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Wednesday - turtle nest number 11 was laid
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date: 12/11/2008
Author:Jenni Fox
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CONDITIONS
Weather: Cloudy | Air Temp: 26.4°C | Wind: SE 15-20 knots | Water Temp: 24°C | Water Visibility: ~ 10 m | Sea State: Small chop
ISLAND LIFE
Critter Encounters:
On the 11th of the 11th, turtle nest number 11 was laid! Last night, a large female green turtle came ashore to lay her eggs. This is a grueling process for a heavy turtle; from the moment she first meets the sea after hatching, she never again experiences the full force of gravity on land until she nests. In each sigh she breathes, you can hear how tired she is as she drags herself up the beach. Last night, our green turtle successfully laid and concealed her eggs, and hauled herself back to the more accommodating environment of the ocean. It is likely that she will lay several more nests on our beaches in the coming months.
During this morning’s Behind-the-Scenes tour, staff member Laurie was proud to tell guests all about the exciting changes taking place on Lady Elliot Island. The construction of our brand new hybrid solar power station is progressing at an awesome rate, and the power station will be running by mid December. Once operational, it is expected that Lady Elliot Island’s diesel consumption and emissions will be reduced by 40%! In addition, we are also currently trialing an alternate desalination plant for Wide Bay Water. This desalination plant can produce 5000L of water a day, and uses less energy to do so than our current desalination plant.
While all the SCUBA divers were underwater, surface watch and skipper Mick was extremely lucky to sight a hammerhead shark! These sharks are not perceived as a threat to humans. Their unusually hammer-shaped heads, with eyes and nostrils located at the extremities, give them a great scope of vision and smell. Meanwhile, SCUBA divers were experiencing excitement of their own below the surface, with a bronze whaler approaching closely. Shovel nose rays, a leopard shark and an olive sea snake were also reported highlights. Snorkellers said that they could hear the magnificent song of a humpback whale ringing through the water. This is indeed late in the season, so it is exciting to know that there are still some whales, late on their return migration, passing by the island.
Special Guests:
Welcome to Phil Koloi and Kathleen Swalling, from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
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Returning to the Ocean - Jenni Fox
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