The baby turtle I released into the Sea of Cortez. May she live a long and productive life and make lots of baby turtles of her own.

I know the survival rate for baby Sea Turtles released into the ocean is small. It’s estimated only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings will survive to adulthood.

Read about the Mexico Sea Turtle Sanctuaries …

I had the opportunity – my first ever – to be part of a turtle release while staying at a hotel in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico in October, 2013.

We were asked to come to the beach at dusk where we found a bucket of baby turtles. Mine had the unfortunate luck of being handled by me. Unfortunate because I dropped it twice while fumbling with my camera.

Long story short, the turtle didn’t seem any worse for wear when I placed her on the sand so she could make her journey into the water. Yes, she was alive and moving.

A few awkward steps and she was gone, carried away by a wave along with her litter mates. I look forward to meeting her again on a future scuba dive.

The turtle fun didn’t end there. A few days later, a mama turtle arrived on the beach to nest and deliver her eggs. That story in a future posting.

I’m adding a few pics of a turtle I once met underwater. These images were taken in the waters around the Cayman Islands in March 2013.

Seeing a turtle underwater is a very big deal.

I love turtles almost as much as sharks.