Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Green Sea Turtle Rescue

February 13, 2015:  While taking an evening walk on Driftwood Beach, I found a cold stunned green sea turtle.  The tide was going out and it couldn't make it back into the ocean.  It was a cold 44 degrees on Jekyll that day.  I contacted the sea turtle rescue people (via 911) and waited until they arrived.  While waiting, I snuggled it under my vest.  When they arrived it was confirmed that the sea turtle was alive!  We were excited!  We visited the sea turtle at the rescue center the next day.  It was doing well and a bit more active than they would have expected.  It's temperature was 47 degrees when they arrived at the rescue center.  They slowly raise the temperature 5 degrees a day until it reaches 75-80 degrees. It's temperature the next day was 53 degrees.  Once stabilized, they will clean the barnacles off its shell.  Their goal is to release the turtles as soon as possible.  Right now, most are being released along the Florida coast into warmer waters.  We can call to check on the sea turtle's progress and find out what they named it.  I'll add updates to this posting.

                                        My evening walk on Driftwood Beach.
Here's the beautiful, cold sea turtle before it snuggled under my vest.  Notice the tracks where it tried to crawl back into the ocean.
                         At the rescue center the next day where it is warming up.

Update: The sea turtle, named White Fang, has improved and is now able to finish his rehab in the warm pool.  He will soon be released back into the ocean.

Georgia Sea Turtle Rescue Center

February 2015:  The goal of the rescue center is to return the sea turtles to the wild as soon as they can survive on their own.  Many of the turtles are brought to the center because they are cold stunned.  The turtles temperatures are raised 5 degrees a day until they reach 75-80 degrees.

This is Mahi, a Kemps Ridley sea turtle.  Her front flipper had to amputated because of damage from fishing line.  She is expected to be released back into the ocean.
                                                     Loggerhead Sea Turtle
                                                   Loggerhead Sea Turtle 

                                                          Green Sea Turtle

Biking Around Jekyll Island

February 2015








 This is the mast of the Wanderer, an illegal slave ship, that ran aground and sunk on the coast in          November, 1858

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Jekyll Island Driftwood Beach















Jekyll Island

February 6, 2015: We arrived at our campground in time to set up and take a walk to the shore for dolphins and the sunset.



Monday, February 9, 2015

Edisto Beach State Park

We stayed two nights at Edisto on the South Carolina coast.  Our campsite was on the beach so we could see and hear the waves.

                   On our way, we made a stop at one of our favorite grocery stores.
                                                      Bridge to Edisto Island

                                         Just as we arrived, it started to rain.
   Remnants of an ancient oyster mound that used to be 20 feet deep covering a half an acre.                                        
             Two hour bike ride exploring the area.
                                                              Friday Sunrise!

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Huntington Beach State Park

We've had a great time at this location.  Beach walks, trail walks, biking trails, and bird watching.

                                                                High Tide!
                                           We often took bike rides at low tide.
                 We found this beautiful whelk shell during a morning beach walk, but.......
                      ..........it was already occupied so we returned it to the ocean.

                                                           An Evening Walk
                                             Resting after his beach walk.
My mid January trip to visit Leeah in Michigan.  This is Blue dock diving at the dog show. FUN!
       We watched this white pelican fly into the salt marsh.  His underneath feathers are black.
                                    A view of Huntington Beach from the jetty.
                                                                   Crab
                                      A flock of white pelicans swimming in the marsh pond.
                                                           Hiking the trails.


                               This bald eagle swooped down to catch a fish.
                                     The bald eagle flying away with his catch.
                                                        Exploring the beach.
                        
                                  Red sky at night........one of many brilliant sunsets.