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!
This cheeky loggerhead turtle comes to me when I communicate with a pod of dolphins
#loggerheadturtle #coralreef #snorkeling #gopro #ladyelliotisland
A beautiful ancient giant of the seas, a male loggerhead sea turtle.💙
This species is slow-growing and takes 20 to 30 years (or more😱) to reach sexual maturity and be able to reproduce.
One more reason to protect them, as they are endangered.
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#loggerheadturtle #conservationphotography #sonyapha #seafrogshousing #sonyalphafemale #seaturtleweek #iloveseaturtles seazoomphoto
Did you know “at loggerheads” comes from an old nautical tool? A heated iron ball on a handle that sailors used as a weapon.
Two stubborn people butting their big heads… were at loggerheads.
#LoggerheadTurtle
#DelawareStateSeaTurtle
#DETier1SGC (Species of Greatest Concern)
#henlopenseasalt
休みながらも後ろの足でコントロールしてるのすご笑
・
#須磨シーワールド#kobesumaseaworld #アカウミガメ#loggerheadturtle #ウミガメ
✨ An unforgettable encounter on the water 🐢💙
Today the ocean gifted us one of those moments that stay with you forever.
While kayaking along the crystal clear waters of Sal, we were lucky enough to cross paths with this beautiful male loggerhead sea turtle.
Seeing him swim so calmly beside us, coming up for air and then gliding back into the blue, was pure magic. Encounters like this remind us how special and alive the ocean is and how important it is to respect and protect these incredible creatures in their natural home.
Moments like these are never guaranteed, and that’s what makes them so magical. Just us, the sea, and this gentle soul sharing the same space for a few minutes. 🌊✨
🌱 A gentle reminder for everyone exploring the ocean
When snorkeling, kayaking or diving close to marine life:
Please do not touch.
Observe with respect from a safe distance.
Do not collect anything.
Take only memories and photos.
Leave only bubbles. 💙
📍 Sal Island, Cabo Verde
🚣♀️ Kayaking with nature, always with respect
#kayakadventures #seaturtleencounter #loggerheadturtle #santamaria #protectmarinelife
While in Australia we had the great opportunity to see this loggerhead turtle come to shore and lay 99 eggs.
#loggerheadturtle #australiawildlife #lifeofadventure #exploretheworld #traveltheworld
Did you know this sea turtle can recognize its birthplace after decades?
This is the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), the only living representative of its genus and one of the most widely distributed marine turtles on the planet. It is easily identified by two pairs of scutes between the eyes, a serrated shell edge, and a distinct central keel running along its carapace. Loggerheads inhabit the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, migrating thousands of kilometers between feeding grounds and nesting beaches.
An incredible fact about this species is its ability to navigate using Earth’s magnetic field, allowing females to return to the exact beach where they were born to lay their eggs decades later. Their diet consists mainly of invertebrates such as crustaceans, mollusks, and jellyfish, which they crush with powerful jaws adapted for hard-shelled prey.
#seaturtle #loggerheadturtle #marinelife #oceanwildlife #underwaterworld #sealife
Last year in Cape Verde I was lucky enough to see loggerhead turtles in the wild — one of those moments that stays with you long after you’re home. 🌊🐢
I’ve been carrying that memory around ever since, and I’ve finally got round to painting one. This piece is my way of slowing down and revisiting that experience — the colours, the movement, and the quiet magic of seeing them up close.
Sometimes it takes a while for a place to make its way onto paper, but it’s always worth the wait.
#CapeVerde #LoggerheadTurtle #WildlifeMemories #Watercolour #InspiredByNature TravelAndArt
Giant Loggerhead Turtle belly view as he casually cruised up for a breath. Love these big beauties
#loggerhead #turtle #teenagemutantninjaturtles #giant #loggerheadturtle
Our students have been thinking about resilience and school attendance. Here are some of the fabulous poster designs. The Loggerhead Turtle is a great symbol of RESILIENCE, one of our four core values. 🐢
#resiliance #schoolattendance #loggerheadturtle
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
