The Lucky Ones

Right after posting yesterday that I couldn't believe we had walked up on a sea turtle hatchling on the beach, and how I really wished I could also see them coming out of their nest.....the very next day.....Gary sees a hole on the beach and goes over to investigate......and there were two hatchlings trying to come out of their nest!  Thank you, God for letting me witness and experience this part of our nature.  Here is a picture of the nest with the two hatchlings struggling to get out.

I had always thought that there would be a build up of sand on the beach and there would be empty turtle shells all around.  So, it really surprised me this morning to see no such thing, just a big hole in the sand.  Gary said he thinks he remembers someone saying that the turtles when they are hatching actually climb on top of each other in order to make it out of the nest.  We debated on whether to leave them in there or not.  But, it looked like they were doomed to stay in there - they were not making any headway to get to the top.  And the sun was coming up and the birds were flying about and we just felt like they would have a better chance at life if we took them on to the sea..

I put them a little ways back from the water, so that they had to work a little bit more before reaching the water.  I think they need to exercise their flippers in the hatching process in order to have a better chance of making it in the real world of the sea.

That is me pouting - but it is because they are gone too soon.  As soon as they got a sniff of the sea - they knew they were homeward bound.  They started picking up their speed to get to the water.  Here is a close up of one of the little guys.  Isn't he so cute?

Notice the path in the sand that his little flippers are making.

Proud Mama - the moment they reach the sea....

And alas ----Freedom!

If you were a keen observer, you might have noticed that I had on two different jogging suits - that is because I am combining both today and yesterday's pictures.  Yesterday, there was a kind guy (who was just walking along the beach) that took my picture with the turtles.  I received them in email this morning - so, I combined all the pictures made.