Hutchinson Island

This is my yearly trek to Hutchinson Island to see Sea Turtles lay their eggs.   Just because I am not a beach-goer, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the beauty of Florida's east coast beaches.

The view from my hotel balcony!

 

There are a lot of turtle nests right outside my hotel.

 

It is common in this area to come upon these nests.  Marine Biologists come out every morning during nesting season and count the nests and document what kind of turtle laid the nest.   It is illegal to disturb the nests or the turtles when they are laying their eggs.

 

Pelicans are all over!

 

THE SUPER MOON!

 

The Super Moon gives a nice glow to the beach.

 

The FPL St. Lucie Power Plant has turtle walks every June, July & August; the walks are free but you must have a reservation. They are amazing in their conservation and education efforts and in explaining to people the importance of protecting this endangered species. 

A loggerhead laying her eggs.

 

The egg chamber.  When she is done, there will be 100 - 125 soft-shelled eggs the size of ping-pong balls inside the nest.  She will cover them up, and in 60 days they will hatch and the hatchlings will dig their way out of the nest and race to the ocean.  Out of 1,000 hatchlings, only 1 will survive to reach juvenile status; that's a sad statistic.

 

And there she goes back into the sea.  She will return here in about 3 years to lay more eggs.  Florida is home to 90% of the sea turtle nests in the United States.

 

Sunrise - Hutchinson Island

 

Life is good.