This past weekend we had a great time sailing on saturday and even with a reef we were getting the rail in the water some of the time. Sunday started out good but we had to shake out the reef and then slowed to only 1-2 knots. We motored to get out into the gulf hopeing for some wind. The gulf was lumpy and there wasn't much wind but we flopped and drifted around at 1-2 knots hopeing for some wind. I saw a large dark shape in the water and said "dolphin" to my wife. But after a few moments it became clear that it wasn't a dolphin. We changed direction a little and saw that it was a huge leatherback turtle!!!! Must have been 5' long and weighed a 1000#s. He wasn't afraid of the boat and we watched him for a few minutes. On the way back to the jetties we passed him again and this time he was close and we actually saw him eat a jellyfish. We saw another smaller one as we got close to the jetties. The wind finally arrived and we sailed at 3-4 knots back to our bayou. I've seen loggerheads several times while sailing or diving but these were the first leatherbacks. How common is it to see a leatherback??? Anyone see them?? Thanks Tom
Leatherback Turtles
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One a Year
*box Up here in New England there is often a news story around September where a dead Leatherback washes ashore. They are usually in the 700-1000 pound range. They often get stranded up this way since they have come up in the summer in the warm Gulf Stream. Their diet consists of jellyfish. Many times they have died because they mistake and eat plastic bags because they think it is a jellyfish. Then they choke or suffocate on it. Many people usually turn out to observe these dead turtles, but it is sad to see them die. This is a very opportune time to ask everyone to please be careful with their sandwich or ice bags and try not to allow them to be blown into the water. Leatherbacks are not the only turtles that eat jellyfish. So they are all put in jeopardy by these wayward plastic bags. You are fortunate to see not one, but two, live specimens. *box
*box Up here in New England there is often a news story around September where a dead Leatherback washes ashore. They are usually in the 700-1000 pound range. They often get stranded up this way since they have come up in the summer in the warm Gulf Stream. Their diet consists of jellyfish. Many times they have died because they mistake and eat plastic bags because they think it is a jellyfish. Then they choke or suffocate on it. Many people usually turn out to observe these dead turtles, but it is sad to see them die. This is a very opportune time to ask everyone to please be careful with their sandwich or ice bags and try not to allow them to be blown into the water. Leatherbacks are not the only turtles that eat jellyfish. So they are all put in jeopardy by these wayward plastic bags. You are fortunate to see not one, but two, live specimens. *box
leatherback
I saw one last year near Grays Reef, the thing looked like a VW Beetle! I've seen lots of Loggerheads and Kemps, but the Leatherback just blew us away ...huge. I'll second Paul's comments, we see many loggerhead deaths here in Ga, unfortunatley the shrimpers usually get the blame. The real problem is the trash in the water.
I saw one last year near Grays Reef, the thing looked like a VW Beetle! I've seen lots of Loggerheads and Kemps, but the Leatherback just blew us away ...huge. I'll second Paul's comments, we see many loggerhead deaths here in Ga, unfortunatley the shrimpers usually get the blame. The real problem is the trash in the water.
sadly at south padre
We were driving on the beach at south padre island and saw a huge loggerhead lying on the beach. He had a plastic bag sticking out of his mouth. Supposedly they have backward pointing spines in their mouths and once they start swallowing something they can't spit it out.
We were driving on the beach at south padre island and saw a huge loggerhead lying on the beach. He had a plastic bag sticking out of his mouth. Supposedly they have backward pointing spines in their mouths and once they start swallowing something they can't spit it out.
Here's a turtle link
I'm in Florida temporarily, where we happened to see a small leatherback in the water just a few days ago near Port Canaveral. Unfortunately, we also saw a large dead one on the beach near here a few weeks ago. If I recall correctly, the leatherbacks are the rarest in this area, and the largest. But I have attached a link to the local sea turtle preservation folks' website, where you should be able to find a lot more. Incidentally, the organization's office was destroyed in the hurricanes last fall, and the building is still being worked on. I understand they are operating out of someone's house until things get fixed up. Check 'em out. Sanders
I'm in Florida temporarily, where we happened to see a small leatherback in the water just a few days ago near Port Canaveral. Unfortunately, we also saw a large dead one on the beach near here a few weeks ago. If I recall correctly, the leatherbacks are the rarest in this area, and the largest. But I have attached a link to the local sea turtle preservation folks' website, where you should be able to find a lot more. Incidentally, the organization's office was destroyed in the hurricanes last fall, and the building is still being worked on. I understand they are operating out of someone's house until things get fixed up. Check 'em out. Sanders
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