Reflections …

I’ve been home for a few days, and have started to get back into my routine.  As I reflect upon my experience in Costa Rica and the Las Baulas National Park in Playa Grande, I feel blessed and grateful for the opportunity.  There are many people and organizations to thank, who have made this trip a success.

Firstly and foremost, thank you, Charlene (Mrs. T), for being willing to let me leave home for almost two weeks, while you take care of our home, son, and everything else!  You’re the BEST!

Thank you, Earthwatch Institute, for allowing me this second “opportunity of a lifetime”.  EW does an incredible job of organizing and coordinating conservation efforts such as mine around the world.

Thank you, Ahmanson Foundation, for funding my opportunity.  If Earthwatch is the engine, then the Ahmanson Foundation is the fuel that makes the engine go.

Thank you, Torrance Unified and Bert Lynn Middle School for your support and interest in my expedition.  My hope is that students realize through my Turtle Blog, Skype sessions, and stories afterwards, that science and engineering is not only cool, but can lead them to exciting careers around the world!

A special thank you to the Leatherback Trust and all the biologists on staff at the Goldring Gunn Marine Station, my home away from home for almost two weeks.  Jen, Lindsey, Erica, Erin, Hanlie, and Chelsea, you do an amazing job of taking care of the turtles, and us volunteers!

Thank you to my EW volunteer Team 9 members – Brian, Ewa, Lin, Jeanne, Anne, Petra, and Christie.  It was fun getting to know each other, swap stories, while sharing a common bond of wanting to save these magnificent creatures for our children to enjoy.

And a very special thank you to my Skype buddy and project manager, Julianne.  Your passion came through every time you explained something to us volunteers, as well as my students.  You are a great role model for young people everywhere.  Julianne, you are “da man”!

Howler Monkeys

There are many monkeys around the center in the trees, making noises in the morning and evening.  Even though these monkeys are only the size of a small dog, they make an EXTREMELY loud howl, in a very deep voice.  There’s one that particulary likes to literally hang around in low branches, waiting for one of us to feed it.

Birds of a feather

Yesterday afternoon we went birdwatching up a local estuary in a boat.  The birds here are beautifully colored but EXTREMELY well camouflaged.  Many times when are guide pointed out the various birds to us, we would ask, “Where?  Often the bird was just a few feet directly in front of us!  We even saw several well hidden crocodiles ranging from a couple of feet to what appeared to be many, many feet!

Can you find the croc?

Excavating Nests

After hatchlings emerge from a nest, we revisit the nest the next day to find out how successful the nest was in terms of what percentage of the eggs hatched.  The egg shells are counted, including any unhatched eggs.  Any unhatched eggs are opened to determine what stage of development the eggs are when they terminated.  These are obviously some of the ones not saved.  Sigh …

Hatchling that died inches from surface

 

Skype Sessions

On Monday and Wednesday I Skyped into our classroom during periods 4 and 5, and lunch, for those who wanted to be closer to the Costa Rica experience.  The biologist staff who participated had a blast talking with our Bert Lynn students, and answering questions.  We had guest appearances by several Leatherback and Ridley hatchlings.  On Wednesday Mrs. T even showed up in class!

Turtle belly button!

Kike’s

Every morning at 11am all 15 of us (yes, 15) cram into a minivan and drive a short distance to Kike’s, the local restaurant, watering hole, and all purpose hang-out.  . Kike is the mayor (not sure if it’s official) of Playa Grande, the town we’re in.  He and his wife own the restaurant.  As with many owners, they also both take our orders and serve us our meals.

We have our daytime meal, which is breakfast.  Then at 6pm we repeat the process for dinner.  Can anyone guess as to why we all eat breakfast together so late in the morning?  Hint – think strange schedules and sleep habits.

All of us at breakfast – Hola!

Breaksfast is typically like what we might have at home – eggs, bacon/ham, toast, rice and beans.  Most of the fruit they serve is fresh, grown locally – yumm!  Dinners are typical Costa Rican – chicken, more rice and beans, fresh veggies, and yes, cheese and pepperoni pizza!  And with each meal they serve us a fresh fruit drink blended with milk or chilled water – yah!

 

Anybody know what that star-shaped fruit is and what it tastes like?

More hatchlings saved!

Here are some more hatchlings we discovered … and saved!  They were the last of a nest and might not have made it otherwise.  We released them last night.  These are a different species, the Olive Ridleys.  Notice the lack of spots, and you might be able to tell that they are smaller than the leatherbacks.  All seven species of sea turtles are endangered to varying levels.

Dinosaur in the backyard

Look what we found in our backyard sunning himself (or herself) – a ctenosaur (teen-o-soar).  They resemble iguanas but don’t have the familar green shading that iguanas have.  They still look pretty cool!   They seem to be quite common here.  This one is about two feet long.

Home Away from Home

My home for this trip is the Goldring Marine Research Center.  There’s a link on the left describing the research center.  The center is a converted duplex home; one side being for the staff, and the other side for us Earthwatch volunteers.  There are about 8 staff, mostly biologistss, and 8 EW volunteers.   There’s a little kitchen, a den/dining room, a bathroom/shower, and a few small bedrooms.  There’s one of everything we need.

Hello World!

We’re 1 hour old and 3 inches long!

Yesterday afternoon we found some Leatherback hatchlings just emerging to the surface from their days of burial.  They are about 3 inches long … and mostly flipper!  Notice the ridges along the length of their backs, and the white spots all over.  They are in a small bucket and will be released later and escorted as they waddle down into the ocean.  Cute and cool!

Notice the white spots.

 

Mostly flipper!