Leatherback turtle nearly six feet long saved off Tenby

The huge creature, measuring nearly six feet long, was released from the rope of a sailing buoy it was dragging out at sea from Tenby this week.

It is thought to have swum towards shore in the hope of feeding on jellyfish, and spotted the buoy and its rope, thinking it was a jellyfish and its tendrils.

Thanks to the prompt action of Tenby Sailing Club race officers Peter Randles and Dewi Jackson last Tuesday, July 16, the creature was far more fortunate than some of the other leatherbacks who have visited the area.

According to British & Irish Turtle Database manager, Rod Penrose: ”We've have had a few drown in Carmarthen Bay, entangling themselves in whelk pot ropes, and as a result get held mid-water and drown."

Peter and Dewi were out from Tenby in the sailing club rigid inflatable, following a competitive sail, when they sighted the leatherback.

“We were surprised by what appeared to be the windward mark being dragged away by something underwater,” said Peter.

“On getting closer, we initially thought it was a large seal playing with the buoy and line, but then were startled by a surfacing adult leatherback turtle, measuring some 1.8 meters long and flippers equally long - one of which seemed to be caught into the buoy wire.

The turtle was dragging a concrete-weighted buoy, eight metres of rope and a two metre chain and anchor.  Image: Peter Randles“The turtle was dragging the buoy and we assumed the turtle had bitten through the anchor rope, so decided we needed to find a way to free the creature.”

They followed the buoy as it headed out to sea beyond St Catherine’s Island towards the Woolhouse Rocks, and then carefully approached it.

Peter continued: “I managed to take hold of the buoy mast and could then see the turtle was not trapped, so slowly released the creature from the rope and the turtle then swam off.”

The turtle was swimming out towards the Woolhouse Rocks, out to sea from St Catherine's Island. (Image: Lucy Paice)

This leatherback was certainly a strong creature as it managed to swim while dragging the concrete-weighted buoy, eight metres of rope and a two metre chain and anchor.

Leatherback turtles, which can live for up to 50 years, can come to waters in warmer weather to feed off jellyfish.

Last September, a 'massive' one was spotted four miles out from the coast at Tenby. 

As they are an endangered species, Peter and Dewi reported their sighting to the British & Irish Turtle Database.

Manager, Rod Penrose, thanked them for the report and confirmed: “Leatherbacks appear to deliberately entangle themselves in rope or lines, we believe they think they might be jellyfish tendrils and draw in the buoy thinking it’s the body of the jellyfish.”