Hurricane Ike Irks Island Waters

Hurricane Ike is passing well to our south, headed west to visit Texas or Louisiana, but we can still feel the strength of the storm here, especially as we watch over our turtles nests! Mark, park VIP DJ and I watched over PB7111 for a bit in the late evening, with Mark eventually determining it was most likely safe, and it was, at least until about 0200.

I left the Pensacola Beach nest to check on Santa Rosa nests 7081 and 7111. One nest had 62 hatchlings a little past midnight, that all went for a very harrowing first swim. They all seemed to do very well though! After chatting with Mark, I stayed a while longer to listen to both nests, then planned to head home, checking on the Pensacola Beach nest on the way.

Leaving was not such an easy prospect. At first, the tide was just high in the Opal Beach area, but it wasn't that significant.

Once I got about a mile west on my little Honda ATV, water was covering the road.

By the time I had traveled another half-mile, there was water running across the island, with the occasional wave crashing across it. Water surrounded me on all sides, though most of it was only a few inches deep.

Since it was 0230, it was hard to see the extent and depth of the flooding, especially in the distance. I started to panic a little. Do I risk the few inches of water on the road, knowing there's a huge breach in the road that I may not be able to see? Should I head for the few inches of running water on sand that could be lik driving through quick sand? Or just find a high dune and park? It was clear that water was rushing across the island, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Bay, and high tide was still almost 5 hours away. Standing still didn't seem like a very good option!

I could feel myself losing control, and knew that would be even more dangerous. I had no choice but to talk myself through, or wait like a sitting duck as the water rose around me. Not my idea of a fun activity in the wee hours of the morning.

As you may imagine, it took longer than normal to exit the park, so my work plans were a little delayed, and the combination of fatigue and supressed fear was overwhelming. Once I finally got back to the main road, things were still flooded. My nerves sure had a workout, and did not appreciate the water that knew no boundaries -- not the gulf, the dunes,the nests, the roads, nothing was safe!

The nest on Pensacola Beach that had been ten feet from the water when DJ left at midnight now had waves washing as far as 20 feet north of the hatchling chamber (we knew the eggs had hatched as we'd heard them crawling towards the surface for a few days). I called Mark for a little advice, and Monica and DJ for a little help.



DJ, Monica and I helped a nest full of hatchlings get to the water by about 0500 this morning. We were completely drenched in the process, planting our feet firmly in the sand when the largest waves came in so we wouldn't accidentally step on hatchlings tossed in the surf. I think the tiny turtles did better than we did!



Once all 70 loggerheads were in the water, several washed back on the higher-than-normal surf.



Thirteen made their way north, towards a Gulf Power streetlamp. Happily, we found their tracks and recaptured and released the wayward turtles. Disorientation can have a lethal result if they're not found in time...



After that, I tried to check on a nest at Fort Pickens, but my little work truck didn't seem like a match for the flooded road...



in either direction...

After getting hopelessly lost in the Santa Rosa area earlier, looking for a safe way out of the very flooded park, my frazzled nerves couldn't handle any more flood water!



Even the Beach Patrol seemed to think we should stay out of the water, with red flags flying high.



Some of the waves crashed over the long Pensacola Beach pier. A pier employee said there's already damage along the end, and we're not even within 400 miles of Ike!



Quiet Water Beach is flooded as well.



Weather forecasts indicate tonight's tides will be higher. I'm not so sure I'm up for another night nest sitting like last night! I feel bad for the people who will really bear the brunt of this storm -- we're hundreds of miles away and still seeing much impact!

Turtle Swimming Lessons!

Six more little loggerheads went for a long swim this morning.



This nest full of brothers and sisters hatched this weekend, but the stragglers are still not all ready - the last two will head for the sea tonight.



I can understand why they may pause after being washed by their first wave.



You can see where this little one was sitting still in the sand when a wave washed him a few minutes earlier -- it's like a turtle snow angel in the sand!



These two seem to be having a chat, strategizing their route through the wild ocean.



Can you imagine their journey, from hole in the ground to open sandy beach to gulf surf in just an hour's time? That's one rough first step!



I wonder if he's picked his head up to smell the salty air, to see the Gulf, or to practice his breathing technique -- they have to pick up their heads for air once they start swimming.



Plus, they will have to swim for 20 to 35 years before reaching maturity and taking another walk on land (if they're female). That's quite a commitment!



I would rest for a minute before that swim too!

Time for Turtle Tracks!

A new group of tiny loggerheads crawled down Opal Beach yesterday.



The nest had been threatened by TS Fay, but did well, so we were happy to see the little guys healthy and ready to go...



They almost crawled out of their temporary tranport on their own! Click on the image to see the cutest turtle ever; you can almost hear the turtle crying "let me out!!!"



Nicole had a chance to help out with her first hatch this season, though she has already found us several nests this year.



One of hers is due to hatch on Fort Pickens this weekend... Can't wait to see them swim away!

Hatchling Bite!

I took photos last night at a hatching nest. Since we only use red lights around hatchlings at night, the pics are not the best. Maybe I'll buy an infrared camera soon...



We screen all of our nests from dusk to dawn around the time we start hearing hatchlings scratching their way to the top. The screens help keep the hatchlings from scattering in the dunes, and usually prevent ghost crabs, night herons and other predators from snatching the young.



