If you've read recent posts, you may remember my unpleasant ride out of the park Wednesday night as the waters rose during the three hours I was checking nests and releasing emerging hatchlings.
I only had a chance to look at one of the breaches as I was focused on getting nests screened and assessed last night. I didn't want to be late meeting VIPs at Park East for a hatchling release.
This was the first breach I crossed, and mild in comparison to the ones further west.
Imagine this ditch, at 3am, full of water passing from the Gulf to the Bay, while you're driving down the road and beach on an ATV. Rogue waves crash on the asphalt, rushing across the island, as you're trying to find a safe path out, and there's no route, east or west, tide will rise for four more hours, and calling someone for help means putting them in danger too. Even last night, when walking over to take this photo, 100 pound little me was sinking ankle deep in the soft sand -- surely my ATV would have been mired as well. 
I'd be mad at myself for being out there at all if I could have predicted how fast the water would rise, but I didn't expect this. I don't think any of us did, or we would have suspended nest sitting for the night!
I lead a very charmed life.
14 September 2008
The First Santa Rosa Breach
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Hello World!
Which way to the sea?
2 comments:
Every day is an adventure. We're snug in our beds and you're out there living on the wild side...and getting paid to do it.
Well, I'm not so sure about the getting paid part -- I was only paid for 40 of the 92 hours I worked last week... After nearly getting killed in that silly storm, money couldn't have kept me out there anyway - I was there to help the turtles.
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