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 "My adventure in Hawaii was fantastic! I was actually able to participate in a vital Hawksbill Sea Turtle monitoring program." |
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| I arrived on the big island of Hawaii on September 15, 1999 and met with my brother, Will Seitz. Will is part of a project to protect the endangered Hawksbill sea turtle, or as they are known in Hawaii, the Honu'Ea. We left Volcanoes National Park and camped at a remote beach named Kamehame where the turtles nest. |
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 The mother Hawksbill leaves the ocean at night to come ashore and build her nest in the native Hawaiian plant known as Naupaka. |
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 After the mother Hawksbill finds a suitable nesting place, she digs her nails deep into the black beach sand. Once the nest is prepared the mother Hawksbill prepares to fill it with up to 178 eggs! |
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As the mother Hawksbill lays, she goes into a trance and we are able turn on our lights, take notes.  We try to mark the nest by dropping a fishing bobber, attached to a tag by a long string, into the nest and it is buried along with the eggs.
After the mother is far from view and safely in the ocean, each nest site is carefully marked with bright ribbons and ringed with coral. |
 After carefully covering her nest, masking any signs of it's presence, the mother Hawksbill returns in the darkness, to the security of her ocean home. One day it shall be her children's, as well. |
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As the turtles head back toward the surf, we stop them momentarily (not easy since the turtles can weigh up to 180 lbs, are STRONG, and BITE HARD!) to read their tags so we can know more about their natural history and reproductive strategies. This information is vital to their continued and improved protection.
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| At beaches frequented by people, the nests must be protected with metal cages that keep both people and predators, like mongooseand rats, from damaging the fragile eggs. This nest is at Punaluu black sand beach. |
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About 2 1/2 months after the eggs are layed in the sand, baby Hawksbill turtles are beginning to crack their protective egg shells. Each measures about 2 inches and must struggle to break free of the nest and crawl to the ocean. It's not easy for the little turtles. |
| The relentless pounding of the ocean surf, depressions and footprints in the sand, and the predators that await the infant turtles, are just a few of the hazards that all baby Hawksbills must face as they begin their lives in the vastness of earth's oceanic innerspace. |
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All in all, it was a fantastic journey for me. I learned a lot about sea turtle ecology and biology, and I had one of the best times of my life!
Thank-you Will, for showing me how amazing and wonderful Hawaii really is. Click below to learn more about... |