The Miracle of Baby Turtles

Ron and I had the most amazing experience the other week! I mentioned to our dear friend, Gabriela, that we had never witnessed the release of baby turtles here in Baja, and she immediately took charge of making it happen.

Within 24 hours, she had arranged for us to join a local conservation group at a beach about 45 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas. We arrived just before sunset, as the light was turning golden and the air was cooling off the day's heat.

The conservationists had been monitoring a nest for weeks, waiting for the moment when the hatchlings would be ready to make their journey to the sea. When we arrived, the nest was already stirring — tiny flippers pushing up through the sand.

What happened next is something I will never forget as long as I live.

One by one, then dozens at a time, these impossibly small creatures emerged from the sand and began their instinctive march toward the ocean. Each one no bigger than the palm of your hand, moving with a determination that seemed almost supernatural for something so new to the world.

We were not allowed to touch them — the conservationists were very clear about that. But we could walk alongside them, gently guiding any that veered off course back toward the water. When the first wave washed over them and they disappeared into the sea, I burst into tears. I couldn't help it.

Of the roughly 200 hatchlings that made it to the water that evening, the conservationists told us that perhaps one or two would survive to adulthood. The odds are brutal. And yet they swim toward the ocean with everything they have.

There's a lesson in there somewhere. I'm still thinking about it.

If you're ever in Baja during turtle season (roughly July through December), I cannot recommend this experience highly enough. Contact local conservation groups — they are doing extraordinary work and they welcome visitors who want to witness and support their efforts.