, I cannot adequately explain the feeling that I had been privileged and honored to be present at this event.  It was spiritual.

That said, you cannot imagine my giddiness when, while looking for trash and treasures, I came upon a 200-400 pound mama turtle building her nest at dawn.  I was the only person on the beach, and I felt I both needed a witness and someone to share my exuberance.  Grateful for my iPhone, I hesitantly approached her…again being respectful of the task she was accomplishing.  Almost 2 hours later, I shut off the phone as I lost sight of her in the surf, breathing a sigh of joy that I was treated to such an event and relief that she made it back out to her home , with her newly laid eggs buried out of sight.  

I have had so many gasp-producing moments…an incredible sunrise, the smile of a tiny baby, the Canadian Rockies, the tickle of a kitten’s tongue, an airplane lifting from the ground…I could name hundreds.  Think about the moments that took your breath.  I would love for you to share them with me…perhaps we even have some in common! And let’s vow to be mindful of each instance, fleeting or momentous, and to be grateful that we are alive to treasure it!