Fingers Crossed: Navidad y Nicaragua

A Christmas Sunset.

My favorite snowflake, made from recycled paper.

Nativity scene made from beach treasures (garbage)...created by Jacob Hill.

So things have been crazy around here with the other biologists' families around, volunteers, and a trip to Nicaragua to renew my visa. It's nice that the holidays are finally starting to wind down, but that means season is much closer to an end and I have much more work to do before I leave! AHHHHHHH! I'll try not to bore you too much with details and instead just show you pictures. Unfortunately, I was too nervous to bring my new camera, but I did take a lot of pictures with the old one, which does not have as good of quality.

The night before I left for Nicaragua I got another new mother on the beach. I'd like to think it was a nice little bon voyage present for me. It definitely made up for the almost 2 hours Avalone and I spent at the border trying to get into Nicaragua bright early the next morning. San Juan del Sur was an amazing little city full of brightly colored buildings, great places to eat, and scenic views. It was so windy that it was hard to enjoy the beach, but we tried. By the time I got to the shower I looked like someone had dropped a bucket of sand on top of my head. We spent most of the time catching up on some much needed sleep, eating, and the last day we went to a little surf beach via water taxi. The ride over there was amazing!!! We saw a pod of dolphins (about 20 or so) jumping out of the water like they were at Sea World with many magnificant frigate birds all feeding on the same couple schools of fish! Made me wish I had the other camera...

Some paintings in the market.

Bridge to Jesus

The Bay

The road to Jesus is paved with many stones

The stairway to heaven and Avalon.

Even getting into heaven costs money!

View at Jesus' feet.

Apparently we missed quite the beach night the night before we got home. There were 3 leatherbacks, 1 ridley, Jacob's scanner broke and he had to run down the beach to grab someone else's, tourists built a bon fire on the beach, and a tourist coming to see turtles had a heart attack on the beach. Of course the guides told us that it was Jacob due to his run...Fortunately, the tourist was fine. Other than that, only one turtle was missed while we were gone, and only one of my sampled nests hatched but no samples needed to be taken because there was 100% hatchling success...and the sample was contaminated to begin with (sigh of relief). Last night was our first night back and there was 1 leatherback in the south, and I was able to show my volunteers a black turtle on Ventanas.

Our Hostel:

The Earthwatch expedition this weeks is a family expedition, so we have 3 kids that are 11 years old and another about 15, plus their parents. Needless to say it is pretty packed around here. I was so excited to be able to show the little girl I was walking with the black turtle! She has now seen all 3 species that nest here and she was so excited! I love showing people their first sea turtle, or first turtle of a particular species, especially kids. Afterall, a marine biologist taking the time to show me my first turtle was all it took to get me hooked...Now here I am 17 years later hoping to do the same. (Goodness, I am getting old!

Not much else to talk about. Catholics vs Convicts take 2 on today (insert thrown up U here) and I am decked out in Cane's gear...As I should be! Tonight we have the night off for New Years.. So that should be a fun fiesta for all.

Biologists at an excavation.