A Baby Sea Turtle Rescue Story: With a Little Help From My Friends

By Mark A. Leon

When a sea turtle egg hatches, the baby sea turtles make a migration from the protected nesting area to their ocean home.  This natural phenomenon happens in the middle of the night as the moon lights the pathway.  By morning, there is no sign of the migration.  Yes on this morning, one got left behind.  Whether born with a limp limb or a predatory attack, this baby sea turtle saw the light of day trying desperately to get to the ocean with three working fins.

As we stumbled on this brave young thing trying to enter safely into the ocean and meet his family, we felt nothing but sympathy and quickly became fans of his plight.  As he tried using his three strong limbs and one limp one, he kept getting pushed back ashore by the incoming waves.  It was at this moment, we put our heads together and called the Folly Beach patrol for guidance.  After two phone calls and several discussions, it was deemed best, we go as deep as we could into the ocean and place him in.  They felt this was his best chance of survival.

As each of us said goodbye to Nelson (Yes, we named him Nelson.  He looked like a Nelson), we felt a bond and a very special moment shared.

Thus, our morning was highlighted by our own sea turtle release, reinforcing that there is never a dull moment on the beaches of Charleston.

We wish you well Nelson and hope you are with your family now.

Nelson, the Sea Turtle from Mark A. Leon on Vimeo.