got the bus up from san jose to bataan for some turtle conservation at la tortuga feliz. thought i would lose the beard while we were waiting for our taxi, and to be fair i did only say beard so the bloke was shaping to leave the mo on which looked pretty stupid so we had to have another chat and it all worked out, and he didnt even want any money for it!
took a taxi then a boat to the project which is out on an island not real close to civilisation. were going down a narrow river at the start literally bumping off the sides til we got out into something bigger.
were really lucky on our first afternoon there when, between orientation talks we got to see a heap of fairly rare hawksbill hatchlings being released. it is awesome to see their little flippers flapping around as they struggled into the sea.
didnt have a shift the first night as we were evacuated up the river to a a hotel as hurricane dean had done a bit of damage a week or two before and they were afraid that hurricane felix would do the same. so we all went off at night in our boat with big spotlights to the hotel and drank beer in a very random little bar. also didnt have to walk the next night as there was apparently a party somewhere so my guide didnt show up.
looking back, the next 2 weeks seem like one long day. full of long 15km return walks down the soft black sand beach searching for turtles to make sure the poachers (who lived next door and all down the road) didnt kill them and take all the eggs (prob did 80km+ mostly at night tripping over logs and avoiding rogue waves - these two can be easily combined for efficient pain and discomfort); and long hours at the archery (the sound i heard with a quebec native says hatchery) waiting for eggs to hatch (released about 200 hatchlings overall and had 92 erupt on me about 2am one morning which was pretty manic-they were a hive of activity about 3 inches deep at the bottom of the nest). i never tire of watching them struggle across the sand into the sea, and i love when they get a few metres out then pop their little heads up to take a look around before disapperaing off into the currents for 10-15 years.
and doing nest exhumations to see why the eggs didnt hatch-you get yourself a very festive smell when you cut the eggs open to see what is wrong with them, especially when they didnt hatch because of some bacteria. there is not much that compares to a hole full of unhatched turtles eggs, maggots etc but rotten coconuts probably come close
some good beach volleyball and body surfing in the warm caribbean, just had to be careful of the very strong rip sweeping you out the waiting bull sharks.
got used to sand EVERYWHERE and sleep deprivation as most shifts were at night and by 8am it was too hot to sleep in the cabins, but then you could more to the hammocks where i did a lot of quality time. did get rudely interrupted one day by our gardener who has been an alcoholic since he was 8 and goes on a bender after every pay day and goes around posturing (he is a gay former showgirl from san jose. serious) and yabbering on in a heap of languages no one can understand. is actually very entertaining as long as he isnt talking to you.
also went down the local bar but they werent as funny as him.
had had heaps of litlins but had to wait until my last night for my first big mama digging, laying eggs touch the shell, flippers etc experience which was awesome. the shell was so smooth and beneath the skin felt like a rubbery custard sponge cake sort of ensemble. hard to describe. was absolutely rapt though because most other people had seen one and i didnt want to leave without doing the same
the project kind of reminded me of an amish/hippy commune where everyone helps out with everything, think 'the beach'. back to basics, solar power etc. except for me, all european or north american including a dutch guy who did some woofing at lorinna! what are the chances, half the people in tasmania wouldnt know where lorinna is. all pretty funny which resulted in my ADHD self coming to play. bit nostalgic leaving my boots there after 10 happy years together, but it was time to let them rest.
was a great place to relax and if there was a little less of the stealth mosquitos, sand flies, blistering hot black sand and dogs that spend their ENTIRE lives either sleeping or barking, mostly barking; it would have been even better.
would definetly recommend for people who need to escape their stress filled lives, check it out www.latortugafeliz.com
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