In which I meet the Leviathan
Moderator: Scott Waters
In which I meet the Leviathan
This past weekend I took a whale-watching trip out of Montauk, Long Island in the hopes of seeing some cool seabirds (we did - 3 species of shearwater, 2 new for me) and maybe some whales (we didn't). This post isn't about seabirds or whales. On the way back in towards shore after almost 6 hours at sea, with everyone feeling pretty burnt-out, us birders were still clinging to hope at the bow for some last chances at maybe a storm-petrel or jaeger. We spotted something odd surface dead ahead, and called out to the guides. The engines were cut and we angled to drift alongside the surfacing monstrosity...
What lurks below the surface ahead? Surely not another damn dolphin...
Thar she blows! Wait that's not a mammal HOLY SH*! SEATURTLE ITS A LEATHERBACK!!! (approximate transcription of the pandemonium erupting on the bow deck)
This enormous leviathan of a turtle floated calmly just off starboard as everyone aboard took 20 million photos, taking a few deep breaths before disappeared below the waves, never to be seen again. Just ten minutes later we spotted another, smaller individual at a greater distance, but it dove before we could approach closer. This is easily the coolest herp I've ever seen in the wild.
What lurks below the surface ahead? Surely not another damn dolphin...
Thar she blows! Wait that's not a mammal HOLY SH*! SEATURTLE ITS A LEATHERBACK!!! (approximate transcription of the pandemonium erupting on the bow deck)
This enormous leviathan of a turtle floated calmly just off starboard as everyone aboard took 20 million photos, taking a few deep breaths before disappeared below the waves, never to be seen again. Just ten minutes later we spotted another, smaller individual at a greater distance, but it dove before we could approach closer. This is easily the coolest herp I've ever seen in the wild.
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
This is probably the coolest herp in the world! I have them at the highest spot on my list. Congrats for such a cool site.
- Andy Avram
- Posts: 897
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 10:37 am
- Location: NE Ohio
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
An all-time herp for me to see one day in the wild. And out at sea! Awesome.
Andy
Andy
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Wow. I doubt I'll ever see one of these in the wild.
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
WOW! That is incredible! And those pics came out really nice...it just looks massive!
- Mike Pingleton
- Posts: 1471
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:45 am
- Location: One of the boys from Illinois
- Contact:
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
thunderation! wow!
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
So AWESOME..
You got some good photos too. I have had troubles getting a good picture like yours of sea turtles.
Congrats
Fundad
You got some good photos too. I have had troubles getting a good picture like yours of sea turtles.
Congrats
Fundad
- klawnskale
- Posts: 1211
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:09 pm
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
That is terrific! What a gift Nature gave you! Aren't these critically endangered?
- Russ_Jones
- Posts: 100
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:00 am
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
A wicked sighting! I was fortunate to have observed them nesting in Trinidad, one particulalry large one had managed to flip itself onto its back while trying to climb a downed palm tree. It took 3 men and a long 2x6 to flip it back onto its belly. I have pics, I'll post them when I find em'! Great shots dude
Russ
Russ
- Tim Borski
- Posts: 1855
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:28 am
- Location: FL Keys
- Contact:
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Wow, Those shots are awesome!! Congrats on a great and seldomly encountered animal. I've seen a half dozen or so over the years and all were well beyond sight of land...which made the encounters even more intruiging.
Thanks for sharing.
Tim
Thanks for sharing.
Tim
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Unbelievable. second time today someone from that pelagic trip has (to use birder terminology) gripped me off by posting shots of that turtle provoking insane jealousy. Corey - is that you??
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Thanks, all
Nope, I'm the 'derelict with degree' Nick that joined him for this adventure.
tai haku wrote:Unbelievable. second time today someone from that pelagic trip has (to use birder terminology) gripped me off by posting shots of that turtle provoking insane jealousy. Corey - is that you??
Nope, I'm the 'derelict with degree' Nick that joined him for this adventure.
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
I've seen one nesting. Personally I think your experience was much cooler though. Awesome find/pics.
- Mike VanValen
- Posts: 2074
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:41 pm
- Location: Connecticut
- Contact:
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Coolest, and often considered the largest, reptile in the world. Was it feeding on Jellyfish at the surface?
