It all was just a coincidence
A walk on the beach that touched my soul
Sea turtle hatching. Photo:by hannahjane.bis licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Dark beach
The sun had set and the sandy beach was now dark. No moon, few stars. Earlier that evening I started walking east on the beach. I walked further than I planned to. It was certain I will not be able to make it back before dark.
Barbados. Beach before dark
I’ve been on anchor in beautiful Barbados for more than two weeks now, yet I have not explored the shore past the Barbados Yacht Club, a few minutes walk eastwards. This is very unlike me. If there’s a long, soft white sand beach with crystal clear turquoise water on a new island, like here in west Barbados, I usually walk as far as possible.
Barbados anchorage in front of Barbados Yacht Club
There were no people on this section of the beach at night, no structures or lights. Just white sand, dark water and bushes or trees higher up above the shore. I’ve now reached the surf spot - some surfers were hanging out there around a small fire - and walked past it.
Walking east on Barbados beach
Then I saw them
Small dark things moving on the sand towards the water line. At first I thought these were small crabs. But they were too slow for crabs. I crouched on the sand to get a better look. Turtles! Tiny little sea turtles.
They were a minute old, just hatched. They moved with incredible determination for such small new creatures. Moving their small flippers just a centimeter at a time, yet they made good distance and fine speed.
Part of the beach has a wood planks promenade. Barbados
It was incredible
I sat on the sand at a distance from them, not to disturb, and watched as these delicate creatures approached the water - their home for the rest of their lives - for the first time. Those that hatched a few seconds earlier than their brothers and sisters had already reached the water. They had no hesitation and let the tiny shore waves take them. They knew. The water is relatively safer than the open shore and they wanted to get there as fast as possible.
How does it feel?
I wondered, for them, to touch water for the first time. Is it cold? dark? salty? bumpy? Does it feel like home? Safe and warm?
Carlisle Bay. Barbados. Anchored here for 3 weeks
I just could not believe it. I was so lucky. People fly across the world to special man made turtle sanctuaries, just to see this super exciting and rather rare event. And here was I, so blessed, getting to experience by mere chance, sea turtles hatch.
This was nature at its best, not a manmade sanctuary. Although the Hilton is just minutes walk to the west and the coastal road a few minutes inland, the turtles still managed to lay eggs that hatched and the babies made it to the ocean, unassisted.
There were not many baby turtles there that evening. Maybe a hundred. And they all made it to the water. No humans, birds, crabs, rats or dogs had a chance to disturb them. They all made it through - so small and tender - to the big ocean.
Watching the baby turtles
Advance slowly but consistently on the sand, overcoming all obstacles - a mere human footprint in the sand was a huge valley for these babies - made me emotional.
Looking at them - making their first steps, then a first ocean touch, first swim, a group together but each one moving alone - it did something to me. It wasn’t just joy and happiness that filled my heart. It was more than that.
Beach bar. Barbados
Light inside
My eyes started watering. It was as if I was watching mercy, creation, beauty and love come together to a sum larger than its parts. And it filled me with light. I don’t know what it was.
Just a pure, clean feeling. It felt like the experience is changing me, teaching me, showing me something I had forgotten. I was blessed, they were blessed, and life was full of so much good.
Just a walk on the beach. Barbados
I waited until
All made it safely to the water, and a few minutes more, just to make sure there are no late comers. Once the last baby turtle entered the water, no others were seen. They were all synched to hatch, walk the sand and dive the ocean at the same time.
The surf spot. Barbados
It was truly a wonder
A life changing experience for me. Surly for the baby turtles……
Have you ever seen baby sea turtles hatch?
Where?
When?
I didn't want to take any pictures as the camera flash might disturb the tiny turtles. All pictures unless otherwise noted, are mine
Hope you enjoyed!
