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an adult female Green turtle was laying her eggs
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date: 10/2/2009
Author:Jess Howard
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Weather: Rain Squalls, Overcast | Air Temp: 28ºC | Wind: NW/NE 15-20 knots | Water Temp: 26ºC | Water Visibility: ~20 metres | Sea State: Choppy
What a day! FOUR glassbottom boats ran today, using the ocean for a fun ride before settling on calm waters for a snorkel. Even through the rain and wind, the visibility was phenomenal. Beyond the eastern side moored at Hiro’s Cave dive site, snorkelers ventured towards the outskirts of the lagoon’s outer reef and were rewarded with turtles, black and white-tip reef sharks and lots of Blue Tang (or “Dory” for Finding Nemo fans). Morning divers at Hiro’s Cave and Tubes jumped in to find Eagle Rays swimming in formation and Bull Rays sitting on the bottom. Turtles cruised along with the divers as Reef sharks moved below them. Even in the worst of weather, Mother Nature still pulls through.
In the pouring rain in the afternoon Six intrepid reefwalkers and their guide headed out into the lagoon to see what might be playing in the downpour. One of the most amazing sights were two tiny Octopus challenging one another. They were changing their colours and attempting to scare each other. Well that’s worth getting wet for!
In the evening guests gathering out of the rain for a presentation on rays, and were blissfully surprised when they discovered that five Green turtle hatchlings were to be released. Out by the fish pool, the little ones were let go, taking their time to get to the ocean. And if that wasn’t enough, a few metres up the beach, an adult female Green turtle was laying her eggs. The turtles sure do like to take us by surprise. Another hour in the rain was spent by most guests watching the lady lay her eggs.
I think everybody will sleep well tonight!
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Hatchling - Jess Howard
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