Turtle released from Coquina Beach will race others, bring awareness

As frothy waves crashed off of Coquina Beach, Eliza Ann waited to return to sea while her babies sat in a sandy nest.

The loggerhead sea turtle was found late Monday night by Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch volunteers, who approached her after she laid her eggs, sat with her through the night and attached a satellite tag on her carapace as part of the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s Tour de Turtles.

On Tuesday morning, as the sun rose and tide reached higher, about 70 people gathered on the southern tip of the island to watch Eliza Ann crawl back into the Gulf.

Suzi Fox, director of turtle watch, said Eliza Ann was the biggest turtle she has ever seen on the island, her carapace measuring 109.5 centimeters, or more than 3 1/2 feet, in length. And, Fox said, she might have been returning home.

“We believe that this girl was probably born here about 35 years ago,” Fox said. “She is an excellent turtle.”

Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club sponsored the satellite tag for a turtle nesting on the island, and named her “Eliza Ann” after the wife of the man who invented the waterline in 1876, Samuel Plimsoll.

Five leatherback turtles have already been tagged in Panama during this tour, said Sea Turtle Conservancy communications coordinator Lexie Beach. The competition, named like the biking competition Tour de France, is in its 10th year and runs from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31, which is the official end of turtle nesting season.

While about 18 turtles from Florida to the West Indies will be tracked to see which swims the furthest, they will also be raising awareness for various things that harm turtles, like marine debris and boat strikes. Eliza Ann will be raising awareness about light pollution, which can distract hatchlings from crawling toward the ocean.

Eliza Ann is the second Anna Maria Island turtle to participate in the Tour de Turtles, the first being a loggerhead named Amie by Anna Maria Island Elementary School.

Anyone who wants to learn more about the Tour de Turtles or watch Eliza Ann as she travels can visit tourdeturtles.org.

This story was originally published June 20, 2017 at 11:37 AM with the headline "Turtle released from Coquina Beach will race others, bring awareness."