A Sea Turtle picture a day # 67

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading down south of the border to a private school in Rocky Point. The reason we are here is to help with the release of a an adult female Hawksbill that has been in captivity there for 8 years. This turtle was caught by local fishermen and brought to the school. We were there to attach a satellite transmitter to her shell to track her movements once we released her.
As you can tell by the picture this was a very big event in this little city.
She is currently still transmitting and is just south of Loreto which is in the Baja Peninsula.

This picture was taken with a 28-200 mm lens

For those of you interested in watching sea turtle tracking you can go to www.seaturtle.org and click on the tracking link and follow turtles all over the world.

See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 66

Welcome back to aA Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back down to Colima Mexico to a Green Sea Turtle nesting beach.
This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)Hatchling right as it is about to be swept off of the beach and out into the ocean.
This picture was taken with a 60mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 65

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are going to go back to The Big Island of Hawaii to the turtle cleaning station. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Being cleaned by cleaner fish.
This picture was taken with a 12-24 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 64

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back underwater and over to the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle(Chelonia mydas) that has a few cleaner fish eating the algae off of its body. This is normal behaviour the turtle gets its shell and body cleaned of algae and the fish get a snack.

This picture was taken with a 12-24 mm lens

See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 63

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back to Hawaii to a nice dive site that has a lot of resident turtles. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle swimming along the reef.At almost all of the dive sites in Hawaii Green Sea Turtles can be observed. These turtles are used to seeing divers and usually go about their business and ignore the divers.

This picture was taken with a 15 mm lens

See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 62

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back down to Colima Mexico to a Sea Turtle hatchery that I have volunteered at. At the Hatchery we collect the eggs from the nests right after the turtles lay them to protect them from poachers. In 45-55 days the hatchlings emerge. We then count and collect them from their nests and release them along the beach.
This picture is of a little Mexican girl who's dad volunteered to help at the hatchery holding a newly hatched Green Sea Turtle Hatchling.
This picture was taken with a 70-200 mm Lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 61

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back down to The British Virgin Islands. This picture is of a Leatherback Sea turtle. The Leatherback is the only species of Sea Turtle that does not have a hard shell. Instead it has a hard leathery skin that has 7 ridges running down the entire length of its body. This hatchling was just starting its journey down the beach towards the ocean.
This picture was taken with a 60 mm lens
See you tomorrow.

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 60

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle PIcture A Day. Today is the first day that I am starting to watermark the pictures.I am sorry that I have to do this but people are using them for and that is not why I am posing them. So much for me ranting about this.
Todays picture is a close up of a Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) that was gliding by me when I was on a dive in Hawaii. This turtle followed me for about 20 minutes totally intrigued by my camera set up and what I was doing. There were times when it seemed that the turtle wanted make sure that I took its picture as it was swimming right up to me.

This picture was taken with a 12-24 mm Lens

See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 59

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. I got some really great news this morning. I have been trying to get a permit from the US government for over a year to export two Green Turtles from the University of British Colombia lab that I help out at to a marine center in Guam. The permit has finally been approved. This is great news. As the preparations begin for their big move to Guam I will be taking pictures and posting them here.
Today's picture is of a Green Sea Turtle that is swimming along the reef in Hawaii.
This picture was taken with a 12-24 mm Lens
See you tomorrow

Remember that I am going to start watermarking the pictures tomorrow

See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 58

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are going to be heading back down to Mexico. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchling that is making its first crawl in the sand down to the beach.
This turtle was raised in a hatchery. In Mexico people still eat Sea Turtle eggs. So turtle eggs are gathered and reburied in protected areas and after they hatch the babies are released into the ocean.
Hopefully in 12 to 20 years this hatchling if it is a girl will crawl back up this beach and lay her own set of eggs.

This picture was taken with a 60 mm Macro lens

See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 57

Welcome back to A Sea turtle Picture A Day. I want to thank all of you that check here on a regular basis. As you all know I like to give some factual information about what is going on in the picture as well as a little scientific info. It has been brought to my attention that some people are downloading these pictures and using them for personal use. It has taken me many years and many trips to get all of these pictures.I don't even want to think of how much money it has cost me in my fun little (hobby).

