image: GSTC
The Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles that were rescued from freezing Cape Cod waters last winter with the help of volunteer general aviation pilots are now ready to return to the sea, and the airlift organizers haven’t forgotten their GA supporters. “In celebration of the turtles’ release, on May 16, GA pilots are invited to fly in to the Jekyll Island Airport (09J) to visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center free of charge,” said airlift organizer Leslie Weinstein. The pilots and their families will be welcomed by the staff and invited to join in the Turtle Crawl celebration at 5:30 p.m., when the recovered turtles are released back into the wild.
More than 1,000 turtles were stranded on Massachusetts beaches last winter, overwhelming the capacity of local zoos and aquariums. GA pilots pitched in to transport the turtles to marine labs and rehab centers around the country. “It may be the largest airlift ever to save endangered animals,” says Weinstein. Pilots who’d like more information about the airport or the fly-in can contact airport manager Rich Van Iderstyne, or send an email to Weinstein.
