2024 Turtle Nesting Season is Here!

Beautiful mama loggerhead resting on Breaker’s Reef.

Turtle nesting season officially kicks off every year on March 1st. It is one of my favorite times of year to dive here as it dramatically increases the likelihood of encountering a turtle on our dive. There are 3 species of turtles that come here to nest: leatherback, green and the most common (and quite possibly my personal favorite) the loggerhead. We are one of only 2 nesting assemblages in the world for loggerhead sea turtles, meaning we have more than 10,000 individual turtles nesting on our beaches each year.

Green sea turtles are one of the 3 species that nest here in south Florida. Here is one snacking on some sargassum at the surface - they are strict herbivores and in fact their flesh is green from the amount of plants they consume, hence their name.

Each year our beaches turn into nurseries as we anxiously await the hatchlings. The best time of year to see them hatch is typically from August to October. Meanwhile, our reefs become resting areas for tired mama loggerheads that need a safe place to snooze. Afterall, returning to your own place of birth to lay several clutches of eggs is exhausting work! Mama sea turtles also take great care to bury their eggs far up the beach away from the water line at high tide, to increase the likelihood of their young’s survival. It is estimated that only 1 in several thousand young hatchlings survive,

Unfortunately only a handful of turtle hatchlings survive into adulthood.

While hawksbill don’t routinely nest here, we do encounter them on dives. The National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation comes out on our boat often to conduct research, often bringing them onboard to tag and evaluate. All work is done under both state and federal permits by professionals, while our boat crew supports and observes. You can always call the shop to inquire if you’re ever interested in doing one of these dives with Dr. Larry on the boat with us.

A hawksbill is brought on board our boat for tagging and research. All work done under state and federal permits.

Being on the boat with the turtle researchers is always a treat!

Loggerheads are definitely the most common and this is the species you are very likely to see resting on top of our reefs during the late spring and summer months. They are massive - getting up to several feet in length and weighing in between 200-400lbs! It is very hard to miss them while diving. While it is possible to encounter them swimming or as they are going to the surface for a breath, they are more often observed resting and napping literally on the top of the reef, as you can see in the the photo above.

Massive loggerhead resting in the sand.

According to the Sea Turtle Conservancy 90% of all the sea turtle nests in the US are located here in Florida. We are so fortunate to witness this incredible phenomenon each year and I for one never take it for granted. For more information on sea turtles and a current update on nest counts, visit the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach or reach out to the Save the Sea Turtles organization. And of course, come out for a dive with us to see them for yourself during this special time of year!

Safe Diving,

Grace

Sweet green sea turtle napping on the reef.