At first, from a distance, I thought some idiot had been driving on the beach, which is prohibited because this is a turtle nesting ground. When we got closer, I saw it wasn't tire tracks in sand but the biggest set of turtle tracks I've ever seen.
From edge to edge the flipper tracks are nearly seven feet wide! I sent these photos to my friend Kathy who is a marine biologist and a turtle expert. She immediately texted back "Leatherback!" Oh my goddess! This is one big ol' mamma turtle!
Unfortunately, her nest is right at the end of the access road to this particular beach. I hope the "turtle patrol" got the eggs moved or at least cordoned off the area before the Sunday mobs arrived.
I'm going to keep an eye out. Mamma leatherbacks typically come back to the nest at 10-day intervals to lay more eggs. It takes 55 to 75 days for the eggs to hatch.
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