Sea Turtles on St. John

St. John is home to 3 species of sea turtles: green, hawksbill, and leatherback. Sea turtles can be found almost anywhere there is sea grass underwater around St. John, although Maho Bay is the most popular. Sea turtles spend their lives in water, traveling thousands of miles every year. Female sea turtles return to the same beach they were born to nest, the only time sea turtles are out of the water. Sea turtles will break the surface of the water to breath before descending back down to the sea bed for a snack.

Hawksbill sea turtles are the smallest, reaching about two feet in length and 100 pounds when fully mature. Green sea turtles are larger, reaching lengths of over 3 feet and weighing up to 500 pounds. Leatherback sea turtles are the largest, reaching up to 6 feet in length and weighing in at over 1000 pounds. While the chances of a baby turtle reaching maturity are slim, those who do can live 100 years or more.

If you want to swim with sea turtles, Windspree is the best resource for St. John Virgin Islands rentals. Windspree has managed Virgin Islands vacation rentals for over 30 years. Book your St. John vacation rental from people who live there and know the island best! For more information on Virgin Islands rentals and St. John USVI rentals, checkout Windspree.com and call or text (340)201-3002.