Day 2 was absolutely overwhelming. We didn't know how day 3 could follow it or if we would have enough energy if it did. While it was a little more laid back day, it still succeeded in wearing us all out.
The day started with a great traditional breakfast of Chilaquiles and Frijoles. Chilaquiles are tortilla chips that have been cooked in sauce and turned into this incredible spongy, delicious meal. As I said before, the food was incredible. This started a string of 4 straight meals with frijoles. While a dream for Edan and I, not so much for our weak stomached, non bean eating family members.
Right after breakfast, we took a 30 minute pickup ride. After stopping, we hiked a short way through some hills until we came to a waterfall pool. Here we spent the morning swimming and hiking along the rocks.
We then headed back to camp for some incredible, fresh shrimp and fish tacos. As in the states, I can define many of my experiences by the quality of the food. Still the same in Mexico!
We then were given the afternoon to relax. The camp actually had a sand volleyball court, a trampoline, and a traditional backyard circle swimming pool. On another note, the beach all along the coast in front of the camp was unswimmable. The waves came in at 8-12 feet and the under current was so severe they would not let us swim. Even the camp staff, most devoted surfers, would not surf the waves, only bogey board the surf and then run in as the next wave came crashing down. While we couldn't swim, it made for some beautiful evenings watching the sun set on the Pacific with the waves crashing in. As we slept each night, the waves sounded like a continual thunder rolling in against the shore.
That evening we got to partake of a special event. There were 22 turtle nests that had to be dug up. To give you a little background on the turtle preserve. The camp staff goes out every night to collect turtle eggs as they are laid or to find the nests and dig them up. They then bring the turtle eggs back to camp and bury them in the sand just as the mother turtle does. In the wild people estimate that only 1:100 to 1:1000 turtles make it to full growth. Their most vulnerable time is from the moment they are laid through their first few months at sea. Not only do dogs and other animals dig up the eggs. Mexicans also dig up the eggs and eat them or sell them at market. This has been a difficult balancing act for the staff as they have to coexist with the local community with no law enforcement. They diplomatically try to run off all poachers, but they do at times have to deal with hostile poachers. Last week they were threatened by Machete one evening and their families threatened to be killed who lived locally. Rural areas of Mexico like this generally govern themself so the staff does many things in the community to build good will. They have removed a food source and a way to make money. They try to replace this by also helping with building projects in the town and bringing money in through the school trips.
That day we also got to see another danger to these baby turtles. We had to release some turtles in the morning on Day 3. While they were being released, a pack of scavenger birds made their way over. The boys fought valiantly against the birds, throwing sand balls, running, and yelling at them. Despite their efforts, the resiliance of the birds showed the difficulty these small turtles have in making it to the ocean just 30 feet from their nest.
As I mentioned earlier, they had 22 nests to dig up that evening. The turtles incubate for 25 days and then hatch. It is an exact science. 22 nights earlier they had their biggest find ever as they had found 22 turtle nests in one evening. Each nest has about 100 eggs. The students entered into the pen and by hand dugg up the nests and sure enough pulled up the hatched baby turtles as the staff took counts for their records. In all, the students brought up 1500 baby turtles in that one evening. It was incredible to watch them pull up handful after handful of baby turtles.
That evening we had another incredible releasing of 400 turtles into the sea as the sun set. As we released them, Joelle spontaneously and adorably began to sing "Happy Birthday" as they crawled to the sea. She then broke out into the traditional Mexican chant "Alabio Alabao Alabimbomba, tortugita, tortugita ra ra ra". We here this chant all over Mexico. We still don't know what it means. Traditionally tortugita is replaced with Mexico, but at David's basketball games overexcited moms put the team name in as well as they scream the chant!
Also that evening, we got the opportunity to go out again on the 4X4 ride. This night, while we again saw no turtles, we did find a nest. We dug up the 99 eggs and brought them back. Also, because we had so many turtles that evening we realeased several more by moon light. It was quite an experience to sit under the stars and watch them waddle to the sea by the light of the moon. As we watched, Edan humorously suggested as each turtle found its way to the ocean that they now officially had become "sea turtles".
By the end of day 3 the kids were dead. On the way back in, as they sat nestled in a box on the back of a 4X4 they each had fallen asleep. We were a little nervous as we watched them bob side to side with each hill that they would fall out. Luckily, they all survived the way back to camp!
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