Beginning of the End

An albino leatherback embryo that never made it.

Sorry it has been so long since my last post, I am trying to make up for it today by skipping a nap and getting it done. Things have been CRAZY around here and I am very worried my project will not get done in time. As a result I have been spending hours in the lab with limited success, but it's getting better.

My advisor just left this morning after six days with us. That was pretty fun. I got the night off for pizza and beer with him and the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays to watch the Oregon-Auburn National Championship game. Too bad Oregon lost.

Season has been very funny, we got a lot of turtle action at once, and then nothing. I was patrolling two nights ago and a nest in the hatchery hatched, three more on the beach, plus we had 2 ridleys, and 4 leatherbacks (3 of which were mine and 1 was new).  Morning walk the next morning even discovered another set of tracks from a turtle who came up at low tide. There was a lot of confusion over the radio to get volunteers, who had not seen a turtle, to and from turtles. But it all worked out. Other than that, Gary (Ray's owner), Frank, and Earthwatch, I can only think of two more things really worth mentioning... the iguana in the pool and my father's visit.

The big male ctenosaur (black spiny iguana) chased a female into our swimming pool and she could not get out. For your entertainment I have posted some of th pictures below, including Jacob Hill feeding the giant male after the fact.  (Kids, don't feed the wildlife!)

Iguanas are actually very good swimmers, but I guess that is to be expected as there is an entire species of marine iguanas and their body shape is very similar to alligators and crocodiles, which are well known swimmers.

My dad made a quick trip out here, He was able to get on the beach for 3 nights, but only saw 1 turtle and 1 hatchling pulled out from and excavation. I miss sleeping in the hotel already! Hahah. I'm glad he was able to see a turtle, but I guess I over stated the size of the leatherbacks because his comment afterwards was, "That was so cool, but I thought they'd be bigger". She was only about 10cm smaller than the beach average, and 20 or so smaller than those in the Carribean.  I'm just releived he got to see one even though he patrolled 3 nights in a row. Kim's fiance, Torin, was also in town visiting, and they both got to see their first turtle on the same night. The visits, however, meant Kim and I had over a week without a night off, which was pretty exhausting. They left and Frank came, so there was all kinds of excitement and craziness that will hopefully calm down, but probably not because season is wrapping up.

My dad and I at an excavation.

This hatchling's yolk had not yet been absorbed in the stomach.

J Hill showing Torin the hatchling.

 

In other news I am applying for a job doing guided sea kayaking tours with the orcas in Puget Sound, so hopefully that works out! However, the application is extremely long. I spent 2 hours on it last night and I am not nearly done. It is more like a written interview with 22 questions to elaborate on. I'm pretty sure that is the last of has happened lately, but if I come up with anything else, I guess I will have to put it on the next post...Nap time!