- Oh Brother
- Posts: 19
- Joined: June 29th, 2010, 10:08 am
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
NOT what I was expecting.
Oh Brother
Oh Brother
-
- Posts: 2288
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:52 pm
- Location: Amarillo, Texas
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
wowowow. That's insane.
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
I agree with the others, the Leatherback must be one of the top 10 coolest herps in the world. Anyone can see one at a known nesting beach, but to find one at sea - WOW!
Throw in a few seabird photos and this would be the perfect post!
Throw in a few seabird photos and this would be the perfect post!
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
No, it dove out of sight, and we circled around looking for it. We did see one jellyfish on the surface. I want to say this was in 100-150ft of water.Mike VanValen wrote:Was it feeding on Jellyfish at the surface?
I haven't uploaded my other trip photos yet, but Corey's are better anyways:chrish wrote:Throw in a few seabird photos and this would be the perfect post!
http://10000birds.com/im-on-a-boat-pela ... ontauk.htm
-
- Posts: 104
- Joined: June 16th, 2010, 5:50 pm
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
One of the best posts in the history of the forum. Thanks a lot and great photos (which were probably not that easy to get!).
John
John
- SnakeStick
- Posts: 355
- Joined: August 18th, 2010, 5:35 pm
- Location: Hilton Head Island, South Cackalacky
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
That's awesome, what a sight. To think that these things can grow to weigh a ton. Beasttttt. I live in a hotspot for nesting Loggerheads, they are a spectacular sight but not near the size of these gargantuans.
- Hans Breuer (twoton)
- Posts: 3230
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 3:19 am
- Location: Kuching, Sarawak (Borneo)
- Contact:
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
What an awesome animal. Congratulations!
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Way cool.
And as someone else said, not what I was expecting at all. When I started reading from the top I thought this was going to be a really off-topic post about whales and seabirds. In my world (with the exception of a couple of albatross species) 'cool seabird' is an oxymoron. Then I saw the photos of the leatherback. Way WAY cool
And as someone else said, not what I was expecting at all. When I started reading from the top I thought this was going to be a really off-topic post about whales and seabirds. In my world (with the exception of a couple of albatross species) 'cool seabird' is an oxymoron. Then I saw the photos of the leatherback. Way WAY cool
- Curtis Hart
- Posts: 595
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:07 pm
- Location: Hillsdale County, Michigan
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
I was on 4 Whale watch trips in the past week, with hopes of seeing one of those in the back of my mind. I'm glad someone did and got great pictures. I did see a heap of whales though, Northern Rights, Humpbacks, Minkes, Fins, and Belugas.
- TNWJackson
- Posts: 277
- Joined: June 22nd, 2010, 10:48 pm
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
That is exceptionally cool, I'd love to see one of those guys. As for them being the largest reptile in the world, I'm pretty sure the largest indo-pacific crocodiles (over 1.2 metric tonnes) recorded would have to take that award, but that doesn't make leatherbacks any less awesome. I would guess they have the widest distribution of any reptile in the world though? Endothermy is a pretty cool trait for a reptile to possess too.
-
- Posts: 138
- Joined: June 27th, 2010, 3:42 pm
- Location: Everywhere USA
- Contact:
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Amazing, simply incredible!
DBD
DBD
-
- Posts: 160
- Joined: August 30th, 2010, 11:39 am
- Location: East Coast
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
freakin awesome! I really like the last couple shots in particular. Just how big (roughly) was it?
-Will
-Will
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Awesome.
- Christopher
- Posts: 140
- Joined: June 22nd, 2010, 8:53 pm
- Location: SFL
- Contact:
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Great end to a boat trip!! Congrats, must have been awesome!
-
- Posts: 285
- Joined: June 9th, 2010, 8:15 pm
- Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Fl
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
I can't help but thinking how big of a plastic palm tree that guy would need.
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
awesome encounter, leatherbacks are my favorite turtles by far and definitely on my list of herps to see before i die
- Curtis Hart
- Posts: 595
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:07 pm
- Location: Hillsdale County, Michigan
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
I have been coming back to this page several times a day since it's been up. I'm still in awe of the great pictures you got.
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
All I did was stick my point-and-shoot through the railings and take a few snaps while trying not to be trampled by whale-watchers. It was hard to take pictures at all when all I wanted was to stare.John Williams wrote:One of the best posts in the history of the forum. Thanks a lot and great photos (which were probably not that easy to get!)
