Esperanza made an appearance last night. A few days behind schedule.. but better late than never... Esperanza was the one we weren't sure would come back because she had such bad injuries around her flippers.Lucky I got to see her too.. I wasn't on patrol but I decided to go to the hatchery at midnight with Steph just in case a Baula showed up.. As soon as we were nearing the hatchery we saw the 3 red flashes that means "we've got a leatherback". Christine and Andre got to the Hatchery when we did and said she was pretty much gone... so I ran for it. Saw her just as she was making her way back to the water.
UNFORTUNATELY did not get a photo.. on account of very little moonlight and the crowd of foreigners standing around her.. tourons..
May have gotten a decent picture if conditions had been like the photo on the left... picture I took while messing around at the hatchery one night.
One girl didn't show up for her hatchery shift so I stayed with Steph until 4:30 am when she finally showed up.
Slept for about a half hour then started the day off at 5:45 with Gallo Pinto (rice and beans), juevos rancheros and Excavations! Digging up old Olive Ridley nests from the last Arribada... counting and opening the eggs to see how far along they got. Long, hot and smelly work... Was quite difficult getting the smell of rotting turtle embryo off my hands even with gloves on.
The Ticos treated us to coconuts that they climbed up to retrieve themselves and then I headed out for a day on the town in Guiones... A bit of shopping with the chicas and food... Icecream, beer, burgers!.. with bacon... simple treasures that you start to miss....
Patrolling at midnight.. so now I sleep... good night!
I'm loving your adventures!
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