NYCkayaker Sea Turtle!

[Dennis Wiener]

I'm pretty sure all sea turtles are protected, and considered endangered.

David Gottlieb wrote:
> No, you probably weren’t hallucinating.... When the waters are warm, 
> sea turtles migrate to the Sound from the south and then as our waters 
> cool they travel south again. I believe there are three species of 
> turtles in the sound and I’ve seen them on a number of occasions while 
> hiking along the shore and while sailing, but unfortunately never in a 
> kayak. Of the three species I know of in the sound it could have been 
> Loggerhead, ridleys or Green sea turtles, probably juvenile as the 
> adults of these species prefer deeper waters. There are also 
> Leatherbacks, but they usually stick to deeper waters in the Atlantic 
> and are rarely seen in the sound.
>
> Ridleys and Leatherbacks, I believe, are both on the endangered 
> species list. Ridley’s is the smallest species of which adults grow up 
> to 100 pounds and leatherbacks are the largest of the four species and 
> can weigh as much as 1,600 lbs.... The other two species are more 
> common, although the and these adults weigh in about 500 to 600 
> lbs.... Did you notice what colors or patterns were on the shell???
>
> The lifespan of some of these turles can be 75 years or more. The 
> lifespan of the Leatherback is unknown.... By the way, no man eating 
> turtles around the Sound....
>
>
> On 8/13/07 6:37 AM, "Emile Zen" <emilezen at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>     Is this a common sight in the Long Island Sound? I saw one
>     yesterday, while paddling from Glen Cove to Mamaroneck after a
>     Swim Across America event.
>
>
>
>     As it approached my starboard bow, I thought it was a plastic
>     garbage bag, floating one or two feet under the surface of the
>     water. But then its shape became unmistakable. The shell must have
>     been around two feet in diameter. It continued swimming in the
>     opposite direction to mine, and I didn't turn for a better look
>     because I was in the middle of the shipping channel.
>
>
>
>     It was a split second thrill. Hope I wasn't hallucinating...
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> **********************************************************************
> The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is a public service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River Watertrail Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
>
> To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
> http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
> Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.15/949 - Release Date: 8/12/2007 11:03 AM
>