tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56732092011-04-22T06:04:19.813+03:00Turtle DiaryA diary of my experiences as a volunteer for <a href="http://www.archelon.gr">Archelon</a>, the Sea Turtle Protection Society, in Matala, Crete, Summer 2003Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comBlogger331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1065520567687699222003-10-07T12:52:00.000+03:002003-10-07T12:59:29.690+03:00ΦCno22 First Hatch
ΦCno22 hatched today!! Owen sent this text message:
Cno22 H. 2 many 2 count, all 2 the sea. 0 at Dgh21.
One down two to go... three days left before O leaves Matala - although I'm sure they'll make it without his help, all three nests are (I think) well away from man made light sources.Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1065450641684157332003-10-06T17:23:00.000+03:002003-10-06T17:31:41.750+03:00Hatching News
Got a text message from Owen saying that ΦDgh21, the first nest I found, dipped yesterday... the surface of the sand above the nest has dropped, indicating that the eggs have started hatching and the hatchlings are making their way up to the surface, causing sand to collapse into the airspace around the eggs. With any luck someone will find tracks before the project winds up in Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062834382223116732003-09-06T10:46:00.000+03:002003-09-06T10:46:22.153+03:00Red Beach - My Last Day (1.09.2003)
O and I woke early as the sky became light. We fanned the embers of the fire into life and breakfasted on a second helping of garlic bread, accompanied by butter-beans in tomato sauce, coffee and grapefruit juice before heading down to survey Red beach. Nothing unusual to be found; beech marten tracks running the length of the beach, crisscrossed with the Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062834264207975382003-09-06T10:44:00.000+03:002003-09-06T10:44:24.133+03:00AB Beach with Owen (31.08.2003)
My last morning survey on AB and a quiet one. Just one nest hatched, ΦAjk14. We found two diverging hatchling tracks, neatly avoiding a pit dug unwittingly by holdiaymakers, directly between the nest and the sea.
Rock dog joined us halfway through our walk down the beach and stayed with us until we met foxy and bouncy dog (a young grey dog with more than a littleColinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062833976171892492003-09-06T10:39:00.000+03:002003-09-06T10:41:24.560+03:00CD Beach with Suzy (30.08.2003)
A quiet day on the beach today. A bat flitted around the cliffs at the start of C beach as we set out; later swallows dipped and dived overhead as the sun began to rise. At the river mouth the egret stalked as usual, taking flight as we approached. A large hawk flew low over the reeds, searching for prey.
ΦDwx12 hatched again today. An informed Australian family Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062612032677097682003-09-03T21:00:00.000+03:002003-09-03T21:00:32.503+03:00The Lost Nest (29.08.2003)
No morning survey for me today, but I did do some beach work in the evening. Owen and I went to have another go at excavating ΦAop13R. When Owen and Griet had first tried to excavate it three days earlier they couldn't find it. We suspect someone dug up the nest about 5 days after it hatched.
Sadly we couldn't find it either. We dug a hole in excess of 3m in diameter Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062611671672678102003-09-03T20:54:00.000+03:002003-09-03T20:56:31.500+03:00CD with Owen and Julia (28.08.2003)
Last night was one of the hottest and most humid since I've been here. All surfaces were sticky to touch and my bedding was damp. As we set off for morning survey the smell of wild oregano and other aromatic herbs assaulted our senses, carried by the thick, moisture laden air.
Two nests hatched last night; 1 hatchling from each. Sadly neither made it to the Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062414112042870162003-09-01T14:01:00.000+03:002003-09-03T20:57:55.420+03:00CD with Cat and Julia (27.08.2003)
As I approached the second nest we had to check today, ΦCmn11, I spotted a hatchling under the nest cage, on its back. It must have emerged from the sand only to fall (or was possibly pushed by one of its siblings) immediately on to its back - a rough break after five days struggling up through 0.5m of sand. I pushed sand up underneath it, flipping it over on Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062414053980912172003-09-01T14:00:00.000+03:002003-09-01T14:00:53.840+03:00CD with Chrissie and Amy (26.08.2003)
We were a little late starting this morning; somehow we managed to leave the morning survey bags behind. I waited at Kalamaki while the others returned to fetch them, watching the stars gradually disappear as the midnight blue of the sky slowly began to lighten. Once it was bright enough to see I walked the end of B beach to save Owen and Griet some time, Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062413995686567382003-09-01T13:59:00.002+03:002003-09-01T13:59:55.520+03:0053 Nests (25.08.2003)
I wasn't on morning survey today, but good news - another new nest on A beach.Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062413979442221492003-09-01T13:59:00.001+03:002003-09-01T13:59:39.283+03:00Red Beach with Amy (24.08.2003)
All quiet on Red Beach today. Each time I go I secretly hope that this will be the day that we see hatchling tracks streaming out of an unmarked nest, but no such luck.Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062413960808965412003-09-01T13:59:00.000+03:002003-09-01T13:59:20.640+03:00CD beach with Owen and Cat (23.08.2003)
