We live within the boundary of the Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge on the east coast of Florida.  This refuge was established to protect sea turtles’ favorite nesting beach for on the Atlantic Ocean.

As I write this in June, we are in the turtle nesting season.  Each morning I look forward to walking to the beach to see how active the turtles were the previous night.  They only come to the beach and nest when it is dark.

I took the accompanying photo this morning with the camera on my telephone.  It was just after the sun had pushed over the horizon behind me.  High tide was about two o’clock this morning.  Judging by the length of the tracks that are still visible, she must have nested a couple of hours after high tide.

These animals are made for swimming.  Pulling herself up the sandy beach takes a lot of work and determination.  Where the tracks turn for the return to the ocean is where she dug a huge hole, and filled it with a hundred eggs about the size and shape of a ping-pong ball.

Looking at these tracks, I can almost feel the effort she has put into fulfilling her responsibility for assuring there will be a next generation of sea turtles at this beach.