Friday, August 26, 2011

Rainy Week on Sanibel

Tuesday we had to go over to Ft Myers. 
 Just as soon as we got in the car
it started pouring down rain.







It wasn't raining so hard after crossing
the Sanibel Causeway.


It wasn't raining as we drove back toward Sanibel.


We made a stop at Publix and when we came out,
it looked like part of the sky was on fire.


This view makes me feel happy to be going home. :)






Wednesday, we had more rain. 



But by evening it had stopped.  We drove out to the Sanibel Causeway to watch the sunset.





 
Thursday morning, which was turtle walk time, went on without me.  My turtle buddy
let me sleep in.
The sky was very cloudy and looked like it would start raining any moment. The humidity was high and there was no breeze, so that didn't make conditions very good for walking on the beach.  As it turned out, there was no turtle activity going on in our zone.

Zone 3 walkers found one of their nests hatching.  Some of the little turtles had already made it out to the water, but over thirty of them were still trying to make it out.  The Permittee went to pick up those little guys, to save them from preditors, since it had gotten light out.  They were kept on damp sand, in a dark place, where they slept until after dark that night, when they were taken back there and released.  We went over to watch them get sent on their way. :)

We went a little early before it was dark.

That gave us a chance to see them.


It was getting pretty dark when they were uncovered, so my cell phone pictures are very bad quality, since we can't use the flash.  I tried to lighten up all of the pictures.  But, it's hard to see the turtles.
















They were off and flapping their little flippers.  It's hard to believe that these tiny little turtles will swim for a couple of days straight without stopping. Until they reach mats of floating sargassum seaweed. The babies float along in the sargassum, which provides food and protection, for a few years until they grow to about the size of a dinner plate. 





4 comments:

Little Black Scrap Cat said...

Beautiful skies, as always. Glad to hear of the nest hatch and that the volunteers saved the remaining babies. They look so tiny! 42 days and counting.......

sue in mexico mo said...

Thanks. I didn't know about the baby turtles floating for a few years.

Tink *~*~* said...

Such a happy sight, seeing all those little guys scampering away :)

*~*~*

NanaDiana said...

OMGosh-I did not know that about turtle babies...and just think of the instinct that takes them where they need to go. You are good souls for rescuing those babies.

Love your sunsets as always- xo Diana