Rich and I made a late August visit over to the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge and encountered a nesting Loggerhead sea turtle.

We got to the beach well before sunrise, then we hiked until we came across a Loggerhead turtle nesting on the beach. She was just finishing up the process of covering her eggs. Then she turned and started the slow trek down the beach and back to the water.

Sea turtles aren’t really built for land travel. The only time they ever come on land is to nest. After a long night of digging the nest, laying the eggs, and covering them well with sand, the mothers are tired. This mother could think of nothing more than returning to the ocean.

She reached the water’s edge just as the sun peeked up over the horizon. You could see the relief on her face as she put a flipper in the cool water and the waves splashed the sand from her face. Sunrise with a turtle – my favorite way to start the day! :)