You are probably wondering what I am getting at here. Starting at day 60 I am going to start watermarking all of the turtle pictures that I post here in the blog. I will make it in a way that it does not obscure the picture but also that anyone wanting to download the picture will need to spend a lot of time in photoshop to remove it.

I am sorry that I have to do this but I need to protect my pictures.

Today we are heading back underwater to Hawaii. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle(Chelonia mydas) that was laying on the bottom. When I swam near it I noticed the eye and how it was watching me. I just love the detail in this picture.
This picture was taken with a 12-24 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 56

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back down to Colima Mexico. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle hatchling entering the water.
This picture was taken with a 70-200 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 55

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading down south of the border to Mexico. This picture is of a group of Green Sea Turtle hatchlings that were heading thru the vegetation to the water. Their nest had been laid up in the area of the beach where grass and plants met the sand. In the early morning these plants have flowers that open up. The contrast between the hatchlings and the flowers really caught my attention. The flowers are less than 2 inches tall.
This picture was taken with a 60 mm lens
See you tomorrow.

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 54

Welcome back to a Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back over to Hawaii to the Big Island. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle that was swimming along the reef as I was diving. It is fun to watch them as they glide thru the water.
This picture was taken with a 15 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 53

Welcome back to a Sea Turtle Picture A Day. today we are going to stay above the surface of the water and go to the West side of the Big Island of Hawaii. This green Sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is basking in the sun along the rocks.I was able to sit here and watch it for over an hour. If you notice in the background there is the shadow of another turtle that is eating in the shallow tide pool.
This picture was taken with a 70-200 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 52

Welcome Back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back underwater to Hawaii. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) that was swimming along the reef.
This picture was taken with a 12-24 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 51

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. I want to welcome our newest follower ACONTECE NEWS to the group. Today we are heading to a very unlikely place to see Sea Turtles. Vancouver Canada. I am a volunteer with the University of British Columbia in the Sea Turtle program. And one of my responsibilities is to take pictures of the turtles. Of all the pictures that I have taken I think that this is my favorite.
The Leatherback sea turtle is the rarest of all the sea turtles.It has a soft shell is in the greatest danger of going extinct.
This particular picture is of a Leatherback sea turtles face and it shows the turtle crying. The turtle is crying salt water tears. The turtle drinks salt water as it is in the ocean. There is a special gland that takes the salt out of the water to allow the turtle to survive. The gland then releases the excessive salt in the form of tears.
This picture was taken with a 60 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 50

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are going to stay above the surface of the water and head over to Hawaii. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle that is resting on the rocks. I just love the detail in the face of this turtle. Hawaii is only one of 2 places in the world where Sea Turtles haul out on the shore to rest in the sun. Both male and female do. Everywhere else only females haul out and that is for the purpose of laying eggs.
This picture was taken with a 70-200 mm telephoto lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day # 49

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today I want to start something new. I have been reading the comments that the followers of this blog have written. Tracy wrote that a bed time every night she visits the blog with her daughters and the look at the picture of the day and talk about it.

Also in the comments from Tracy I understand that the girls like the hatchling pictures the best.

So Sierra and McKenzie here is a special picture for the both of you. This picture of a Leatherback Sea turtle that has just hatched and that is now heading towards the ocean. This picture was taken in the British Virgin Islands.

This picture was taken with a 60 mm lens

Sweet Sea Turtle dreams Sierra and McKenzie.

