Culebra’s Leatherback Turtle Nesting season is from April to June. This is a late nest in August! Some naturalist tourists only come during this off-season “Turtle Nesting Season”. An off-season Turtle Nesting Season?
Does that EVEN make sense?
Sea Turtles are quite common in Culebra. The leatherbacks come to the beaches, green turtles feed on turtle grass in shallow waters, and hawksbills emerge at night to nest in the dune grass and coconuts debris above the maritime zones.
A few years ago, I joined Volunteers to aid hatched baby turtles escape their sand burials before the sun would rise and bake them. This was done most mornings along the large north beaches of Brava, Resaca, Zoni and Flamenco. Lots of tourists and school kids would help the authorized volunteers. It was a learning and a spiritual activity.
To think these tiny turtles would leave, spend 16-20 years swimming as far as Iceland, and only come back to nest as half-ton adults was fascinating.
Leatherbacks ARE the biggest turtles in the world. Watching adults emerge from the surf is like watching a VW Beetle come ashore!
Here is an image of 1 of the many babies we saved — just before we swam him out into the Caribbean.
You needed to swim them quite far out after daylight since the frigate birds and the barracudas love little newborn turtles for breakfast.
#Adventuretravelers may even find turtles in unexpected places.
Below…I rescued the baby Hawksbill Turtle in Fulladoza Bay near #ClubSeabourne. He was on the road – obviously headed away from his watery home. I put him back in Ensenada Honda after taking a photo or 2.
To find Fast Facts about Ensenada Honda, check out the wiki page on it below. Truly one of the best Hurricane Holes in the Caribbean! It was considered such a sheltered boat harbor that, until 1939, Culebra was the US Navy’s Headquarters in the Caribbean! The Navy moved to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 1939.
I am pretty sure both the people AND the turtles liked that! But that is another Blog for another day!
THE END
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensenada_Honda_(Culebra,_Puerto_Rico)
