I saw some of my people and witnessed what should be a bucket list event.

We went out of town this past weekend; it felt so decadent. One of our dearest friends had her 5oth birthday and 12 of us surprised her at a little B & B in a sleepy little beach town on the East Coast.

We’d been planning this since February while watching the world tumble around us hoping we’d still be able to pull it off. WE DID IT.

This particular county had just moved to phase 2 on Friday; the timing couldn’t have been better. There were still a lot of stipulations and rules, but we worked around it all.

Saturday morning we walked over to the beach for a look; the weather was not glorious; very gloomy and overcast, but who cares when you’re out of the house and with friends AT THE BEACH?

We took a little walk down the beach and noticed all the turtle tracks going up and down from the ocean…hmmm…it took us a minute to remember that it was turtle nesting season. Then we started noticing all the protected nests. Can’t get much past us…

They almost looks like tire tracks, right?

Saturday night we set up a picnic at the beach; it was so awesome. Good food, good wine, good friends. We started at 6:30 and just about the time we’re finishing up, it was pitch black outside.

Since it’s turtle nesting season, there are NO lights on or near the beach. If you have lights inland, the newly hatched baby turtles will become disoriented and head in the wrong direction and not survive.

When loading our goodies back into our bags, boxes and buggies, we noticed in the dark a few large objects coming our way from the ocean. STOP THE PRESSES: mama turtles were heading our way to lay their eggs. We sort of froze not knowing what to do. One Mama just stopped about 15 feet from us and started digging. The other one put on her blinker and turned right after she saw us.

It was probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever witnessed. THEY WERE GIANT; probably 275 lbs. The mama was so close to us, now I know what a midwife feels like.

The next day on our drive home I researched loggerhead turtles and I’m not ashamed to admit that now I’m an expert. They live 47-67 years, they are omnivorous and spend ALL of their life in the water aside from laying eggs.

Not my video, but it’s interesting if you feel like learning something today.

I was thinking of asking for a baby turtle for my next birthday, but realized that our pool might somewhat boring. So, I’m still holding out hope for a baby dolphin.

But, I’m for sure adding Loggerhead Turtle Midwife to my resume.

23 thoughts on “I saw some of my people and witnessed what should be a bucket list event.”

  1. How cool is this? The turtles AND the fact that you got to go out of town and celebrate something! If I had to dig a hole in the sand AND give birth, well I promise I would not have done it 6 times. I did go to the same hospital I was born in for 5 of the 6, so I am turtle-ish in that way. (Unless I misunderstood the video, they give birth at the same place they were born- right? On the stationary bike and Coach likes to play heavy metal in his clinic when we workout. No comment).

    Anyway, glad all the stars aligned and you managed to enjoy the weekend away.

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  3. So cool! I’ve only seen a big sea turtle up close once, on a beach in Oahu. What magnificent creatures!

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  6. What a fantastic weekend. I was all excited about the birthday event and then…..TURTLES! Wow! It was like a two for one weekend…no?!!!

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  9. ohhh the beach reunion looks awesome. I love the table setting . I would love to see the little baby sea turtles in action. I love watching videos of them making a run for it. The water always seems sooo far away.
    I just popped in from my friend Billie Jo’s blog.. I probably linger. lol

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  13. What a fun thing to do. I love the photos of your surprise birthday event on the beach and to have turtles join you? How cool is that. Sometimes things fall into place.

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  14. Sounds like a fun weekend and how cool to see the mama turtle laying her eggs! wouldn’t you love to be there when the babies hatch and head towards the water? I’d want to be protecting them from predators!

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  15. What a fun party on the beach! How awesome you got to see mamma turtles. When we were in Gulf Shores a few weeks ago I read to use a red light at night on the beach so as not to confuse the turtles. (everybody goes sand crab hunting at night.) No one was doing it though.

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