16 sea turtles return home to sea

Exhausted and exhilarated after carrying a couple 300-plus pounds of sea turtle down to the sea, HMC Thomas Kmetz, who had never even seen a turtle before Tuesday, could not stop repeating the word "Unbelievable!"

More than half the sea turtle patients from the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Topsail Beach passed their physical exams and swim tests and returned to Mother Ocean Tuesday morning, with a blessing that she, Mother Nature and God would protect and give them all another chance at life.

Nine loggerheads, three Kemp's Ridleys and three green turtles, having survived various injuries under the loving care of hospital volunteers and doctors, were blessed, then loaded into trucks and taken on a short trip from the hospital to the beach.

Over 350 local schoolchildren and five Navy Corpsmen received special invitations to attend and participate in the event.

The Topsail Turtle Patrol volunteers, who walk the beaches every morning around six a.m. looking for turtle nests, formed an honor guard on both sides of the beach. Many of them assumed the role of educator, as they were grilled with questions from the children waiting patiently for the turtles to arrive.

Erin McCullen, 11, and her father Mack attended the release to help out, and said they help with turtle patrols and nest sitting in the summer since they live in Surf City.

"We substitute walk - when a volunteer can't do it, we fill in for them," Erin said. "I really love to sit at turtle nests and watch them hatch; it's very amazing. I want to volunteer at the turtle hospital as soon as I am old enough."

New Horizons Elementary School in Wilmington brought fourth graders to the release and all the boys and girls also made a donation to the hospital.

"The boys and girls did an extra chore at home so they could make a donation to the hospital," Donna Clark, their fourth grade teacher proudly said. "They donated $98."

Betty Bigney and Beth Howard, Dixon Elementary School teachers and turtle hospital volunteers, brought fourth grade students.

"The kids have been studying sea turtles the last few weeks and drawing pictures," Deena Marker, one of the parents explained.

"We've been making life-size turtles," her daughter Madison, 9, elaborated.

Kmetz, HMC Shawn Lawson, RPCS Eddie Walker, Command Master Chief Tony Polanco and HMCS Ken Willburn were assigned to help carry a few of the larger loggerheads to the waves. Only Lawson and Polanco helped with a turtle release before, the others said they had no previous experience with the species. All sat and patted the turtles, talking to them in an attempt to keep them calm and comfortable while they waited their turn.

The men learned that a turtle's skin turns pink when stressed. So when they noticed a change in their turtles' skin, they became anxious, reassuring their turtles not to worry, they would get them in the ocean and home soon.

The time came and they performed their tasks flawlessly. They didn't seem to mind a few flipper wounds and sore muscles.

"That was a once in a lifetime experience," Kmetz said, when he recovered from his trek with loggerhead Jolly Roger. "To see something once attacked by a shark returned back to the ocean - that was an experience. It was so special to be invited down here to help out the people at the hospital. That's conservation at its finest, right?

Willburn, who helped Kmetz with Jolly Roger agreed.

"It was pretty cool," he said. "It was a unique experience and a unique opportunity."

Both pointed out that she swam straight for the Jolly Roger Pier, which could be seen from the release area, as if she knew where she was.

At that point they were both off to help their comrades with another loggerhead.

Hospital Executive Director Jean Beasley told guests this winter marked the largest patient load the hospital has ever received to date, with 31 turtles under its care.

Including the 16 released Tuesday, 175 turtles recuperated and have received a second chance at life in the wild since the hospitals inception in 1996.

The final turtle to be released, Cora, broke the scale last week when it was her turn to be weighed.

Beasley and all the hospital volunteers gathered together and walked behind her in a procession as she was taken to sea, then waved goodbye and clapped. Kmetz caught up with them saying he couldn't miss seeing the last and largest off.

Contact Topsail area reporter Suzanne Ulbrich at sulbrich@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8466. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.