THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR BABY TURTLES

BABY TURTLES AT MON REPOS BEACH -- LAUREN BATH

One of the most beautiful places in the world to witness the glory of youth is Mon Repos Beach, in Queensland, Australia. It is one of the best places to see baby sea turtles hatch and take their first steps across the sand to enter the ocean to begin their life journeys.

Photographer Lauren Bath has documented the early lives of the sea turtles here, where several species, including  green and loggerhead turtles nest each year, from November to March.

After digging through the sand to create their nests, adult female turtles lay thousands of eggs.

After a 60 day incubation period, the eggs hatch, and the tiny babies immediately put their tiny flippers into motion as they scramble to meet the soft foamy edge of the sea.

Only one in 1000 baby turtles survive to adulthood, as most succumb to natural predators as well as human interference via pollution, boat propellers and fishing nets. It takes a turtle 30 years after birth before it returns to its nesting ground to lay eggs for the next generation.

The time between when the turtles hatch and enter the sea and when they show up again off the coast many years later is known as the "lost years."

Researchers at University of Central Florida have recently employed a technology breakthrough, sticking tiny satellite tags on the baby turtles to try to determine what they do and where they go in that time.

Check out this video which explores the baby turtles journey towards adulthood.

But if you want to get a firsthand glimpse of the very beginning of turtlehood, your best bet is Mon Repos, located about 4 hours north of Brisbane. It is one of the most important places on the planet, for sea turtles.

Mon Repos is one of the few spots that offer turtles conditions they need most -- a quiet protected swath of soft sand, warm sea water, dark night skies and moonlight, uncompromised by the artificial light from encroachment. Pure moonlight is critical because it is what guides the baby turtles to the sea.

You can visit Mon Repos to see the turtles hatch with a guided tour offered by Mon Repos Turtle Encounters. Walk along the 9 km Turtle Walking Trail, from Bargara to Burnett Heads. You’ll be walking in the dark so you can see the hatchlings make a run for the sea. You can take photos, but without flash so as not to disturb their serious moonlight.

An Australian native, Bath, a former chef, turned to photography and blogging inspired not only by her love of travel, but also by the beauty she size close to home, such as the baby turtles on Mon Repos Beach. Now, with almost ½ million Instagram followers, Bath serves as Australia’s first professional Instagrammer.

If baby turtles inspire you too, you might consider joining bath at her Travel Bootcamp social photography workshops.

The success of nesting and hatching turtles at Mon Repos is critical for the survival of the endangered loggerhead turtle.

Read more about Beautiful Youth in 10 Precious Images & Ideas About The Beauty of Youth, Beautiful Baby Superstars Seen For The First Time Now, Edible Pretty Young Things and Old Masters Inspire The Beauty Of Youth In These Incredible Portraits.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact Daily Fix posts.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Lauren Bath. “Turtles Feet.” Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
2. Image: by Lauren Bath. “Two Turtles Sideways.” Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
3. Image: by Lauren Bath. “Turtle Egg Laying.” Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
4. Image: by Lauren Bath. Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
5. Image: by Lauren Bath. Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
6. Image: by Lauren Bath. Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
7. Image: by Lauren Bath. Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
8. Image: by Lauren Bath. “Turtle Head First.” Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
9. Image: by Lauren Bath. “Relocating the turtle eggs.” Mon Repos Beach. Queensland, Australia.
10. Image: “Mon Repos, Bundaberg is Queensland's turtle maternity ward.” Courtesy of Queensland, Australia.
11. Image: by Lauren Bath. Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
12. Image: by Jan Smith. “Turtle Hatching at Mon Repos.”
13. Image: by Lauren Bath. Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
14. Image: by Lauren Bath. “Momma.” Mon Repos Beach. Bundaberg. Queensland, Australia.
15. Image: by BN App - Download now!
16. Image: by Eric Chiang. Eric in Oman. “Great Sea Turtle of Ras al Jinz”.