Every fall, Michelle, our daughter, makes her way from Houma to Gulf Shores. Jean and I are usually invited. We look forward to the vacation in the sun and sand.
One of the great benefits of going at that time of year is to see if any turtle nests have been marked off on the beach. We have never seen the large mature female turtle lay her eggs in the sand. However, we look forward to hearing the crackle of hatching eggs and see baby turtles on their journey to the water.
During the late summer, the local Gulf residents watch daily to see if tell-tale trails have been made in the sand. If found that indicates a female turtle has made a nest. The turtle watches then marks the spot by putting up a fence of black plastic to keep animals from digging up the eggs. This also lets people know that the eggs are buried there. A notice of the day the nest was found is attached to the fence so that hatching time can be determined.
When it is time for a nest to begin hatching, the turtle watchers divide up into teams and rotate their night watch. Some have done this for years and are eager to teach others about turtle watching. A trench of about 6 inches deep is made from the nest to the bath-warm Gulf waters. A wall is made on each side of the trench so that young turtles can not climb over and be lost on the beach. The trench could be 25’ to 50’ long from nest to the water.
Usually one of the team members has a stethoscope. Periodically a leader listens to the sand to determine if eggs are beginning to hatch. Eggs hatch at night. We were there about 11 PM when the captain of the team indicated eggs were hatching. He called for no talking. Everyone must be still. He motioned for the turtle counters to take their post. Each turtle counter was about 10-12 feet from the other all the way from the nest to the water’s edge.
The function of the turtle watchers is two fold. To count every baby turtle as it waddles its way to the water and secondly, to keep a sharp eye on the little ones to make sure none climbed out of the trench. It was pitch dark the night we were there, and none of the turtles were lost, even though occasionally one would try to climb the wall and get out of the trench. If a wayward baby was spotted, a volunteer would put the baby back in the trench and guide it in the direction of the Gulf. Anyone handling the turtles had to wear plastic gloves to avoid contamination.
What a great sight! We saw about 125 little baby turtles, minutes old, scramble down the sandy runway to the water. They started to swim as if swimming was second nature to them. We wished them God’s best and said good night to all.
About 20 years from now a few of the baby females we saw will come back to where they were born to repeat the life cycle all over again. Legend tells us the turtle recognizes the beach by the taste of the sand and knows she is back home.
What a memory! A taste of the sand! And back home!
This blog was written by a man who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He will be 90 in ’09.
One of the great benefits of going at that time of year is to see if any turtle nests have been marked off on the beach. We have never seen the large mature female turtle lay her eggs in the sand. However, we look forward to hearing the crackle of hatching eggs and see baby turtles on their journey to the water.
During the late summer, the local Gulf residents watch daily to see if tell-tale trails have been made in the sand. If found that indicates a female turtle has made a nest. The turtle watches then marks the spot by putting up a fence of black plastic to keep animals from digging up the eggs. This also lets people know that the eggs are buried there. A notice of the day the nest was found is attached to the fence so that hatching time can be determined.
When it is time for a nest to begin hatching, the turtle watchers divide up into teams and rotate their night watch. Some have done this for years and are eager to teach others about turtle watching. A trench of about 6 inches deep is made from the nest to the bath-warm Gulf waters. A wall is made on each side of the trench so that young turtles can not climb over and be lost on the beach. The trench could be 25’ to 50’ long from nest to the water.
Usually one of the team members has a stethoscope. Periodically a leader listens to the sand to determine if eggs are beginning to hatch. Eggs hatch at night. We were there about 11 PM when the captain of the team indicated eggs were hatching. He called for no talking. Everyone must be still. He motioned for the turtle counters to take their post. Each turtle counter was about 10-12 feet from the other all the way from the nest to the water’s edge.
The function of the turtle watchers is two fold. To count every baby turtle as it waddles its way to the water and secondly, to keep a sharp eye on the little ones to make sure none climbed out of the trench. It was pitch dark the night we were there, and none of the turtles were lost, even though occasionally one would try to climb the wall and get out of the trench. If a wayward baby was spotted, a volunteer would put the baby back in the trench and guide it in the direction of the Gulf. Anyone handling the turtles had to wear plastic gloves to avoid contamination.
What a great sight! We saw about 125 little baby turtles, minutes old, scramble down the sandy runway to the water. They started to swim as if swimming was second nature to them. We wished them God’s best and said good night to all.
About 20 years from now a few of the baby females we saw will come back to where they were born to repeat the life cycle all over again. Legend tells us the turtle recognizes the beach by the taste of the sand and knows she is back home.
What a memory! A taste of the sand! And back home!
This blog was written by a man who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He will be 90 in ’09.
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