I'm pretty sure I could've jumped on its back and ridden it around. I'm also pretty sure I could've ridden it into this battle and won.will lattea wrote:Just how big (roughly) was it?
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
You really gotta watch giving out the locality data...
While I've never seen one I heard they are relatively common on the south shore that far out on the Island.
The photos you got are fantastic... suggestion... make sure you back them up well.
While I've never seen one I heard they are relatively common on the south shore that far out on the Island.
The photos you got are fantastic... suggestion... make sure you back them up well.
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Phileas-
Jules Verne would be proud both of your adventure and the title of your post!
I went on two whale watching journeys off Massachusetts and only saw a few Minke whales. The next year I went on a fishing party boat and saw Minkes, 5 humpbacks, humpbacks breaching, basking sharks, puffins, shearwaters, storm petrels, and one possible blue whale. I too always kept the possibility of seeing a leatherback in the back of my mind, but I was not rewarded.
Very nice post. Thanks for sharing!
Dan
PS What locality data? I assume that was a joke? If so, funny. If not, dude, relax.
Jules Verne would be proud both of your adventure and the title of your post!
I went on two whale watching journeys off Massachusetts and only saw a few Minke whales. The next year I went on a fishing party boat and saw Minkes, 5 humpbacks, humpbacks breaching, basking sharks, puffins, shearwaters, storm petrels, and one possible blue whale. I too always kept the possibility of seeing a leatherback in the back of my mind, but I was not rewarded.
Very nice post. Thanks for sharing!
Dan
PS What locality data? I assume that was a joke? If so, funny. If not, dude, relax.
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
You can't get any more specific than Montauk... you gotta watch those unsavory poachers who's just going to collect and put the little thing in a tank...
(yea... it was an attempt at humor)
(yea... it was an attempt at humor)
Herp Ninja wrote:Phileas-
Jules Verne would be proud both of your adventure and the title of your post!
I went on two whale watching journeys off Massachusetts and only saw a few Minke whales. The next year I went on a fishing party boat and saw Minkes, 5 humpbacks, humpbacks breaching, basking sharks, puffins, shearwaters, storm petrels, and one possible blue whale. I too always kept the possibility of seeing a leatherback in the back of my mind, but I was not rewarded.
Very nice post. Thanks for sharing!
Dan
PS What locality data? I assume that was a joke? If so, funny. If not, dude, relax.
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Phew! I hate texting/emails. It is so hard to make your intentions clear sometimes. After reading this post I began construction on a 10 million gallon tank to house my new leatherback. Now I just need to find a jellyfish supplier that won't gouge the hell out of me.
Dan
Dan
- Bill Love
- Posts: 169
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 7:33 pm
- Location: Apache Junction (near Phoenix), Arizona
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Just had to add my congrats for a cool find. Nice shots too!
-
- Posts: 2288
- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:52 pm
- Location: Amarillo, Texas
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Ninja: Contact me at 1-800-JELLY for the best price on jellyfish, drugs and more! We accept all major cards plus paypal.
I guess I'm right in assuming even zoos don't keep leatherbacks?
I guess I'm right in assuming even zoos don't keep leatherbacks?
- chris_mcmartin
- Posts: 2447
- Joined: June 9th, 2010, 12:13 am
- Location: Greater Houston TX Area
- Contact:
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
I am having nightmares of Bill Love's avatar talking very excitedly to me!Bill Love wrote:Just had to add my congrats for a cool find. Nice shots too!
- Berkeley Boone
- Posts: 878
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:02 am
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Very cool pics. I am extremely jealous.
You are correct. One or two researchers have had moderate success (well, that's an overstatement. I would more appropriately term it 'luck'!) keeping a few juveniles in some crazy enclosures while they were being studied. They just cannot be kept in captivity. Unfortunately! I wish some of the aquariums could house them!Paul White wrote:I guess I'm right in assuming even zoos don't keep leatherbacks?
- Cole Grover
- Posts: 746
- Joined: June 8th, 2010, 10:06 am
- Location: Montana
Re: In which I meet the Leviathan
Friggin' incredible! What an awesome thing to see.
-Cole
-Cole