Hello Folks,

Up this morning early for hike along beach towards mangrove swamp. Looking for signs of leatherback turtles hatching. Saw several large nests but no hatchlings. Saw lots of marine organisms including thousands of wentletrap shells, which look like a delicate symmetrical tight whorl with spiral shells. Also found many etchings in the sand of limpets, burrowing through the wet sand. It looks like a giant modern work of conceptual art! Also saw limpets, live sand dollars and small marine slugs. It is really hot and wet, with temperatures around 90 by 9am. The students were playing in the surf at mid-day. Tonight we’re planning a night walk on the beach looking for strangler leatherback females who might be coming ashore to lay eggs.

—Marty Stickle.