It was a sight to behold—on Monday 27 rehabilitated sea turtle, 26 Kemp’s Ridley’s and one loggerhead, were released back to the sea. The turtles gathered from four aquariums in the northeast, made an overnight trip from Boston and New York.
And, by about 11:00 a.m. on Monday they were all gathered at the beach across from the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum down in Hatteras Village, ready to be released.
It’s pretty amazing what happens as soon as the turtles are lifted out of their boxes. As soon as they can see and sense the ocean their flippers begin to wheel wildly in a swimming motion. Placed on the sand, some seem to sprint to the waves; others appear to be uncertain, moving tentatively to the ocean.
But then, as even the slowest encounters saltwater, the movement becomes faster and then they’re gone.
The turtles had all been cold stunned over the course of the winter. Younger turtles, it is not clear if they did not know to migrate early enough or some other factor was involved. Many were found along the beaches of sounds and bays of the northeast. Quite a number were found along Cape Cod Bay and others on the beaches of Long Island Sound.
The aquariums and care centers that have been working to get the turtles back to health need the space and keeping a healthy turtle places a strain on their resources. The waters, though, of the northeast are still to cold for a release, but the waters of Hatteras, with their proximity to the Gulf Stream, warm up before the northern waters.
So it was a good day on the beach. The air temperature was in the 70s, water temperature in the 60s and all of the turtles returned to the sea.
There is so much happening on the Outer Banks—so much to see and do. Take some time to visit and plan your stay in a Brindley Beach Vacations home.