Waves of Wonder

A Milestone… and an Idea

2025 was upon us… and Amy Balarin was due to turn 27 years old. As always, she had an epic idea for a birthday weekend. We had been in Ponta Malongane in Mozambique just shy of 2 months earlier, with a small group where we were lucky enough to witness some leatherback turtles laying their eggs.

This sparked an idea for Amy: we needed to complete the circle and see the babies hatch. So plans were made, we would drive up the coast to Kosi Bay (just South of the Mozambican border) for the weekend. Our mission… find the baby turtles.

You know you have cool friends when they’re game to drive 5 hours just to spend 2 nights at a campsite in scorching heat, flooded with mosquitoes and no electricity so that you MIGHT see some baby turtles.

The Journey

We made our way up in two cars to Bhanga Nek campsite. Most of the group left early on Friday while Sam, Justine and I had some work to finish up before heading out. We arrived as it was getting dark and finding the rest of the group amid the dense tropical forest was proving to be a challenge.

So - as any normal person would, I rolled down the window and let out a loud “ka ka!”. A moment of silence followed… until out of the night, we heard a distinct “ka ka!” in response, which helped us locate the campsite.

That evening, the boys got the braai going on our small fire while us girls sat under the gazebo, catching up and buzzing with excitement in anticipation for the following nights turtle adventure.

Campsite Chaos

Sleep was restless - disturbed by the mosquitoes, heat and then Sam and I had to wake up and quickly put our rain cover onto the small 2-man tent when it started raining in the early hours of the morning. But the discomfort was quickly forgotten the following morning as we sipped coffee and nibbled on the turtle-shaped cake made by Sam. Slightly creepy looking – but a thoughtful gesture and tasted great nonetheless.

After a light breakfast, we were off to the beach for a morning swim. We swam about 300m out, diving deep down with goggles to explore the ocean bed below. The water was a clear, sparkling blue colour, as we bobbed in the gentle swells, up and down, feeling like we could stay like that forever.

We found a piece of loose coral that became a sort of underwater ball in a made-up game, where the goal of the game was to race to the falling coral before it hit the ground, swim it back to the top, and then throw it down again.

We eventually managed to tear ourselves away from the ocean and headed back to our camp. Finally, after some card games and a few too many snacks, we had an outing.

A Special Visit

Cassy Balarin, who works for a surf clothing company called O’Neil, had organized to meet up with a local non-profit which was supported by the brand. We piled into Mike and Shans’ car and headed over.

“Touching lives” is an organization which provides resources and education for the local community, with a strong emphasis on environmental stewardship and community upliftment. The volunteers welcomed us, informing us of the impact they have, and we had the pleasure of meeting some of the children that benefit from this wonderful project.

After some tea, coffee and ouma rusks, we played jump rope with the kids, laughing as we took turns swinging the rope for the kiddos to enjoy. We left there with full hearts, encouraged by the good work being done, feeling hopeful for the future.

Back at the camp, a few of us girls decided to head back to the beach for a dip. We had a jol, splashing around in the rough waves, with the occasional dunking. The tide began to pick up, getting rougher with each passing wave, so we decided to call it a day and headed back.

The Moment We’d all Been Waiting For

That evening was the main event... we had booked with a guide company to take us in search of baby turtles. There are no guarantees - sometimes none are found, but our hopes were high nonetheless as we plodded along the beach.

The sun set over the tropical forest and dunes to our left, while Sam kept the group entertained as she frantically chased crabs, running between strangers and falling to the ground periodically to capture the unsuspecting creatures.

We walked for what felt like hours, hopes dwindling with each step, when one of the girls spotted some lights in the distance… “TURTLES!!!”. We sprinted over, unable to contain our excitement.

We kneeled on the sand as we marvelled at the tiny hatchlings making their way towards the crashing waves, using red light as to not confuse them. I was amazed. They are such small, fragile creatures, but they have fierce determination to reach the sea. From hatching underground, digging to the surface, and then crossing a treacherous beach full of predators — their perseverance was breathtaking. Watching them shuffle over dunes that must have felt like mountains, toward the vast unknown ocean, was an honour.

After a good while, it seemed that all the little guys from the nest had found their way to the water. We were satisfied with our sighting and were ready to begin the walk home, but we saw some more red light in the distance toward the peninsula… more turtles!! We informed our guides and began running toward the light along the long stretch of beach. We underestimated the distance, running hard with burning legs and pounding hearts, but the reward was worth it: another wave of hatchlings spilling across the sand toward the surf.

Moonlit Reflections

When the last little one had reached the sea, we began the long walk home. The full moon reflected off the ocean, creating an eerie, mysterious atmosphere.

I was in awe as I thought of God's creation, how he made this wonderful place for us to enjoy and admire. The thought of the near impossible odds that the little hatchlings were faced with left me hoping that they would overcome the many obstacles they could surely face and survive into adulthood. I felt honoured to have been able to bear witness to the beginning of their journey, and to give them a good sendoff.

Some Turtle Trivia

Since that trip, I’ve done some research, and my admiration has only grown.

• Females lay 50–200 eggs per nest, of which 80–90% hatch.

• Under natural conditions, 50–60% of hatchlings die before reaching the ocean due to crabs, birds, and other predators.

• Those that make it to sea face the mysterious “lost years” — drifting in currents, feeding, and often starving or being eaten. Only 0.1–0.2% survive to become juveniles.

• Juveniles spend 10–30 years growing before reaching maturity, when survival rates improve.

• And here’s the most mind-blowing part: female turtles return to the same stretch of sand where they hatched, navigating thousands of miles using Earth’s magnetic field like a GPS.

Imagine finding your way back to the hospital bed where you were born — with no map, no signs, no clues. It’s incredible!

A Weekend for the Books

After our moonlit turtle send-off, we collapsed into our beds, only to be woken again by a summer storm. On Sunday morning, after a hearty breakfast and a sandy pack-up, we reluctantly tore ourselves away from camp and began the journey home. We explored some of the lesser-traveled roads on our way home which made for some exciting 4x4 adventuring.

It was a magical weekend, spent celebrating a wonderful friend and experiencing a natural wonder that few people ever do. We were reminded of the wonders of God's creation and met some incredible people along the way.

It goes to show that you don’t need to travel overseas to have extraordinary experiences. Awe-inspiring wonders surround us daily. I truly believe we were created to be in awe — of life, of creation, of God. Yet too often, we rush past the miracles around us.

All it takes is to slow down, look, and listen. God longs to speak in ways we don’t expect. One of my favorite quotes says:

“God spoke to me today using flowers, and I, who was waiting on words, almost missed it.”

Take Home Message

So… the challenge. Slow down. Look around. Listen carefully. Be in awe.