Well, the 200th nest was found June 17. This is the Texas state record for nesting Kemp's Ridleys. Sea Turtle Inc. represented by finding the golden nest. This particular clutch was considered an "unknown". On high wind days it becomes extremely difficult to follow the wind blown tracks. If the nest cavity is not found, the GPS coordinates are recorded and it is then logged as a "U" nest. We mark the site with a wooden post and a giant "u"...makes sense right? Well unfortunately beach campers, i'll refer to them as adam henrys, get desperate for wood and decide that our sign is an excellent fuel source. The nest then becomes almost impossible to identify and when the turtle hatch out, we lose valuable information.

Lining up the babies. On your marks, get set, GO!
*Gillis 2012

25 babies makes 1 lb. Tell me that's not adorable
*Gillis 2012

Just had another release this morning. This time we invited the public. Around 130 babies crawled their way into the big bad blue. There were four comrades (not pictured) that seemed a little hesitant to head into the powerful waves. Jefe filled a box with a little water, placed it next to the hatchlings, and popped them into the inch of water. This was a test to see if the turtles were ready. Right away they remembered what they were programmed to do. They were flapping like crazy. So Jefe once again placed them onto the sand. With this new found inspiration the hatchlings slowly made their way into the water. They were the last to go.

Babies imprinting and making itty bitty baby tracks.
*Gillis 2012

The site that gets be the most is the set of tracks the hatchling leaves behind. It's a reminder of how this all starts. Patrolling for 8 hours on the beach looking for those distinct check marks of a nesting mother. Reading that set leads you to 100 new lives that you hope will someday do the same. To see the small indentations left by the babies reminds me that you've got to start somewhere. No matter how over whelming it may be. No matter what the odds are. As I tell all the visitors that come through sea turtle inc. it's a site everyone should see in their lifetime. It beats a cup of coffee anyway. I get energized, humbled, inspired, teary-eyed, and reminded of how beautiful life can be. What else in life can do this...that's legal. I often repeat it doesn't get old. I ask the volunteers that have been in the hatchling release business for years if it does, they tell me no. I wonder if the moment will feel the same at the end of the season...something tells me it will.

After being stupidly ill for the past week or so I've also come to terms with the fact I'm madly in love with Deacon, the dog I'm fostering. He's been such a rock in my hectic schedule. I keep saying I'm only fostering him but I think it's about to change. The only way I can let him leave my life is if I know 100% that he is going to a better home... Sadly my lunch break is over and I'll have to leave in the middle of professing my admiration for this little black rogue. He's sitting on the table with me out of breath and slobbery as hell. My hero. Will write when I get work...

It's been way too long but life happens. I've been having a hell of a 2 week period which includes illness that has kept me from myself for way too long. I missed me. I'm glad I'm back. What I've failed to update is the fact that we have over 60 nests. 63 to be exact. I couldn't be happier... Or could I... We've had over ten nests hat hatch out and including tonights releases we'll have well over 1,000 Aas it's 2am and I need to be up in 4hrs-sleep ahas become a rarity here!