Five hundred meters from where we are staying is a turtle sanctuary. Some South Africans pointed it out on our first evening. It’s a place where they collect and protect turtle eggs until hatching. They are put into large open air tanks where they have the best possible chance of surviving. They are kept in the tanks for three months at which point they are returned to the sea the risk of predators gone.
We missed a batch hatching by a few hours but we were mesmerised by the resulting bale of baby turtles happily swimming around safe in their tank.
Over the last few days we’ve done quite a lot of swimming. The coral is all around the island, often starting within a few meters of the beach. As you leave the beach the current whipping up the sand so the water becomes so milky you can’t see your hands. Mostly though it’s beautifully clear.
We’ve seen quite a few big turtles and lots of colourful fish. The water beautifully warm.
Earlier this afternoon while looking for turtles off the shore of the north island the sky grew grey and dark. Then the rain started and shortly afterwards the first crash of thunder. We made it back to the beach just as the lightening was starting to flash and the storm pass overhead, rain pouring down, us sheltering in one of the warungs or cafes that are along most of the beaches.
Later on after more swimming we venture out in the dusk to find food. Walking through the centre of the island in the humidity of the evening, the result of the afternoon storm, we become aware of snails crossing the path. Not like anything we encounter in the UK, these are huge tropical snails like us, out for an evening stroll in the damp. Carefully we pick our way along the path as the gloom and night starts to shut the day down. Not all of the snails make it, some mown down by the bicycles and e-scooters that frequent the same tracks.
As we’ve been walking over the last few days we have seen many different creatures. Large water monitors, insects and birds galore.
It’s a beautiful place to be nature watching.
