Green Scene Blog - National Geographic Kids

GreenScene blog is all about being green--tips on helping animals, saving water, recycling stuff, re-using things in new ways, and conserving energy. It's all about what you can do and what other people are doing to take care of the planet.

Backspacer

Turtle Name: Backspacer (Female)
Length: 150.5 cm (5 ft)
Width: 113 cm (3 ft 9 in)
Weight: 375 kg (825 lbs)

Backspacer Turtle Illustration

Illustration: Chris Rooney

Sponsor: Pearl Jam
Coach: Eric Shanteau

Backspacer has a lot on her mind. She joined the Race for the sake of the journey, to take to the road and to think about where she's been and where she's headed next. She started the Race from the most northerly point of any of her competitors, deep in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Backspacer's sponsors, the legendary rock band Pearl Jam, are hoping that she can win the Race and find her way home in time for the release of their new album in the Fall!

Eric Shanteau photo

Backspacer's coach, Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau, has been helping her to focus on moving ahead and taking deep breaths during her long sojourn south.

MEET NEXT TURTLE: Billy

Go to the Great Turtle Race map.

Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images