ABC News

Move over Happy Feet, here comes Myrtle the Turtle.

You may have heard about the wayward emperor penguin discovered washed ashore on a New Zealand beach in June, nursed back to health at a nearby zoo and released back into the wild this month.

But, two years earlier, thousands of miles away here in the United States, a sea turtle was going through the same thing, found washed ashore on a beach in Washington state and recuperated back to good health.

This turtle became known as “Myrtle the Turtle,” and her story is no less amazing.  In Myrtle’s case, the experts at Sea World of San Diego became her caretakers, nursing her back to recovery from the cold wave of water that knocked her off track, left her nearly paralyzed and put her life in danger.

Twenty months later, 30 pounds heavier and with her fluids and body temperature stabilized, Myrtle was ready to return home, on her own.

“Good Morning America” special contributor Cameron Mathison traveled with the Sea World crew as they headed 10 miles west of San Diego to return Myrtle to the sea.

Watch the amazing video.

While Happy Feet appears to have lost his way yet again, Myrtle is well on her way back to her normal habitat.

The latest tracking information from Sea World shows Myrtle is now about 300 miles southeast of San Diego, averaging a speedy 20 miles per day since her release.

This is one tortoise who just may beat the hare.