So today was pretty cool. James signed up to head up to West Bay to take part in releasing baby turtles. After school the students headed up to the north of the island where they excavated a turtle nest, the hatchlings where tiny and seemed so helpless. 

The turtle conservationost collects the hatchlings as they emerge and keeps them safe until night time before releasing them. By doing this they greatly reduce the chance of predation and increase the numbers who reach the sea. Left to their own devices many turtles perish in the nest because they can not dig their way out, die on the beach in the heat of the day having got lost or are eaten by birds. Often more than half the babies from a nest are lost before they reach the sea! This way far more are given a fighting start by being helped directly into the sea at the time most of their natural predators are not active.

James’s group successful took 26 hatchlings out of the nest and put them safely into the incubator. 

Then tonight at 8 o’clock we gathered on the beach under the stars with nothing but a couple of red torches for light for the release. James and his class mates carefully released the tiny hatchlings on to the sand where a few quickly headed down to the water and away out to the sea. The others were very carefully carried to the water and released by hand. James released three babies! They were amazing so tiny! We watched each one till they worked out what they were supposed to do and they shot away into the dark sea.

The conditions were perfect for the release the sea was calm and warm the star were out and there where no lights on shore to guide them the wrong way! So 26 baby turtles reached the sea safely.

The next time any of them come on land again will be between 20 and 50 years time when they are fully mature females, 1.5 meters long, weighing around 200lb, coming ashore to lay the next generation of green sea turtles. They will have swum thousands of miles across oceans before returning to where they were released! The males will never come ashore again!

Good luck little buddies and God Speed! May you find your way safely home one day. 

What an amazing experience and a privilege.