Since pretty much everywhere you look in New Smyrna Beach there is water, the area is basically an aquatic playground for everything fishy; and it’s not just our surplus of varied species of fish we love in New Smyrna Beach. One of the things we are very passionate about in New Smyrna Beach is our sea turtle population. 

There are so many great reasons to visit New Smyrna Beach, and our beloved sea turtles feel that way too. Hundreds of sea turtles emerge from the sea each year from May through October to nest and lay their eggs on our beaches.  

Sea turtles have existed since prehistoric times. These amazing sea creatures spend their lives at sea returning only to nest, and can live approximately 80 years. 

These treasured turtles don’t reach sexual maturity until later in life and, although they mate yearly, sea turtles only lay eggs every couple of years. The sea turtle female will typically construct three to seven nests, approximately two weeks apart for a period of a few months. Sea turtles dig a nest with their rear flippers, where they then lay their grouping of eggs which can be as large as 100 to 125 eggs!

As soon as they lay their eggs and cover the nests, sea turtles return to the ocean. Then, believe it or not, the sex of the sea turtles is determined by the sand temperature. Male sea turtles are produced in cooler sand and females prefer warmer sand. When the new sea turtles hatch, they will make their arduous trek across the beach to their new ocean home.  Graceful swimmers, sea turtles are deep divers and they can remain underwater for hours.