Sunrise was particularly beautiful on CD today; the first glow of light a bloody orange, illuminating the scarified cliffs on the faces of the distant mountains, normall obscured by haze; then a bright pinkish orange started to creep down the mountain tops, catching far off tin or glass roofs making them sparkle like jewels. The light then shifted slowly Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062413810052929682003-09-01T13:56:00.001+03:002003-09-01T13:57:50.343+03:00ABCD with Owen (22.08.2003)
We set off from camp at 05:45 as usual for MS today and had only gone a couple of yards when we discovered we had a flat tyre. As we tried to remove the wheel, one of the wheel bolts sheared off, leaving us vehicle-less. The only option was to walk to the start of A beach, start the survey from there and walk all four beaches. I volunteered to go with Owen; Julia and Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062413771755725992003-09-01T13:56:00.000+03:002003-09-01T13:56:11.610+03:00Relaxin' (21.08.2003)
Very chilled day today - my day off (we get one every 10th day). Slept in, then after breakfast added the picture you see on the right to this website. You can find loads more great turtle pictures in the seaturtle.org image library. Made a chip pan for camp out of chicken wire purchased (with much handwaving and mutual lack of comprehension due to my very poor grasp of Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062233146274323012003-08-30T11:45:00.000+03:002003-08-30T11:45:46.200+03:00Murder on Red Beach (20.08.2003)
Jodie was scheduled to survey Red Beach this morning, but was followed by a dodgy looking guy up the lonely path. When she stopped to let him go past, he hung back, so she wisely decided to turn back. Red beach is very isolated, walled off by cliffs with no habitation and nowhere to run.
I woke just after 8am and volunteered to go instead. I assumed I would be Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062233056352634492003-08-30T11:44:00.000+03:002003-08-30T11:44:16.280+03:00AB Beach with Owen (19.08.2003)
My first morning survey with Owen since last Tuesday. The first thing we found was a hatchling track from ΦBcd12, just below a Taverna. The shading had been blown down by the wind, and the hatchling had followed the lights of the Taverna out of the shading, under a couple of sunbeds and around a parasol to the back of the beach. After a minute or two searching we Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1062232725692568552003-08-30T11:38:00.000+03:002003-08-30T11:38:45.650+03:00CD Beach with Cat and Chrissie (18.08.2003)
Another nest today! In sector Cno, we found an easily identifiable camoflage. Our first guess (Cat's in fact) was much closer this time. We had only been digging for 10 or 15 minutes when Chrissie felt something - today she was the proud owner of what Owen calls the "Magic Finger". The egg chamber was easy to see, since the wet sand in this part of theColinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061996844678780072003-08-27T18:07:00.000+03:002003-08-27T18:07:24.730+03:00CD Beach with Cat and Amy (17.08.2003)
All seemed quiet on the beach today until we reached sector Dgh, where we spotted female tracks, and what looked as though it could only be a camoflage - a 2.5m section of the track obscured by thrown sand. There was the outline of a body pit at the entrance to the camoflage - possibly where the nest itself was, but we couldn't be certain. Cat made a guess Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061996527147531122003-08-27T18:02:00.000+03:002003-08-27T18:04:14.323+03:00CD Beach with Ciaran and Amy (16.08.2003)
Another action packed morning today. ΦBtC11 hatched again; two tracks, one to the sea, and one hatchling on its back. I flipped it over and it didn't take long to find its way down. As I glanced up from watching its progress, I caught sight of female tracks just a couple of yards away.
Ciaran and Amy staked out the last attempt as I watched the Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061648719100897062003-08-23T17:25:00.000+03:002003-08-23T17:32:44.930+03:00CD Beach with Jodie (15.08.2003)
Lots of action on the beach today. The first two nests we checked had hatched; ΦBtC11, a nest that Owen and Philippa had found, nestled in amongst the rocks (8 tracks straight to the sea) and ΦCab8 (5 tracks to the sea). A few moments later, I felt a tingle of excitement as I spotted my first ever adult female tracks. They looked just like those I had seen in Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061648690054977272003-08-23T17:24:00.001+03:002003-08-23T17:24:50.080+03:00Good News (14.08.2003)
No morning survey for me today, but great news from the returning MS team. Seven female emergences, spread over the two beaches. It has been days and days since the last sighting of female tracks; I was beginning to think we would find no more nests this year. Its quite possible we'll find one tomorrow, and I'm going to be on the CD beach team - can't wait!
The "Hat PartyColinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061648666266510072003-08-23T17:24:00.000+03:002003-08-23T17:24:26.370+03:00Red Beach with Ciaran (13.08.2003)
As usual no turtle activity to be seen on Red Beach. We destroyed rather a nice sand castle though - not something I would normally take pleasure in, being a sandcastle builder myself; unfortunately they provide a barrier to both hatchlings and females.Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061386634602999932003-08-20T16:37:00.000+03:002003-08-20T16:45:27.690+03:00CD beach with Owen (12.08.2003)
The moon was almost full last night; as we arrived at the starting point for the survey in Kalamaki it was setting over the sea, its reflection casting a pathway over the calm mediterranian.
