The Leatherback Turtles!

Last week we took our two elders (Endemann and Moala) and a young couple (Lee and Matthew) over to the East side of the island to see the Leatherback turtles. There is one beach on the Atlantic side where the turtles come in to lay their eggs. We left here at midnight Monday (P-day) morning and got to the beach about 1:00 AM. At about 1:30 a turtle was located coming ashore. There was a group there with a guide who kept us informed as to what we could do and not do! We watched the turtle dig a hole about two feet deep. She digs with her back fins, it is amazing the dexterity they have, and the ability to dig with out looking! After about a half hour of digging, she started laying eggs - about 70 - they are about two inches in diameter and soft shelled. She goes into a trance and knows nothing about who might be there watching (!)

After she lays the eggs, she fills in the hole, carefully compacting as she fills. When she has the hole filled she then starts throwing sand over the area with her front fins - an act of camouflaging the site! These turtles are huge! The one we saw is considered a smaller one - she was about six feet long and three feet wide not counting her fins!



It was an absolutely amazing adventure to be part of; it is not only on TV now--but real!