Big rock turtle

A marvellous sight at dawn on this morning's walkies.

Duke spotted it first, freezing him into his classic Pointer pose.

I followed his gaze and about fifty yards down the beach a big rock moved. 

Just slightly.   I blinked my crusty eyes, it was only just getting light.
Then the rock moved again.

A giant turtle was making its way back to sea after laying its eggs on the upper beach.  

We remained frozen to the spot absorbing the moment, 

myself - regretting not having brought the camera, 

Duke - nose twitching to identify the monster before him.

Progress was painfully slow, she must have been exhausted, 

first with the climb up to the steep bank, then the efforts of motherhood 

and now the crawl back through the thick sand. 

Each scrabble of her flippers moved the big body only a few inches.

We stood there for ten minutes while she heaved herself over the last three yards of sand.

When the first wavelet tickled her nose it gave her renewed vigour 

and, as the next large wave engulfed her upper body, she gave a last, 

massive lurch, slipped away into her element 

and swiftly became a shadow in the deep blue.

Aint nature wonderful!

I later went back and took this picture of the sight of her ordeal.