On Friday night 22nd Sept. 2006 the Rosslare Harbour lifeboat, whilst out on exercise, reported a large turtle floating upside down at Splaugh rock, about 2 miles from Rosslare port.
The lifeboat was unable to identify the turtle as it was engaged in an exercise with the IMES helicopter, but the carcass proceeded to strand at high tide at Ballytrent beach some 2 km south of original observed location, on the next high tide on Sunday morning.
Local IWDG members were alerted and attended to the scene and the turtle, though severly emaciated, and bereft of its carapice measured 2.15 metres in length and 1.37m in girth and had been dead for some time in the water.
One could only stand in awe and wonder at such a beautiful, gentle creature, so humbling and indeed, at the mercy of our whims.
Mac