Feb 6 - Turtle Rescue

I saw all these people on the beach while out for my trike ride and pedaled over to see what was going on.  When I got closer I discovered they were unloading the turtles that has been rescued from the freezing weather.

All ages of people helped carry the turtles to the ocean - a process that started last night and took most of today to complete.

But some just stood around and looked cute.

After the turtles were taken out of the truck, they were carried down to the waters edge.  The turtles were mostly young ones weighing about 30 pounds but there were a few "teenagers" who weighed closer to 50 pounds.  The heavier turtles got a ride in the wagon.

Once carried to the waters edge a few people dressed to go out into the water would carry the turtles out a short distance and release them.  [Note the derricks in the background.  They were built in Brownsville but leaving them in port cost $1000 a day so they are parked in the Gulf for now.]

The fat tires on the wagon are made to go through sand and right into the ocean.

The wagon is being pushed up a ramp of sand that goes over the ugly, but necessary dredging pipes that have been on the beach since early January.

Approximately 700 rescued turtles were released last night and today, but many did not survive the freeze.  After these turtles were placed in the ocean volunteers walked down to the jetty to see if any turtles appeared to be in trouble.  If so, they were taken to the turtle rescue facility on the island for rehab.