Loggerhead Sea Turtles
Returning Home
From May to October each year, Fripp Island experiences a wonder of nature. It is during this time that the loggerhead sea turtles return to nest. Each year dozens of adult females come ashore, on various stretches of beach, to lay a clutch of 100 or more eggs. Many of these females were born on the island only to return some 20 to 30 years later to nest.
Each female will nest and lay eggs 3-5 times each season, digging an egg chamber near dunes away from rising tides. After laying her eggs, the turtle will return to the ocean before returning 12 to 14 days later to build another nesting spot. After the final nesting, turtles return to the ocean and will repeat the cycle every 2-4 years.
Hatchlings
A sea turtle egg will incubate in about 60 days. This varies a bit with temperature, with warmer conditions leading to faster development of the embryos. Interestingly, cooler sand has a tendency to produce more males, while warmer sand produces more females. Once an embryos has fully developed, the hatchlings break out of their shell using “a temporary, sharp egg-tooth, called a ‘caruncle.’ The caruncle is an extension of the upper jaw that falls off soon after birth.” (conserveturtles.org) Now out of their shells, the little hatchlings somehow know to emerge from the sand. Usually emerging at night when the temperature is milder, they dig their way up through about 18” of sand. As a group, the newborns paddle their way to the top before beginning their journey across the sand. This process of emerging can take several days.
Heading to Sea
The journey to the sea is no small task for these little creatures. They must move quickly so as not to get dehydrated or become prey to birds or crabs. As mentioned earlier, many sea turtles return to the beach where they were born. Some scientists believe this is due to a turtle’s ability to read the earth’s magnetic field, while others believe the hatchlings takes an imprint of their birth beach, smell, sound, even celestial cues, while making the trek from nest to water. All pretty amazing, nonetheless.
What to Know
Here on Fripp Island, we are blessed to be a key location for loggerhead nesting along the east coast of the US. With that, it is our responsibility to be good stewards of their habitat and respect their space. To that effort we have the Fripp Island Loggerhead Patrol, made up of volunteers, which monitors and marks nests along the beaches each day throughout the season.
See their photo albums and logs:
Thank you, Fripp Island Loggerhead Patrol! We really appreciate all of your hard work.
If you are fortunate and see an adult female nesting, or traveling to or from the ocean, it is very important to maintain a 20’ distance and be sure to stay clear of her path. Also, do not use flashlights while walking on the beach. If you encounter the hatchlings rising from the sand, or making their way to the water, do not get near and, again, do not use any lighting. Hatchlings rely on the moon over the water to guide their way and can get easily turned around if another light source is nearby.
If you see a hatchling moving away from the ocean, DO NOT pick it up, as it is against federal law to touch a sea turtle without the proper permit. If you see a hatchling and are worried about the direction in which it is moving, please call Fripp Island Security or the Activity Center at (843)-838-1516. (Source: Fripp Island Resort)
The wonders of Fripp island are abundant and the seasonal nesting of loggerhead sea turtles is no exception. Enjoy from a distance and share in the amazing process that has been going on for more than 100 million years!
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🐢 LOGGERHEAD TURTLE 🐢
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Freedom is beautiful 🩷 Get reshare_app • oceanandcoastals
After 40 years trapped in a shallow aquarium tank hundreds of miles from the coast, Jorge the loggerhead turtle is officially back where he belongs. Rescued as an injured juvenile in 1984, Jorge spent more than half his life in a 1.5-foot-deep pool in the Andes, living on a diet of beef and hard-boiled eggs while becoming a local celebrity. But after 60,000 people signed a petition for his freedom, a team of dedicated scientists launched a meticulous three-year “re-education” project. They had to teach the 60-year-old turtle how to hunt live prey, navigate ocean currents, and survive in saltwater again—skills his natural instincts had almost completely buried.
On April 11, Jorge finally touched the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in four decades, and he didn’t miss a beat. Despite the rough waves on his release day, the 220-pound survivor immediately “stepped on the gas,” heading north toward his ancestral home in Praia do Forte, Brazil. Guided by a satellite tracker on his shell, researchers have watched in awe as Jorge successfully navigated over 1,700 miles in just 70 days. He has proven to be a master of resilience, transitioning from a sedentary life in captivity to a skilled oceanic traveler, reclaiming the migratory routes he first learned as a hatchling before his world was confined to a wooden box.
