Sea Turtle Releases make me so EMO!

Back from my moving hiatus! This summer has been consumed with our move. 

And now I've realized summer is coming to an end and I'm scrambling to find fun things to do with the kiddos so they don't remember this one as the summer that sucked. Lol

So this morning was perfect. We got an email from the SC Aquarium letting us know they were releasing two rehabilitated sea turtles back into the ocean on IOP. We jumped on this opportunity! 

Tab and I had seen this once before when I was prego with #1 and I bawled my eyes out - it was so beautiful! 

(Hormones? Probably.)

The release was scheduled for 10am and people start lining up at like 8am. It was out at the Isle of Palms County park. 

We got there (me, two kids, Nana and my nephew) around 9:30am.

We let the kids run and splash in the tide pools while Nana and I secured a spot where the kids could squeeze thru to see the turtles. 

Betty & Louis found friends :)

Nana ran after these two.

And I chased this one...who constantly wants to throw himself into the ocean.

Two turtles were being released today: a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle named Bay and a loggerhead named Mitchel.

Bay went first and they brought him around for us to see before they released him. He was THE CUTEST.

 

Then came Mitchel.

HE.WAS.AWESOME.

Amazingly huge.

Flapping his flippers as hard as he could - trying to get back home!

We made such a big deal about this bc I wanted the kids to really appreciate what they were seeing and I think they did! Which makes me so happy!

We were cheering GO MITCHEL!!!!

Well, this kid was really into his graham cracker and this puddle...but I think the older two appreciated it!

It's so amazing. To know these turtles were hurt or sick, nursed back to health and are getting to go back home. When you hear the crowd just go wild when the turtle hits the surf and the turtle is just flapping those flippers - it can't get in the water fast enough. When you see the big curve of their shell slowly inch out into the water until it's deep enough for them to swim and they disappear under the waves. It just takes your breath away.

And it wasn't hormones last time. It made me emotional this time too. Bc it's just such an experience.

But I couldn't reflect long...the little one giggled and ran into the ocean. And he's quick. So I went and saved his life for the 34th time that morning.

We played a bit more, chatted with several James Island friends who crossed the bridge for this event, and headed home.

Gorgeous morning.

We wish you well Bay & Mitchel!