Leatherback rescue on Mantanzas South beach

Monday morning the Turtle Patrol walking Summerhaven found Leatherback tracks coming up the beach, over the dunes, across old A1A and into the marsh. They could not find the outgoing tracks!!! So looking all around they finally spotted her in the little river between Old A1A and A1A. She was stranded in the flooded area and was heading towards A1A and the ICW. They stopped her from going across the highway and then we all got there and headed her back over the dunes and back to the ocean. The thought of her being in our skinny ICW with so many miles from an inlet and all that Memorial Day boat traffic was too much for us to not guide her back to the ocean. .She was just awesome. We named her Summer and wished her luck on her journey. Unfortunately, it was such a hectic time and we were all in the water up to our waists and necks,just thinking about her safety that we did not get a PIT scan done. She was not huge as leatherbacks go, maybe 700 lbs or so, but she was GREAT!! Took alot of convincing and pushing to get her to go to the ocean and not A1A. Her breathing will live in my heart forever! Great big sighs and great breaths. She was amazing!!That night we did have a new Leatherback nest about 10 miles south of where she was. We are calling it Summers nest !!It was just a most awesome rescue. I am thanking Turtle Mother and the Turtle Gods for letting us help her back and to safety!! Hope you enjoy the pictures!!
Lori

2nd Annual Turtle Fest

Our “Second Annual Turtle Fest” was held Saturday, April 4, 2009 at Veterans Memorial Park at the corner of A1A & SR 100 in Flagler Beach featuring food, live music from local musicians, environmental exhibits, kids activities, raffle prizes and the release of rehabilitated sea turtles.

This event will be our primary fundraiser for the Turtle Patrols this year and in coming years. We expect it to grow bigger and better each year. This year's event was a HUGE success! Thank you to all who volunteered, participated, donated & attended.

Thank You for your support!

Turtle Fest Sponsors 2009:

Anderson Rentals Inc.

Bahama Mamas

BJ Royster, Artist

Blue

Bob & Jan Shaw

Chicken by the Sea Restaurant

Chrismon’s Cycle Repair

Classic Bowling Supplies, LLC

Drummond Press

Emerald Shores Hotel

Fisherman’s Net

Flagler County Diagnostic Center Inc.

Flagler Fish Company

Flagler Pennysaver

GDS Communications, Inc.

High Jackers Restaurant

Houligans Restaurant

JMJ Tobacco Outlet Inc.

Life Safety Consultants of Michigan

Manny’s Pizza House

Marlene Ludlow

Martins Restaurant & Lounge

Osprey Fishing Charters,

Captain Rob Ottlein

Palm Coast Charters,

Captain Ralph Olivett

Physical Therapist Specialists

Pip’s Beachside Bar & Grill

Publix Super Markets Inc.

SAMS Club

Snyders of Hanover

Southeast Jewelry

Target, Palm Coast

The Seaside Shoppe

Tri City Cycles

Volusia Marks End Of Turtle Nesting Season

Record high number of nests!

http://www.wesh.com/news/17498579/detail.html

Poached Nest FB 74 in Flagler Beach

Today on patrol Rosa and I found some devastating evidence of a poached nest. The poachers first went down the N 12th
walkover and went south to FB 69, where they dug for eggs and made a mess in the nest boundry, then they went North and dragged the "light "cooler, evidenced by the really light cooler wheels in the sand, to FB 17. There they dug again,( the nest with blue ribbon.) But they dug in the body pit. So maybe those eggs were saved.Then the dirtbags moved on to FB 74.FB 74 was a relocated nest, from last Tuesday. There were 109 eggs. It was Rosa and I on that day too. They dug down and found the eggs. Then they covered it up. The deep cooler wheel tracks were very obvious. They dragged the cooler to the N 12th St walkover and were gone. GONE WITH 106 OF OUR BABIES EGGS!!! They had broken 3 eggs, so they just left them in the hole. We called Scott Dak the wildlife Officer first, he said that there was not much he could do at this point!!! Called FWCC, they were "oh so sorry" but not much they could do either. Took Flagler Beach Police 1 hour to respond. Gave us a business card with a case number on it!!! But Rosa and I were too heartbroken to stop there!!! We called News 13 and WESH. Well Saul Sines responded first from 13 News. He took pictures and interviewed us. We actually had 8 hatchlings from a nest in Beverly Beach that we had just cleaned. They were in the cooler ready to be released. Had to take them away from Beverly Beach, too many fishermen in that area. So we released them with Saul Sines. He named 2 of them Fred and Isabel. So I think it was Isabel who he held up for the camera and took her picture. It is all supposed to be on the news tonite. Rosa got a call alittle later and Clair Metz met her at the nest to do an interview. Then Channel 9 called me and did a mini phone interview but left his name and number in case any other events happen. What an awful morning!! We really have to be on the look out now. They got eggs and now know how to find them. If it had rained after they had done the awful deed we may not have noticed. But the cooler wheel tracks were the dead give away. Something else for us to really watch for. Looks to us that they were there in the early morning hours. Maybe before safe light.
Sorry to have to send this awful email but say a "turtle prayer" to our Great Turtle Mother for our lost babies.
Thanks, Lori

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2008/7/29/turtle_nests_vandalized_100_eggs_stolen.html

http://www.wesh.com/green-pages/17031479/detail.html