Jorge’s journey is a world-first; there is no other record of a sea turtle spending so many years in captivity and adapting so perfectly to the wild. Because loggerheads can live to be 100, scientists are hopeful that Jorge isn’t just surviving—he’s heading home to start a family. His successful reintegration is a viral beacon of hope, proving that nature can always find its place again if given a chance. As he nears the final 760 miles of his voyage, Jorge isn’t just swimming home; he’s rewriting the book on what’s possible for wildlife conservation. #loggerheadturtle
Who doesn’t love turtles? 🐢
Here in Cyprus we’re lucky to have two species of sea turtle in our waters: green turtles and loggerheads. And at the Zenobia wreck we’re especially lucky… we have some resident loggerheads that like to visit!
It’s not unusual for these amazing turtles to glide past divers or circle the wreck while we’re exploring. Seeing one on a dive is always a special moment and something many divers never forget.
Want to meet them for yourself? Come dive the Zenobia with us and see what surprises are waiting underwater! 🌊🐢
Join us at Pineapple Dive Club and experience one of the Mediterranean’s most iconic wreck dives.
#PineappleDiveClub #ZenobiaWreck #DiveCyprus #LoggerheadTurtle #ComeDiveWithUs
This little loggerhead sea turtle, named Costa, went to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital at only 36 grams (1.3oz) which is about the size of a golf ball! 🥹
Costa was found floating, and upon admission to the hospital, the team found he had ingested plastic.
Thankfully, after a short time with the hospital he was free of plastic and we`ll enough to be released back into the ocean! 🌊🐟
As an endangered species, individuals like Costa are vital for the species survival. Good luck out there, little guy! 💙
Ancient eyes beneath the waves. 🐢
Fun fact: Loggerhead sea turtles can hold their breath for up to 4–7 hours while resting underwater, thanks to a very slow heart rate that conserves oxygen.
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📸 Shot with canonbelgium
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#WildlifePhotography #SeaTurtle #LoggerheadTurtle #PairiDaiza #OceanLife 🌊
We thought we’d make this a new series……..
We’re hoping that these fun facts are interesting and help those who love marine life to learn more about the creatures we see on our dives!!! Today we’re sharing some love for the turtles 🐢🌊🏄♀️🏝️ #loggerheadturtle #greenturtle #hawksbillturtle #leatherbackturtle
Every summer, loggerhead sea turtles return to South Carolina’s beaches to lay their eggs — often within miles of where they were born.
After about two months beneath the sand, tiny hatchlings emerge and make their first journey to the ocean guided only by moonlight reflecting off the water.
This painting by Everett White captures that powerful moment — the very first tracks in the sand.
As nesting season approaches, we can all help protect them by keeping beaches clean, filling in holes, removing obstacles, and turning off bright lights at night.
Share this post to help spread awareness for these incredible ocean travelers.
#seaturtleconservation
#loggerheadturtle
#follybeach
#protectouroceans
#follyfossilsnart
Just when you think the dive can’t get better… a loggerhead the size of a small submarine casually flies over the group. 🐢💨 #OnlyInBelize #dive
#LoggerheadTurtle
#TurtleSpotting
#SeaTurtleEncounter
TurtleLove
Answer Post🎉 It`s the Green Sea Turtle!
Several sea turtle species nest on Space Coast beaches and live in the Indian River Lagoon at different points in their lives. Juvenile green sea turtles are commonly found using the Indian River Lagoon as developmental habitat before moving into the open ocean. They can live for 70 or more years in the wild and rely on healthy coastal and lagoon waters early in life.
Greens and other sea turtles face threats from plastic debris, polluted runoff, and human shoreline activity.
💧 Protect sea turtles by:
🌱 Always picking up litter, even away from beaches
🌱 Skipping plastic bags and balloons
🌱 Keeping grass clippings and chemicals out of storm drains
A cleaner lagoon means a safer start for the next generation of sea turtles. 🌊🐢
#WildlifeWednesday #LoggerheadTurtle #TurtleProtection #StormwaterSmart #LagoonLoyal
The Fripp Island Resort offers a Turtle Walk nature program to visit the nests and learn about these magnificent creatures. May through September.
☏ 843-838-1516
