Hope Springs A Turtle. 11-17-2018

Turtles have been coming in at an alarming rate this year. I was told on Saturday that roughly 200 had come in on the last four high tides. That's in two days, so we expected a pretty big day for our assigned Saturday high tide/ first light walk. Unfortunately, Andrea fell ill and I had to go it alone.

Undaunted, I got up at 4 AM and hit the road by 4:30 for an uneventful drive to the Cape. I got there just after first light, right at high tide. And saw footprints in front of me. A well meaning local had taken it upon himself to walk the beach that I just drove over 2 hours to patrol. I can't get mad because the more eyes, the merrier. But damn, people... check in! There might be turtles stranded on a beach nobody is walking.

I caught up to him (damned bathroom break! I coulda beat him!) and mentioned my assignment and whatever. We walked along together and then I found my first Kemp's Ridley of the year. It was very much alive, though it didn't look it.

He called it in for me, which is nice, because I had Andrea's cell-phone but would rather not use it if I didn't have to.

He turned back soon after that and took the turtle back to the sanctuary with him. I did the next few miles and back on my own. I saw no more turtles but way out at the point, I got to enjoy the Gray Seals out there.





On the way back, I saw another couple starting the Great Island walk. *sigh* Well, this worked out because I told them to check the Bay side closer as I didn't get a thorough look there, and the sand flats would likely be exposed by then, too. But I started to wonder why I break my ass getting out of bed well before the ass-crack of dawn to do this when Joe Goodguy will be there anyway. In the end, I saw no more turtles anyway and the only other thing I removed from the beach was this tangled, sharp death wire.


I went back to the sanctuary and they were loading up turtles for a ride to the aquarium. My guy was right there (#313, he of the bloody flipper). I volunteered my car for another run since I pass by there anyway. Much to my delight, Tim and Kim were there and they were picking up turtles that people were calling in. I joined them for a while.


Our first call had us going crazy looking for a turtle that seemed to not exist. We saw a massive ocean sunfish but no turtles. Kim and I walked 1/2 mile or so out along the tide line and the shore but came up empty. After a number of phone calls, Tim finally reached the woman who reported it and it turns out this is her "sea turtle"..

This (as it turns out... Tim reported it to our friend who researches these magnificent creatures) is a 910 lb. Ocean Sunfish. Not a turtle. The woman who reported it confessed as to why she mis-ID'd it... "I'm from Connecticut".

Our next stop was easier. We got to the beach and saw a well-marked turtle mound. Kim and I said almost in unison "Now, that's how its done."

This Kemp's looked to be in decent shape. It was responsive at least.


Next up was a three-fer. We went to the beach and nobody was there. In the distance, there were two figures but they were still very far away and we had no idea if they were our meet-ups or not.  A few hundred yards out, in their direction, was some exposed sea grass that I figured I'd go poke through until the turtles turned up. I saw no stranded animals (added a bird to the year, though) and by then, the two figures were close enough that I could see they were carrying something. They were probably our people. I trekked on to meet them.

They were a delightful couple doing turtle patrol for the second time ever. They had a (sadly) deceased Green and two teeny Kemp's. It's a shame, I've still never encountered a live Green on the beach. But the two Kemp's were responsive and one was no larger than a tea saucer. Rest in Peace, Mr. Green. I'd love to see a live and healthy one of these fragile beauties in the wild.

Wee Ridleys⬇ 


Back at the sanctuary, they said I wouldn't be taking turtles to the aquarium until 2 PM so I had some more time to wait. I added a new bird to the life list... a Fox Sparrow, #102 on the year, Lifer #179.


Tim and Kim went off on another pick-up but I was asked to stay in case they needed another driver. They did, in fact, need one and I went over to a nearby beach to pick up a very lively Kemp's who was giving me side-eye from the back seat and pushing his towels off on the way back!


I went back and waited for a bit longer, then it was time to pack the Corolla and get some turtles to the Aquarium. I would have sworn that we got 11 banana boxes in the back seat before but we only fit eight, then three in the passenger side. I had to leave two behind, which crushed me but Tim and Kim had picked up another lively Kemp's so he would be following me in a bit with three more turtles. This is what a 2003 Corolla loaded with 11 endangered Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles looks like.


We had an uneventful drive back to town and the turtles were delivered safe and sound. My legs were absolutely noodles after this day and I paid for it for a few days after. But its all good. Turtles are worth it.