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. 

Turtle Walk Thursday

It was a nice morning for a turtle walk. :) 

Cool and breezy!  The temperature last night got down to 75 degrees. :)

We had a nest about due to hatch, and two nests already hatched, that were going to be dug this morning.

A shark?

Seeing this on the beach, reminded me

of my little great grandson,

who was just here visiting,

and made me miss him even more.

No hatches this morning. :(

This nest is marked with shells around the opening made by the little turtles as they crawled out, after hatching 3 days ago.  The shells are put there to help the Permittee find the opening so that he knows where to dig into the egg chamber.  The empty eggs will be counted and also the eggs that didn't hatch, and any turtles that were not able to make it out, will be rescued and released.

(As you can see, the wind had blown sand over that opening and it could have been a little difficult to find it easily.)

We wanted to see this nest dug, but were there 30 minutes before the planned dig, and needed to get back home to take a friend to the airport this morning.  Our Permittee was kind enough to send us an email to let us know what he found. 

There were 73 eggs in this nest near Tarpon Beach Condos and 36 made it out. There were 5 live babies-all in good shape and released.

Right after that, he also dug another nest in our zone, near Ocean's Reach.  There were 122 eggs with 92 that made it out. There were fire ants in the nest and they had killed one poor little turtle that had been left in the nest. 

I doubt this bird could find

a better gulf view anywhere.

Shells and shell crumbs,

scattered by the waves.

This little bird was having a morning bath

 in a tidal pool. 

It was splashing water all over itself.

Then joined by a friend. :)

A crab left over from yesterday, perhaps?

The shore birds seemed to be having

a great time this morning.

In some places there were hardly any shells at all, only what had been left from days before at some really high tide lines.

A bright yellow balloon that would possibly have been food

for some sea creature.

A Golden Apple Murex??? :)

By the time we had finished our walk, the clouds had all turned white.

I believe that out of the 16 nests in our zone,

we have 7 left to hatch.

As we drove home by a different route this morning, it hit me that it seems a bit strange to see a sight like this on an island that has no traffic lights.

There is a traffic light, but only temporary.

Another curious sight,

a blue chicken on top of a mailbox. 

Now, I'm thinking there must be a story here!

Not your usual tropical island deco. :)

This evening, we went to feed a friends cat,

while they are away. 

Of course, the clouds and approaching sunset caught my eye, which prompted a drive out to the Sanibel Causeway islands.

And.....another day ends.