Cone of Uncertainty: Meteorologists Having Field Day

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We are now in the 'Cone of Uncertainty' for Tropical Storm Erika (TS Erika) heading toward Florida where the weather is more favourable for it to develop into a Hurricane. The Florida State Emergency Operations Center is 'activated' to Alert Level 2 - 1 being 'normal' and 3 being an emergency.  The Meteorologists seem excited whilst telling us not to panic - as if, Floridians seem a bit blase about it so far - Erika is projected to make Florida landfall Monday night.  Florida has gone almost 10 years without a hurricane (Charlie in 2004,

Prepare with a hurricane box
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Wilma in 2005 but 2012 tropical storm Debby loitered in the Gulf and caused lots of wind and flooding damage ), so  . . . let's hope the storms stay away.

We have put together our hurricane box, filled up  the petrol (AE=gas) tank, will buy extra groceries tomorrow, and are tracking the storm with our hurricane tracking chart.

Unrelated, we have incredible lightning tonight; too dangerous for the nest sitters, so the turtles are on their own tonight.

Of course Ignacio is in the Eastern Pacific ... gathering strength too.

N23 Hatched!

Panama City Beach Turtle Watch

Some people go to dinner for their anniversary; hubby and I chose to nest sit at nest 23 (N23). N23 was overdue at 62 days (generally hatch between 50-60 days after being laid). A massive thunderstorm blew through at about 7 pm cooling the air temperatures, so we were cautiously hopeful the N23 would erupt on our watch (3rd time lucky we thought). If not, we at least hoped to see the Perseid Meteor Shower 2015 which is at peak viewing this past week.

N23 is located on St Pete Beach (15 minutes down the road from us) in front of a small bar with a blaring disco and lots of light and teenagers wandering about. Not exactly what you picture as a calm night sitting on the beach awaiting some turtle hatchlings to appear. But the music did give a festive atmosphere to the place and reminded us that up in our home city, Madeira Beach, Boy George and Culture Club were about to go on stage at our brand new recreation center and band shell overlooking the bay.

Given the light and noise issues (which can sometimes even delay the hatchlings from emerging as they sense it is unsafe), it was not surprising the nest was caged.  The cage is a temporary restraint so that the hatchlings do not wander off out of the nest in the wrong direction towards condo and street lights.

Example 'Drop'

No sooner had we settled in on our beach blanket some 20 yards away from the nest (see above comment about light and noise), then up walked a curious tourist. Having greeted them, I checked the nest and low and behold --- a 'drop' indicating the hatchlings were active underground and soon to emerge. The drop was about 2-3 inches deep and the size of a salad plate - very obvious as it hadn't been there a few minutes earlier. So excited were we that we danced to the music on the beach (a suitable distance from the nest I might add).



Only a few minutes later by about 9:15 pm there were masses of turtles literally erupting out of the sand - called a 'boil' for obvious reasons (see above video).  It was fantastic! These creatures about 5 cm round scurrying around in the restraining cage looking for the sea.  And they just kept coming - 79 in all. Sadly with all the light pollution from the condos and establishments on the beach the hatchlings all gathered to one side of the cage keen to move to the light and in the opposite direction of the sea -- call disorientation and hence the restraining cage.

Soon our Nest Captain arrived and removed the hatchlings from the cage into a cooler which was taken closer to the sea at the darkest nearby point we could find. Gently tipping the cooler allowed the hatchlings to walk across the sand, but still with the light created by humans they walked parallel to the sea for some distance and we had quite a job to ensure all made it into the water - the incoming tide didn't help as it washed a few back.  This process took a good hour and we finished by stretching out across the beach and sweeping it with our red lights to ensure no hatchlings had gone astray.

A number of tourists watched, including one German couple.This couple are very impressed with the Sea Turtle Trackers (STT) volunteers and our dedication to protecting our special marine wildlife. They were surprised that we are supporting the environment which helped to dislodge some of their preconceptions about Americans and waste. Next thing I knew I was being given a bear hug from the Germans thanking all the  STT Volunteers. One job well done.

N29 also had the potential to hatch, so off we went down the beach to check it out.  It is in a less lit section of the beach, so no restraining cage.  There was a dime sized hole -- either the beginning of a hatch or perhaps a ghost crab predadator or a rain hole????  In any event, nothing happened and off to bed we went.

Now you might ask - where are the night pictures -- well no camera flash, no mobile (cell phone) lights . . . means no pictures.  But I have included several shots of a rare daytime hatch and a video; you can see more at Sea Turtle Trackers Facebook page. Note:  the pictures are from a variety of events, not N23.

Too many clouds to see a meteor shower, but the lightning remained far offshore and

N23 hatched on our 23rd wedding anniversary - what a treat!

Not all Turtles Make It.

Must say we really do need a new Jeep!

Glorious morning for turtle patrol after heavy rains last night (packs down the beach sand). Nothing to report as the loggerhead nesting season is winding down and we await the hatching of our few remaining nests that didn't get washed out. Green turtle nesting still underway so rare here, but possible.

Hubby was out on boat patrol around Shell Key and spotted a dead turtle floating in the surf - it appears she was hit by a boat; this happens all too frequently.  Data on this turtle is collected and reported to the Florida Wildlife Commission.

One of the washed over nests was predated this morning by a ghost crab - yes I saw him, but just missed him with the camera.  He burrowed into the nest, found a tasty turtle egg to drag out and eat. This nest had no real chance of hatching as it was underwater in the recent storms for several days, so here is Mother Nature at work in the food chain.  We buried the egg in the sand (re-nourishment) and it really does feel like the plastic coffee creamers you get in a restaurant.

A very neat round hole made by the ghost crab
turtle egg on the right

If you come across a dead or injured turtle on the beach, do not touch it, call the FWC 24 hour hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or text Tip@MyFWC.com

Nests Washed Out!

Well, Arcturas, the double star (36.7 light years away), is all that was lighting up the night sky earlier this week as we regrouped from the end July/early August storms.  Many of the sea turtle nests have been washed out.

You might recall we were excited to come home from our Virgina and North Carolina travels and find two nests marked in front of our condo.

Then came the storms and things got a bit wet . . .











and sadly stayed wet . . . the CMA (who monitors our beach for turtles) tried to help,

and then came even bigger storms - with some of the highest tides seen in living memory say the locals.  The winds and a blue moon didn't help.

lookin' a bit iffy for the nest stakes

We watched helpless to help the drowning turtle eggs beneath the sand . . .

drunken stake about to fall into the sea

and the stakes were gone somewhere into the Gulf of Mexico - our eggs certainly drown, all part of mother nature.  

gone!  stakes washed into the sea

The second nest outside our condo got a good bath, but the stakes are still there and we are hopeful.

Meanwhile I got on with crocheting two belts (even modifying the pattern myself) and finished piecing my dahlia quilt!!

A good number of total nests didn't make it, but a few still hatch and at least the kids enjoyed the Atlantic Ocean sized surf.

From Laura Albright who 
found this hatchling this morning