The unmarked nest I had found back on the 8th had produced one, possibly two more hatchlings prior to today, both of which had gone to the sea. When we arrived at the nest I Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061386599039959142003-08-20T16:36:00.001+03:002003-08-20T16:36:39.046+03:00My First Day Off (11.08.2003)
We spent a night in a cave last night, in a valley behind the cliffs surrounding Red beach. Owen, Jodie (P.A. leader for Matala), Caroline (P.A. leader from Rethymno) and I spent a very pleasant evening around the camp fire, swapping turtle stories and drinking home made Raki (from the Raki man of Matala - sold with the reassurance that it contained "no chemicals", Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061386569803925262003-08-20T16:36:00.000+03:002003-08-20T16:36:09.760+03:00Red Beach with Catherine (10.08.2003)
Not much to report from Red Beach today; only the usual plethora of ghost crab holes. Their tracks were visible all over the beach too. We got lost on the way there; our detour took us around the clifftops that envelope the beach. The view was stunning; surrounded at one point on three sides by the sparkling azure sea, the yellowish rocks bleached by the sunColinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061386525036488242003-08-20T16:35:00.000+03:002003-08-20T16:35:25.003+03:00No Morning Survey Today... (09.08.2003)
... just maintenance work on Archelon's information kiosk, plus a shift working there, giving information to holiday makers and local people. I managed to spill blue gloss paint all over the pavement by the kiosk (the paint tin, blown over by the blasted wind popped open its lid), making the day a lot less productive than it should have been.Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061386491652666142003-08-20T16:34:00.001+03:002003-08-20T16:34:51.623+03:00CD Beach with Julia (08.08.2003)
Put Owen's T-shirt on while blearily trying to get ready to leave this morning; its aroma eventually informed me of my mistake - he's been here since the start of the season and doesn't get much time to sleep, never mind do washing!
The sky was clear as usual as we started out, the wind still strong. The first thing we spotted was an amorous couple; Harley Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061386441914773402003-08-20T16:34:00.000+03:002003-08-20T16:34:01.880+03:00CD Beach with Kathi and Amy (07.08.2003)
Morning survey began at a ferocious pace today; Kathi, one of the other volunteers on CD beach with me today has been here since the start of the season (3 months) and it was a struggle to keep up with her.
I was walking at the back of the beach today, and just after we had checked ΦDab14, I spotted the unmistakable pattern of hatchling tracks. I called Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1061238586255570142003-08-18T23:29:00.000+03:002003-08-18T23:31:42.706+03:00CD Beach with Ciaran and Nina (06.08.2003)
ΦDlm5 hatched again today; four tracks straight to the sea. Ciaran and I did our first excavation at ΦDvw3. Not a nice day for it; a strong, gusting wind was blowing, blasting us with sand from every direction, filling our hair, ears and eyes. The nest was close to the (illegal) new road at the back of the beach; because of this, the dry sand on top of Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1060872037032669782003-08-14T17:40:00.000+03:002003-08-14T17:46:59.426+03:00AB Beach with Nina (04.08.2003)
Saw another live hatchling today; this one made it! ΦAst5 had hatched again. The first thing we saw was the tracks, 19 of them this time. Up by the nest we found two dead hatclings, dried out by the fierce Cretan sun. Then, as I followed the tracks down to the sea, I saw movement. The last of the 19 was about 3m from the sea and heading determinedly for it! I Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1060804454213485742003-08-13T22:54:00.000+03:002003-08-13T22:59:55.470+03:00AB Beach with Jodie (03.08.2003)
Saw my first hatchling tracks today. Halfway down B beach, ΦBkl4, nestled in amongst the sunbeds and backed by tavernas, had hatched again. We counted 5 tracks; one had escaped through the back of the nest shading and had become disorientated by the lights, then the tracks disappeared. The other four headed for the sea, then disappeared too. We noticed that Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1060714123941147222003-08-12T21:48:00.000+03:002003-08-13T22:53:12.270+03:00Red Beach with Owen (2nd August 2003)
My first morning survey. Left at 6:30am; bumped into Scotty, Matala's hippy mascot, shuffling out of a bar, blinking in the sunlight, asking for a light, which we provided. The walk to Red Beach is beautiful; up over the dry and dusty cliffs; descending towards the beach, the rays of the just rising sun fan out from the rocks above.
The survey itself was Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5673209.post-1060712448446422512003-08-12T21:20:00.000+03:002003-08-12T21:22:11.160+03:00Welcome! This is a journal of my time working for Archelon, the Sea Turtle Protection society. I'll be posting here whenever I get the chance; each post may contain a few days worth of notes, since I don't have time to get on the net every day.Colinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877819361694138661noreply@blogger.com