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Saturday - turtle hatchlings emerge from an unknown nest
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date: 17/1/2009
Author:Shay Young
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CONDITIONS
Weather: Sunny & Hot! | Air Temp: 28°C | Wind: N/NW 10/15 knots | Water Temp: 27°C | Water Visibility: ~20m | Sea State: Slight chop
ISLAND LIFE
Critter Encounters:
The island tucker tour was the first to head out today with guests heading around the island looking at natural ways they could survive on an undiscovered coral cay. The coconut trees of course were a favourite with guests all agreeing the coconut would be one of their choices of food along with the seafood on offer. The coconut trees would be a great resource on an island as they have the fruit which can be eaten with milk to be drunk and used as antiseptic. The palm fronds are also a vital resource for shelter also to weave and make baskets etc.
The glass bottom boats headed out on the western side of the island with lots of turtles once again sighted (mainly greens) and one manta quickly gliding past the boat before heading off into deeper waters. The white and black tip reef sharks were also sighted swimming on by right past the boat moored at second reef; the blue green chromis were sitting at the top of the water column today with guests very impressed at the sheer numbers of these beautiful fish. The trumpet fish also impressed all guests with their bright yellow colours and also its ability to simply change colour to a dark grey when stalking its food.
The island discovery tour headed out around the resort looking at some of the bird species with bridled terns a favourite; the bridled terns or sometimes more aptly named the dog terns (because of their barking call) have lined our pathways with their chicks now all starting to grown larger in size and learning to fly with many of the chicks being observed jumping into the air and flapping their wings to no avail.
The evening saw turtle hatchlings emerge from an unknown nest only instead of heading to the ocean they decided to head to the bar. The hatchlings got back on the right track with many of our guests looking on as they made their way towards the water and then out into the open ocean. Hopefully we will see some of these hatchlings return in 30 years time to lay their own eggs.
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Bridled Chick - Shay Young
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