See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day #

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today lets head back over to Hawaii. If you have been visiting this blog for a while you will know that I have spent a lot of time in Hawaii taking Sea Turtle Pictures. Hawaii is one of the best places in the world to see Sea Turtles. It is one of only 2 places in the world where turtles crawl out on the beach to rest during the day. This behaviour allows people to get a close up look of turtles with out having to get wet.This is why so many of my pictures are from Hawaii.
So speaking of Hawaii lets go back there and today go underwater to a turtle cleaning station. A cleaning station is a particular part of the reef where organism go to be cleaned in this case it is where turtles go to allow cleaner fish pick the algae off of their skin and shell.
This picture is of just that. This turtle is in a resting pose. A resting pose is where the turtle rests on the bottom and extends its neck to allow easier access to those otherwise hard to reach spots. This turtle really didn't seem to mind me taking its picture.
This picture was taken with a 12-24 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day #47

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back to the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii. This Green Sea Turtle(Chelonia mydas) Was just lounging on the beach when I came upon it. I sat here and took pictures of this turtle as the sun set.
This picture was taken with a 70-200 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day #46

Welcome back to a Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading down to Mexico to the state of Colima. I was volunteering at a sea turtle hatchery there last year and had the opportunity to see some amazing things. One of my favorites is to watch the hatchlings as they head down the beach towards the ocean. It is believed that some how the hatchling is imprinted by this process and in 10 to 15 years she will crawl up this very beach and lay eggs.
This picture is of a Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchling making its way towards the ocean
This picture was taken with a 60 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day #45

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading north of the border to Vancouver Canada. This picture is of a Leatherback Sea Turtle(Dermochelys coriacea) Which is the rarest of the sea turtles and also the only species that does not have a hard shell. Ttodd Jones is the only researcher in the world that had been able to raise this turtle in captivity for more than 2 years.
In this picture Ttodd is moving this turtle from one tank to another.
In an upcoming issue of National Geographic The May issue. This turtle and more of its species are featured in an article about the Leatherback sea turtle. Unfortunately my picture is not in the magazine.
This picture was taken with a 28-200 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day #44

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are going to head back underwater and over to the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii. This picture is of a Green Sea turtle(Chelonia mydas) that was resting under this overhang underwater. It was not at all disturbed by my taking its picture. It actually seemed curious in what I was doing. My favorite thing about Sea Turtles is watching the way they interact with their surroundings and also each other.
This picture was taken with a 12-24 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day #43

Welcome back to a Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading back over the Pacific ocean to the Big Island Of Hawaii. This picture is of a Green Sea Turtle(Chelonia mydas) resting on the rocks. This particular turtle has a (TDR) Time Depth Recorder attached to its shell. A TDR records the amount of time a turtle spends underwater and the depth that it swims to.
This turtle was part of a test to try to find out more of what the local population of turtles that live along this particular section of the coast do with their time spent in the water
This picture was taken with a 70-200 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day #42

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are heading south of the border to Colima Mexico. Last summer I spent 2 weeks volunteering at a turtle hatchery.My duties included cleaning the tanks every morning helping the staff count and bury eggs that had been collected the night before and releasing hatching's that had hatched.
This picture is of a few Green Sea Turtles(Chelonia mydas) hatching's that have just hatched
This picture was taken with a 60 mm lens
See you tomorrow

A Sea Turtle picture a day #41

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle PIcture A Day. Today we are heading back underwater and over to the Big Island of Hawaii. This photo is of two Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas). The one that is coming out from under the ledge was resting there and the other was looking for a place to rest. The one leaving went up to the surface for a breath of air and the one doing the swim by then replaced the one that went for a breath under the ledge.
I is always so much fun to hang out underwater with these awesome animals and watch how they interact with each other.
This picture was taken with a 15mm lens
See you tomorrow.

A Sea Turtle picture a day #40

Welcome back to A Sea Turtle Picture A Day. Today we are traveling down to The British Virgin Islands to Joshias Beach. This young boy became interested in me digging a hole in the sand. What he didn't know when I started was that I was digging up a Leatherback Sea turtle nest that had hatched the day before. I was doing this to count the eggs that had hatched as well as the ones that did not. I was also looking for any hatching's that were still buried in the nest. We found this hatchling near the bottom of the nest. After this picture was taken the hatchling was allowed to crawl down the beach to the ocean.
This picture was taken with a 70-200 mm lens
See you tomorrow