With filming wrapped on Journey Home and post-production about to get into high gear, my family and I headed down to the Florida Keys for a much needed R&R.
On our way home from the trip, we’d planned to attend a “turtle walk” with Loggerhead MarineLife Center.
I’m not wholly sure what I expected. The
egg-laying part of the sea turtle lifecycle was not a large part of my research for the film. I knew what was supposed to happen in a basic sense: a small group of people gather, get briefed on what the encounter will be like, learn about the laws and regulations in place to protect the nesting turtles during the walk and then watch a female loggerhead lay nearly a hundred mucus-covered Ping-Pong balls. That much, I knew going into it.
In practice, it’s really something quite magical. It was a cross between a truly spiritual experience and a scene from Aliens.
The scouts located a loggerhead that was just starting to dig out its nest fairly early in the evening (the walk started at 9 p.m. and the call came in that we had a turtle at about 9:40). Our group, about 20 strong, made our way out to the nesting site guided by volunteers from the center and a staff biologist. Since no lights were permitted during the walk (save the red-filtered ones that guides sparingly used to illuminate a set of steps), the offshore lightning storm that raged to the east provided periodic bursts of light.
Following the guide’s instructions, we watched quietly from behind the momma turtle. A small red light was placed near the excavated nest, giving us just enough light to see each egg be pushed out into the sandy hole.
At first, I fell into “photographer” mode. I lay down on my stomach, steadied my camera and began to shoot images. Mind you, since lights were not permitted, I had no use of my LCD screen nor could I check my settings. It was point, shoot and hope for the best.
However, it didn’t take long for me to give up shooting and simply lay there – a couple feet behind that magnificent creature – and just watch as she expended energy to lay more than 100 eggs. Afterward, the loggerhead covered her babies up safe and sound and wearily made her way back to the sea.
It kind of put the whole thing into perspective, you know?
Journey Home is about what happens there, at the center, when injured or ill turtles are brought in. The film deals with the perils facing sea turtles, both manmade and natural.
But it starts... Journey Home begins with a female laying her eggs and the first journey to their home the hatchlings will hopefully take.
Cheers,
-R
On our way home from the trip, we’d planned to attend a “turtle walk” with Loggerhead MarineLife Center.
I’m not wholly sure what I expected. The
egg-laying part of the sea turtle lifecycle was not a large part of my research for the film. I knew what was supposed to happen in a basic sense: a small group of people gather, get briefed on what the encounter will be like, learn about the laws and regulations in place to protect the nesting turtles during the walk and then watch a female loggerhead lay nearly a hundred mucus-covered Ping-Pong balls. That much, I knew going into it.
In practice, it’s really something quite magical. It was a cross between a truly spiritual experience and a scene from Aliens.
The scouts located a loggerhead that was just starting to dig out its nest fairly early in the evening (the walk started at 9 p.m. and the call came in that we had a turtle at about 9:40). Our group, about 20 strong, made our way out to the nesting site guided by volunteers from the center and a staff biologist. Since no lights were permitted during the walk (save the red-filtered ones that guides sparingly used to illuminate a set of steps), the offshore lightning storm that raged to the east provided periodic bursts of light.
Following the guide’s instructions, we watched quietly from behind the momma turtle. A small red light was placed near the excavated nest, giving us just enough light to see each egg be pushed out into the sandy hole.
At first, I fell into “photographer” mode. I lay down on my stomach, steadied my camera and began to shoot images. Mind you, since lights were not permitted, I had no use of my LCD screen nor could I check my settings. It was point, shoot and hope for the best.
However, it didn’t take long for me to give up shooting and simply lay there – a couple feet behind that magnificent creature – and just watch as she expended energy to lay more than 100 eggs. Afterward, the loggerhead covered her babies up safe and sound and wearily made her way back to the sea.
It kind of put the whole thing into perspective, you know?
Journey Home is about what happens there, at the center, when injured or ill turtles are brought in. The film deals with the perils facing sea turtles, both manmade and natural.
But it starts... Journey Home begins with a female laying her eggs and the first journey to their home the hatchlings will hopefully take.
Cheers,
-R
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