Having the screens makes it easy to see when, and to what direction, hatchlings may be disorienting as well...



A lot of hatchlings last night were unable to get out of the egg chamber, which is a little odd. The walls were steep, and it was very deep. What happened to all the sand that should have been over the nest? Sometimes, these things happen, but it makes the hatchlings sitting ducks for predators if we are not there to help.



The turtles had other problems last night as well. Three ghost crabs dug at angles under the screens, straight into the egg chamber. One tiny hatchling was hanging out about a foot west of the screen, though there was no tiny turtle crawl, just a ghost crab track with a drag in the middle.

The hatchling was on his/her back, actively fighting a ghost crab. I bent down to pick him/her up, and carried it to the gulf. As soon as I had it in my hands, the tiny loggerhead (Caretta caretta) bit me! It just felt like a little tickle on my fingertip, but still, I was shocked! I've been helping hatchlings find their way to the sea for many, many years, and this was a first...

I was pretty happy with the little dude though -- that bite told me the turtle had a fighting spirit. Once near the Gulf of Mexico, the turtle booked for the sea, escaping the ghost crabs and green and gray clad humans that scared him so much on the beach.

A few hours later, 45 more hatchlings joined the fray, and needed an escort from the relocated nest to the Gulf shore. This particular nest was north of the road, so they really did need a boost.



I'd forgotten the cooler back in the POD, and all I had was my gear bag -- a reusable Publix grocery bag. I wonder if they'd be willing to sponsor our turtle project -- that's pretty good PR from the little hathchlings! The hatchlings could self-release from the bag, which is bad if you leave it unattended near ghost crab holes, but good for a more natural nesting experience for the critters.



They crawled out in ones and twos and headed for the Gulf. All were safe and sound (I hope), swimming in the warm sea half an hour later. Hope to see them back in 25 years or so!

A NEW Nest!!!

Another turtle patrol on Pensacola Beach dawned with a rosy hued sky. Surely, this was a good sign!



I'm often accused of being the park "Pollyanna", but even my critics have to see the pink there without the aid of my rose colored glasses :). The pink sky turned out to be a very good omen indeed!



Melanie beat me to the new loggerhead (Caretta caretta ) nest on Pensacola Beach. She does such a thorough job on Santa Rosa, that meets Pensacola Beach to the East, that she nabbed one on the border between the two. Great job, Melanie!



I did get there in time to help find the eggs.



We decided to move the nest, so next came the cooler full of 106 eggs.



Even though the area was a little elevated, it was about 12 feet from last night's high tide. With Fay threatening to turn back to this coast, we couldn't just leave it and hope...



We found a nice area by the SRIA sand fence for the eggs to incubate in for the next two months.



A hundred six eggs means 212 toe-touches for me, after spending 10 minutes digging for eggs. It felt great to stand up and stretch my aching back, even though that meant having to pound in the stakes surrounding the nest!



I'm getting too old for this, aren't I?



Just so you know, Melanie -- we're expecting at least two more nests on your patrols this season. A green would be nice, and she should be back to lay another clutch!

Many thanks to my substitute photographer, Melanie. Fantastic job with that new camera of mine!

A Perdido Key Morning

The day started very early here... I had to be back in Gulf Breeze for the ridleys, so I started to Perdido in the wee hours. I had a turtle patrol to do, and two nests to assess.



I rode my ATV down to the east end of Perdido before dawn, checking for turtle tracks and hatchling tracks and signs of erosion. The surf was calm, but this chair was a little funny. I wonder what the story was there...



The first nest I assessed, PK6131 (a June 13th nest), had a fantastic hatch. I haven't crunched the numbers yet, but it will be in the high 90s. This one last hatchling was waiting at the very bottom of the 20 inch egg chamber. Now s/he's swimming happily in the Gulf of Mexico.



PK6071 didn't have any more hatchlings, but it looks like there was one very recently! Check out that lovely crawl. The hatchling crawled to the gulf on his own... Usually, we like to shepherd them, especially on a relocated nest as they are often over a hundred feet from the Gulf. That's a lot of sand to get lost on when your head is only a few centimeters off the ground!

It was a gorgeous start to a great day!

VIP Training

We had a great group of new turtle volunteers from the EPA and NPS last night.



Lynn was great at listening for hatchlings, scratching and crawling our of their sandy nests.



Kelly, Blake and George joined her as they all learned how to set screens. The screens are designed to keep the hatchlings just above the nest, safe from ghost crabs and birds, while VIPs and park staff are off checking other nests. As soon as hatchlings are observed, they're allowed to crawl to the Gulf of Mexico, with humans helping keep their predators at bay.



Everyone stayed for hours, waiting for at least one of the three nests to yield some hatchlings. Finally, around 0100, 88 loggerheads emerged from SR6103, Santa Rosa nest June 10th, number 3. We're so fortunate to have co-workers and new friends help us shepherd our tiny turtles to the sea in this very busy season!

Stormy Morning

There were no new nests on Pensacola Beach this morning, which is good!



The wind swept sea, and stinging sand, would have made moving a nest less than fun. Though work with sea turtles is always a joy, sandpapering my legs is never one of my favorite things!



I was surprised there were not any surfers, but maybe the seas were just too sloppy.



We did have lots of hatchlings last night though -- 110 at Santa Rosa and 31 at Perdido. Hope those waves help keep the predators at bay!