Anyone ever see a sea turtle in CA?

[Chavodel8en]

So I read this article last week "Turtles & jellies returning to Monterey Bay"
Where'd the turtles and jellies go? Sea nettles and leatherbacks return to Monterey Bay

Ive seen the reports of lots of sea nettles. I dove Lobos l a week ago - I didn't see any nettles, but in the past Ive seen them so thick you had to constantly readjust your path to get through them. The turtles eat the jellies and the article makes it seem like its a significant return of leatherbacks. So now, of course, I hope to see one.

Im probably getting my hopes up. I just Wikipedia'd leatherbacks and I see that estimates are only 2,300 females in the entire eastern Pacific - from Canada to Panama. Probably more likely to meet the landlord underwater.

Ive never heard anyone mention seeing a turtle in CA? So,I pose the question -- has anyone run into a sea turtle -- any wild sea turtle in CA? If so, please report.

FYI - I got all geeked about seeing Humboldt squid when they came around a couple years ago (never saw any), and Im still got an eye out for the GPO that lives at Lobos.

 

[Trailboss123]

Have yet to see a turtle in CA. For GUARANTEED GPO sightings, head up to Washington State.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I have friends who have seen some turtles in SoCal. I haven't. There are videos of sightings on YouTube.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Have yet to see a turtle in CA. For GUARANTEED GPO sightings, head up to Washington State.

On my list. My in-laws moved to Seattle, so Ive got more impetus.

I have friends who have seen some turtles in SoCal. I haven't. There are videos of sightings on YouTube.

So you're telling me there's a chance

 

[MaxBottomtime]

There was a sea turtle in the San Joaquin River but I haven't heard of one near Monterey.

 

[CassieNYC]

I saw a turtle while snorkeling at La Jolla Shores last July just offshore from the Marine Room. My friends who have lived there for decades and have spent a lot of time in the water said that was a very unlikely (and lucky) sighting.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

 

[Rob Wilks]

I've seen a couple leatherbacks over the years off Santa Cruz. They were pretty far off shore. Saw one salmon fishing Soquel hole and another fishing albacore. There is a chance you'll see one if you keep looking.
Good luck in your search

 

[Sam Miller III]

I have seen two.

Many years ago prior to getting into the family -child production era of life my dive buddy Ron Merker (LA Co UW Instructor) and I had a standing date of diving on Thanksgiving morning while wives, mothers and grand mothers prepared a Thanksgiving feast .

One rather warm thanksgiving morning we were at Woods Cove in Laguna Beach, Snorkeling out to my reef ( Aka Millers reef) and we looked down and there was a hawksbill chomping away at to sea lettuce --totally oblivious that we were watching him. After a few moments it spotted us hovering above and he was southward bound- after burners full blast

We discussed where it had been all summer and was it on its way to Baja or a undiscovered Woods cove resident ?
We never found out .

The following summer we once again independently saw a Hawksbill at - as I recall -Eagle reef.

The same summer Al Carpenter (LA Co UW Instructor) saw one and captured it . He immediately took it over to Marine land which was in full operation and presented it to John Prescott (LA Co UW instructor) who was the first curator of Marineland.

The only document to Al's turtle is a picture and story in the Pacific Underwater news (PUN) a precursor to California Diving news (CDN) by about 15 or more years

PUN was an excellent news paper developed by an Orange County Register reporter- It was truly a great diving newspaper. Unfortunately it was too soon in the market place with too much material.

Oh! The dazzz of our dives, !

SDM

 

[drbill]

I've seen green turtles here off Catalina Island on occasion and one of our glassbottom boats observed FIVE of them at once over in Lover's Cove in Avalon. They have been seen in the dive park at Casino Point as well.