It is 4.30 in the afternoon at Playa Cabuyal, in the Gulf of
Papagayo. I am the only person here, but I am far from alone. Myriads of crabs
scurry quickly from one hole to the next, sea birds are floating beyond the
breakers looking for their dinner, and the trees along the sand also host a
variety of other birds. On my way to the beach I stopped to watch a family of
Howler Monkeys in the trees. The opportunity to volunteer with the Leatherback
Trust, researching Sea Turtles, brought me here -the tranquillity, abundant
wild-life and sense of community are unexpected bonuses. The basic living
conditions enhance rather than detract from the experience.
Having read the briefing material, I wasn’t expecting five
star luxury. (That can be found a short way up the road at the Four Seasons
Hotel, for around $1 000 a night.) My accommodation is much more affordable and
perfect for the purposes of the project. The Leatherback Trust leases the
house, which is a short walk or an extremely bumpy car ride to the beach. There
are numerous short cuts; across the estuary, through the mangroves, past the
salt pans, or through the dry forest. Crocodiles and sting rays frequent the
area, although we still swim. A few days ago we saw a dolphin in the ocean, and
whales are sometimes spotted as well.
The project accommodation is a house consisting of an office,
a store room, two bedrooms and a bathroom (with flushing toilet). This is
linked to the basic outdoor kitchen by a breezeway which is the dining and
recreation area. There is also another bathroom with toilet outside. The
various hammocks and chairs provide more options for relaxing and escaping the
heat. There is a solar panel, which does not generate enough power for a
fridge, but is used to recharge the project’s laptop and smaller electrical
items. The panel also powers lights for the indoor bathroom, the dining area
(albeit a very dim one) and occasionally the kitchen. Generally-harmless wasps
are a permanent fixture at the kitchen sink, and truly free-range chickens are
more interested in pecking around than laying eggs. Resident iguanas enjoy the
opportunity to bask in the sun, and the surrounding trees abound with parrots,
magpie jays, humming birds and many other birds that I can’t name without
referring to a nature guide. The occasional cane-toad can be seen in the
outside bathroom and I have to remind myself that they are a native here and
not the pest that they are at home. There is no internet here, but if you climb
the hill near the house you can get a phone signal and a stunning view of the
hills and ocean. Despite the mosquitos, it is well worth the climb at sundown
to see the sun set over the Pacific.
So this is my home for four weeks. For me, this is the
perfect balance of productivity and relaxation. Doing the patrols and other
tasks is rewarding and exciting. The down-time for reading, writing, wild-life
observation, going to the beach and socialising is relaxing and energising. It
is surprising how quickly the days go with so much free time.
To my unexpected pleasure the food here is better than any
other I have had in Costa Rica. The staff are excellent at preparing delicious
meals with only basic ingredients and equipment – their Costa Rican and
Venezuelan heritage are reproduced in deliciously varied creations. Before I
came I was preparing myself for some very ordinary meals but my fears were happily
unfounded. There was a day or two where our supplies were low & meals were
basic, but generally the food is delicious.
And of course, the reason I am here; – the turtles. Although
the project is managed by The Leatherback Trust, the most common species of
turtles found here is the Black Turtle (negra)
which is the same species as the Green Turtle, but they are found in different
locations. Olive Ridleys (loras) and
Leatherbacks (baulas) are also
sometimes found here.
The general routine is to do a morning patrol, starting at
6.30 am, then a patrol that night, beginning between 8 or 9 pm, depending on
the tide. Night patrol may not finish until between 3.30 or 6.30 am, depending
on what is happening. After a night patrol, the next day is generally free, and
then the cycle begins again with a morning patrol on the following day. There
are also afternoon tasks such as checking nest temperatures and sometimes conducting
nest excavations, nest triangulation, maintenance of marks, nest protection,
etc.
On a night patrol, the turtles are monitored, scanned for
their ID chip, and their nests are marked and the eggs they lay are counted.
Sometimes the eggs need to be relocated because there may be people on the
beach who have seen the nest, or it may be in an unsuitable position. Night
patrol also involves in speaking to people who come onto the beach (it is a
public beach) and politely finding out why they are there, and encouraging them
not to use white lights as these disturb the turtles. In between turtles we rest on the beach, lying
under the stars and moonlight. The purposes of the morning patrols are to
verify the data from the previous night and identify nests where the baby turtles
(totugitas) have emerged.
For me, there have been so many firsts – up close and personal
with a turtle; feeling her flipper; removing her eggs to another hole, being
kicked in the face with sand, more times
than I can remember; watching the tortugitas waddling to the water- it has all been
so interesting and exciting.
The project at Cabuyal is managed by a small team, who are
all lovely and very knowledgeable about the turtles. The local people are warm and friendly; the neighbours who gave us food and visited regularly, the municipal guards at
the beach and the local coast guards. In the first week I was at Cabuyal, there
were bushfires burning all around us. While
the other volunteer and I were by ourselves, some neighbours invited us to stay
in their cabin if we were scared. We weren’t, but it was that kind of hospitality
that helped make Cabuyal such a great experience.
As I left Playa Cabuyal, I was sorry that I couldn't stay
longer, but the season is coming to an end, as is my trip. I am off to the
mountains to escape the busy Santa Semana (Easter week) before I head back to
Australia.
