Sunday- Day Three

Lunch was the same thing as every other meal has been rice, beans, and canned vegetables. But this was the first time I finished my plate. Patrolling the beach last night was exhausting beyond belief!

The walk was dark, quiet, and long. You can't play music, and your tour guide is a tico (that is someone from Costa Rica); so if you don't know Spanish you can't really carry on a conversation. Also, you really learn how to go past your previous physical limits. If you stop walking, you have stopped the organization and their cause. Nothing else could keep you going more.

The guides say if you're at the hatchery when turtles hatch, they are your "babies." And if you find a female coming to nest she's "your" turtle. While it can be exciting to have your own "babies" or "turtle", you quickly realize it doesn't matter as long as you get to see a turtle.

After we hit the end of our stretch of beach and turned around we came across another group with a hawksbill sea turtle. Once she started her nesting routine, we were able to get close and look at her face! I know I have never seen anything in this world as peaceful, gentle, or beautiful as a sea turtle.

But my luck didn't stop there! We walked another couple miles and came across more volunteers, this time with a green sea turtle! No one could believe my luck that I saw all three species that are nesting right now within two days. This is the point when I realized how important my work here with La Tortuga Feliz is.

When this trip ends, I know it will not be the end of my love and dedication for sea turtles. I just wish I had been able to take a photo of the sea turtles last night. But I love them so much, I would never risk interfering with their nesting.

Saturday- Day Two

Even though I have only been here for 24 hours, I have discovered the hardest thing to adjust to will be the sleep.

I woke up many times in the middle of the night. Without any air conditioning, my mattress and pillows were always damp with sweat since it never got below 80 degrees. Non-profit organizations also can't afford new mattresses, ever. I awoke many times to readjust when one of the support boards from my bunk bed was digging into my back. Also, you can't move too much without getting a face full of the mosquito net.

In these first 24 hours, I have also discovered one of the best parts of the volunteer program. This morning after breakfast, I was in my training class when one of the other volunteers interrupted us to share the news that a nest was hatching!

I practically sprinted the half a mile down the beach to the project's hatchery to catch a glimpse of the baby leatherback sea turtles. Over a hundred hatched, and it was quite the sight. They were so adorable and small. They're always constantly trying to find the beach. They look like little wind-up dolls. Watching them frantically crawl into the ocean, already made up for my long day of travel yesterday, and my rough night's sleep.

Tonight I go on patrol. I'll be creeping the beach for 10 miles, and four hours. I really hope I get to see a grown adult female sea turtle. Nothing else could top this day.

Friday- Day One of Ten

I arrived at La Tortuga Feliz this afternoon. I'm excited to help save endangered sea turtles while also sharing my experience with others. I hope more people will volunteer after reading this blog.

I never thought I'd do such a wide variety of traveling in one day. My flight arrived at 5am in San Jose, Costa Rica. I then took a taxi to the bus station. I had some trouble buying my bus ticket this is where I wish I knew Spanish. My two hour bus ride was only five dollars though.

When I arrived in Bataan, I met Will, the man who runs La Tortuga Feliz. He loaded me and my pack into a a truck taxi. Our taxi ride was another hour, then we arrived at a small dock. The last leg of the trip was a 45 minute boat ride through the rain forest's canals.

I've settled into one of the cabins and unpacked. Eight other volunteers greeted me and welcomed me to camp. You can see the beach from my cabin, and the view is amazing. I don't have any chores to do on arrival day, so I won't get to see any sea turtles today. However, I cannot wait until tomorrow when I work a patrol shift. I'm hoping I can see some female sea turtles come onto the beach to nest. Soon all the difficult legs of my journey will be worth it.