Thanksgiving Turtle

 Just about four weeks ago (on October 25), I went to a turtle release in Cocoa Beach. I mentioned in Facebook that I was on the cover of the local paper, Florida Today. The photographer was Malcolm Denemark and I happen to be in the picture on the right. I am wearing the orange shirt. The picture I took included Malcolm so I sent it to him. He sent me back this photo which was the one used in the paper. He wrote the following caption in the photo:

Jess Patterson, Sea Turtle  Program Coordinator and Peg Kelly, Conservation Coordinator, carry Jackal and Pandemonium to the ocean.  The two juvenile green sea turtles were returned to the ocean at Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach on Tuesday morning. The turtles were rehabilitated at the Sea Turtle Healing Center at the Brevard Zoo.

Well, today, November 23, the day before Thanksgiving they were having another turtle release. Again it was at Lori Wilson Park but it was a lot more dreary. Not raining, but a mist of droplets were falling. Regardless, over 400 people showed up. Here is an early photo of the crowd as I approached...

The waves were pretty good so there were surfers out on the ocean.

There was a man there will a gray bird with red tail on his shoulder...

Phyllis, the 170 pound loggerhead arrived on the lifeguard four-wheeler and brought to the tower where they unloaded the carrier she was in. She only weighed 125 pounds when they found her earlier in the year. They called it "Debilitative loggerhead syndrome". It took more than one person to get her out of the carrier...

Once on the sand, they let nature take over and she headed back to the ocean. It was a little slow but she had not been on the sandy beach in a while.

I did get a shot of Malcolm the photographer as he was again taking pictures of the event. There are 32 shots shared on the Florida Today web site and sure enough, I was in one...Blue shirt this time.

When Phyllis reached the water she stopped for a bit. Maybe a little nervous, thinking about the great hotel she has been staying at and now she had to go back into the dangerous Atlantic Ocean. It is actually the Brevard Zoo Sea Turtle Healing Center.

I like this photo at the water and the reflection of the people wishing her a bon voyage...

The second turtle was named Debbi, who weighed about 20 pounds. They mentioned that they were actually not sure of the sex. I was talking with a couple from Atlanta and we were wondering why they did not give it more ambiguous name, but this Debbi did Cocoa Beach.

Carrie Vaughan Hinojosa, a volunteer at the healing center, had the honor of carrying the turtle to the ocean. Phyllis already had swam away.

I tried to catch the modern day fans taking great photos with their phones and other device...

I caught this final picture of Malcolm taking the goodbye shot of Debbi...sadly for Carrie, as she released the turtle a wave hit her and knocked her over. She was soaked but did not seem to need any healing at the center.

I did get to introduce myself to Malcolm afterward, and he thanked me for the pictures I sent him. I have already sent him the photo of him with Phyllis rambling to the sea. The crowd slowly dissipated.

This small bird was near my car in the parking lot. The street to get into the South Lori Wilson parking lot is named "I Dream of Jeannie" Lane. Well, it is Cocoa Beach.

I went to the port to see the hurricane damage from Nicole at Jetty Park. I drove in and the fishing pier is still closed, but I did not get any pictures because it was raining. I headed over for some lunch at Rusty's Seafood & Oyster Bar at Port Canaveral.. The Exploration Tower is being fixed up so it is covered with scaffolding.

Lunch was New England clam chowder, half dozen raw oysters and the Seafood Au Gratin Appetizer.

I did not think it would be appropriate to order turtle soup...

The oysters with the famous spicy white horseradish. I told the couple next to me it was strong and the guy said he like it that way. While I was eating my seafood, I heard the lady let out a yip. I leaned over and asked if that was the horseradish. She shook her head yes as she took a long drink of her water. This is the appetizer and it was delicious.

Although, rainy and gray, I again enjoyed the release of the turtles. I feel Thankful that I have things like this to do, and that at 65, I can still get out there and do stuff. But maybe I should skip the small loaves of bread for lunch. I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving...