Confession: a working vacation quickly turned into simply a vacation; but I did find some meaningful projects while I was there, like doing attendant duty at a turtle rescue beach. The rescue run by Tortugueros Las Playitas trained my friend to supervise and inspect the nests while the eggs incubated. I went along to help pass the long day at the beach while the eggs hatched. The new hatchlings were leatherbacks, so they were released after the sun went down.
After a very long drive on a sunbaked dirt road, we arrived to a more rugged road and this sign designating the turtle camp.
The beach appears over an arid dessert landscape.
Hatchlings from earlier in the morning waiting for the sun to go down.
A new hatchling finds his way up through the sandy nest.
The distinctive markings on the bottom of the turtle identify it as a leatherback. If it is a male, it will live the rest of its life in water, never returning to land. If it is a female it will return to this same beach to lay eggs.
New turtles are identified by the markings on their underside.
After sunset, two turtles from a different day's outing were released. One's run to the ocean was quite swift while the other approached more slowly.
It was pretty amazing to watch the turtles being folded into the water and to think of their long journey and life before them.
A truly unique and amazing experience. Thanks to my friends for letting me join them.
5 comments:
Welcome home, Joseph! The next time that you go on a trip, we'll need more details about the date of your return. I was seriously starting to get worried about you!
As for the leatherback turtles - aren't they amazing. I remember watching the females struggle onto the beach when we lived in Trinidad. The whole process is so arduous and the odds are so stacked against the baby turtles that it's incredible that any of them survive. I'm glad that you were there to help them along.
Very jealous Joseph. What a great thing to do. Great photos as well.
Hi Joseph,
First time posting on your site, introduced via Mary Kay.
Just had my first outing with my 9yo "little brother" (Big Brothers, Big Sisters program here in Boston), and shared these photos with him, as he keeps two pet turtles.
He loved the photos. This "story" now has legs! Thanks for sharing this wonderful experience.
Peter (Friends in Boston)
Peter, thanks for sharing the story with your little brother. That makes is more special for me. My 11 year old niece and nephew also have turtles, although properly they are tortoises I believe.
I've said to friends since returning, this is the closest I'll get to childbirth and understand how emotional that would be. it was simply a great experience of life.
I have done this many, many times...first as a child in Cuba, Varadero Beach is where they come to hatch, and later when I lived in Key Biscayne Fla. It is an amazing experience, happy and sad at the same time.
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