Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Sometimes you get a once in a lifetime experience...at your doorstep.
This morning was truly incredible.  An olive green sea turtle paddled herself out of the ocean before our very eyes.  Slowly but deliberately she crawled upon the beach and past the high tide mark,  obviously looking for a perfect spot to lay her eggs.  

She found the right spot and using her back flippers she began to dig out a hole.  It took a lot of effort and she rested many times.
We were all mesmerized by her grandeur.   Her eyes held all her history and our hearts went out to her beautiful existence.

At some point she deposited her eggs.  On average, the Olive Ridley (lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtles lay 50-100 eggs and they resemble ping pong balls.

After she laid her eggs, she used the same back flippers to cover the hole and then used her entire body in a back and forth motion to thump and pack the sand to secure her eggs.  Then she used her front flippers to distribute more sand and to cover the entire area.

Her she is creating a mini sand storm to conceal her efforts.

Mission accomplished, she then headed back to the ocean.  We cheered her on at this point and were truly excited by what we had just witnessed. 
Her eggs will hatch in 40-50 days.  Sadly, we will not be here to meet her offspring but I hope they find their way, unharmed, into the ocean. 

A fond farewell.