Hey everyone, I’m Krysta, representing my hometown of Anna Maria Island and my friends at Hurricane Hanks! Along with the AMI Turtle Watch, I have quite a crew working to make sure the local beaches are safe for turtles like me to come up and nest. I’ll be giving it my all in the race portion, and back home, my team plans to educate locals and visitors about beach erosion. Almost half of Florida’s nesting beaches are critically eroded, which is bad news for turtles like me who need sandy beaches to lay our eggs. Here on Anna Maria Island, serious coastal erosion has been caused by recent hurricanes. Beach re-nourishment is the primary strategy to combat coastal erosion in Florida. While this can help, it must be carried out correctly and under strict guidelines that ensure the "new beach" is compatible for successful nesting. The AMI Turtle Watch will be keeping a close eye on things at home in Florida, so I think it’s about time for me to put my flippers to the water and speed on out of here!

Krysta was named in honor of Krysta Palardy, a former Hurricane Hanks team member who tragically passed away last year. In honor of a mother’s love, this turtle will bring new life into this world.

I was named by my Sponsor, Hurricane Hanks. Check out my marathon migration map, where you can follow along as I swim to raise awareness about the threat of Beach Erosion to sea turtles. Please help me raise awareness about my cause by supporting me!

Learn more about loggerhead sea turtles.