When I first saw the reference photo for these baby sea turtles, I was instantly transported back to childhood. We used to race to a destination, laughing and shouting, “Last one in is a rotten egg!”

Of course, these little turtles aren’t playing a game. They’re racing toward the safety of the ocean, where every step gives them a better chance of survival.

Even so, I couldn’t help but smile. It almost looks as if they’re nudging one another aside, each one determined to be first across the finish line.

The title Last One In was my playful nod to a childhood memory. Nature provided the race. My imagination filled in the rest.

Scientists estimate that just one in 1,000 to one in 10,000 sea-turtle hatchlings survives to adulthood.