Few studies document mortality rates for hatchling seaturtles during their migration away from the nesting beach. Our study quantified and compared nearshore predation rates on Loggerhead Seaturtle hatchlings (Caretta caretta) at three locations in southern Florida. Hatchlings were followed by observers in kayaks during the first 15 min of the migration away from the beach. The overall observed predation level (4.6% of 240 turtles) is similar to a published estimate (5%) from a natural high density Florida nesting beach, and much lower than recorded at a hatchery site (34%). Predation rates were higher on Florida's southeast coast than the southwest coast. Predation on the southeast coast increased toward the end of the hatching season (August/September), but not on the west coast. We attribute differences in the predation rates to several potentially related factors including hatchling orientation, water depth and bottom structures (reef), coast-specific fish assemblages, fish movement patterns, and water clarity. We conclude that nearshore hatchling mortality rates, while low during the relatively brief swim to deeper water, may be sufficient to select for rapid dispersal away from Florida's shallow nearshore waters. If hatchlings remain in nearshore waters, predation levels may become high, as we observed when misoriented hatchlings failed to quickly distance themselves to deeper waters farther from shore.