Saving the turtles

So I have been spending my last two weeks in a small pueblo along the Pacific Ocean called Punta Banco. It has been amazing. With a population of 200, it is no more that one main dirt road that you walk in about 15 minutes. The town just got its first private phones this year and maybe in the next few years there will be public phones and computers. It seems to be the tradition for many people to pass the evening watching the news at the mini super (small market) in town. Everyone knows everyone here.

I am working with a turtle conservation program called PRETOMA where we walk along the beach every night looking for nesting olive ridley turtles and green turtles. Once we find the turtles, we transport their eggs into a hatchery. Unfortuantely we have to compete with the poachers for the eggs which means we can´t save them all. Many Ticos (Costa Rican men) eat turtle eggs because they believe it increase fertility. What a great reason to kill the turtle populations...yeah right! It takes about 6 weeks for the turtles to hatch and once they break through the sand, we release them on the beach. I don´t think I have ever seen such a cute animal before that fits in the palm of my hand.

There are two other volunteers from England, a coordinator and a few locals that I work with and live in a house with, which we call the station. It has been a lot of fun getting to know these people as well as the people who live in Punta Banco.

When I am not working with the turtles, I am playing on a picture perfect beach, surfing, swimming in a river, relaxing in a hammock, playing with the little girls in the town and passing time with good people.

I am eating a lot of gallo pinto (black beans and rice), fish, coffee and cerveza (beer), the staples of most Tico´s diet. A great afternoon snack are the coconuts scattered on the beach, which I have learned how to open.

I can´t describe how beautiful this place is. Not only are the stretches of beach lined with palm trees, there are tropical forests, waterfalls, monkey in the backyard, macaws and toucans flying above and a simple relaxing way of life that you can´t find in the States.

Until next time,
Pura Vida