TERRIFIC TURTLES

Silly white sand gave way to the enormity of the beach vehicle. Baited breath, embers of excitement and hearts howling for what lays beyond the daunting dune. This is the type of exhilaration that awaits anyone going on a turtle trip at Phinda Private Game Reserve.

The turtle season opened on the 1st of November and the guides at Phinda decided to go on a bit of a ‘training trip’ to Sodwana Bay. The goal was simple – drive our allocated 23km stretch of beach and try and find a leatherback or loggerhead turtle!

The Leatherback turtle is the biggest turtle on Earth and the Loggerhead is brilliantly beautiful, yet smaller than its cousin. These magnificent beasts come to the Eastern seaboard of South Africa to lay their eggs between October and February. It takes the little ones 55-60 days before they hatch and are forced to partake in the devilishly dangerous trip from their birthplace to the sea.

We conquered the dune and started northwards up the Sodwana Bay beach. It wasn’t 10 minutes before we saw the unmistakable track of a turtle hobbling from the azure on to the beach. The tracks were followed but unfortunately it looked like the turtle must’ve turned around and headed back to the ocean. What an Anti-Climax. We got back into the vehicle and continued. We hadn’t driven another 5 minutes when another set of tracks crossed up ahead. This time there were no tracks heading back seawards… Phinda Forest Lodge guide, Gavin Penhall, had the privilege to check whether there was indeed a turtle at the end of the trail. We sat in silence. Devastatingly Dark. Only the rise and crash of the waves next to us provided any form of co-ordination as we waited for the verdict.

When Gavin returned 5 minutes later, it had felt as if he was gone forever! “There’s a Leatherback turtle on the verge of laying her eggs.” Music to my ears! Very softly and slowly we approached. Every now and again a torch would alight the next few metres. Then I caught a glimpse of her – the tail end of a majestic leatherback turtle. The sheer size of her bulk baffled me. What an animal! For the next hour we had the blessed privilege of watching this pre-historic animal dig a hole and finally lay her first set of eggs of the season. She would scoop sand out with her hind fins and then compact the sand around the extraction point. The first bunch of eggs were guided into the +- 1metre deep hole with her fin, making sure that they don’t take too deep of a plunge. Soon enough it looked like she was ending the laying process. We decided that it was the right time to leave her in peace and continue our adventure up the Maputaland beach.

Phinda is without a doubt one of the best safari destinations Africa has to offer. But what sets it apart from any other is its diversity. Where else can a guest follow lions on a hunt and mere hours later sit next to the biggest turtle on earth while it’s laying its eggs? Do you need any further motivation to come experience Phinda for yourself in the next while? I think not!

Posted: Phinda by Jacques-Pierre Joubert, Date: 7 November 2011