Sea turtles

Man, how luck can you get. Had to be an awesome experience.
Jim

Looks like you have a great vacation!

Adrian

Love those little guys. One of my favorite creatures. Just a few weeks ago I was digging out a landscaping border for a woman that lives by a lake and I came across a nest of turtles. I dont know how they ever would of ever dug themselves out because the ground here at the time was like rock. The shells were all cracked open and I could see the turtles. They looked like they were ready to go. I kept them in the ground with soft dirt on them and the next day they were all gone with the shells on top of the dirt.

Brings back the memories. We visited Trinidad in June 2001, and at this time, it was near the end of the egg-laying season, and turtles from early in the season were already hatching out. They had thousands of vultures waiting for the babies to hatch so we tourists "helped" escort the babies of the night run to the sea. Here are the babies that hatched before dark, thus needed to be picked up by the guides:



Here's the one they let me "help" get safe to sea:



Much, much later, at full dark, a mother came in to lay eggs. You cannot use any light or flash until the mother turtle is already dug in safely and in the egg-laying trance, at which point she will not stop or be bothered by anything, and they do allow pictures and petting. Remember, it was full dark, no moon, before they said it was safe and turned on the light. I did not understand how big these turtles were, and I admit it...I screamed! They're as big as alligators, only thicker!





I was taking the photo. No way I was putting MY hand that close to that big head. But it was perfectly safe, and all went well. Not many people had digital cameras in those days, and the other couple in our group had a film camera. Their photos did not come out, so my pictures are floating around Scotland somewhere. :-) (Yes, we had a four person tour group. I don't know how we backed into that deal...blind luck, I guess. Also June is not the travel season for Trinidad.)

Good times. I appreciate the opportunity to reminisce! I wonder if it is the same species...Your babies look slimmer than ours. I think there are four species?

We are slowly finding out more about the turtles here, the language barrier is an issue. The Mexican government instituted regulations about the turtles a few years back. Apparently a lot of people were collecting them to sell on the black market, I'm assuming for food as I have no idea what else you would do with them. The staff from our hotel volunteer to help with this project and they are responsible for 1 km of beach. We are planning on getting up early one morning to help dig the eggs. We need to find the hotel security person assigned to patrol the beach tonight and ask him to call our room when one comes up.

Other than me getting a touch of Montezuma's revenge we are having a great time. Had to postpone our trip to zipline and cavern exploration until later in the week.

Tony, I don't know of any stones around here worthwhile. The Yucatan peninsula is mostly limestone. There is an empty lot next too us so I'll have to take a walk over there one day.

Thanks all.

Wow, what an experience!! Awesome to you were able to help the sea turtle babes.

Tony love the turtle pics you brought back some great old memories. I was on vacation in 82 when I heard about an older lady(aka the turtle lady) on the island we were staying on, She was rescuing hurt turtles and caring for them in her home. She just happened to live right down the street from where we were staying that year.She would dress the turtles and have shows to get donations to help care for them she was a true wonder, she had tanks in her back yard filled with sea turtles of all kinds that she took care of and loved. We went to see her and talk about her turtle friends every year for the following 12 years She was one of the most caring and wonderful humans I have ever met to this date, I hope there are a few more out there like her. www.seaturtleinc.org/turtle-lady.html
Peach front your turtles look to be leatherback turtles they are very large (the largest turtle on earth) Tony's are much smaller most likely green sea turtle or Kemp's ridley turtle all getting rare and endangered.
George
Love you lla miss you very much