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Diving Bonaire: Please do not drive or park on the beaches!
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2004-02-16 to 2004-08-14: Please do not drive or park on the beaches!
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Zwaantje (Swa) Kooij (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 - 11:25 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just a small request:
If you are doing a shore dive on the southcoast close to the Fisherman's hut (or any other location where it's sandy), please do not drive or park on the sandy beach! Please pull up at the harder part (where the coral 'gravel' is).
Turtle conservation has asked us to keep an eye out around the fisherman's hut, and to tell everybody there to be careful, because apparently this area has become a perfect spot for turtles to lay eggs. Presuming you do not have this information, I thought I put it on this message board and hope you'll spread the word so we can protect their eggs and keep encountering these beautiful creatures in our waters.
(like last Sunday: whilst in the water I had the luck of meeting two HUGE loggerheads taking a breath at the surface, they were impressing!!)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Julia Graves (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #411) on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 - 12:58 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks so much for the post,Swa. I don't think we have parked on the beach since a very embarassing incident at Lac Bay when a local had to drive the truck out of the soft sand for us!!!!
It's always good to know that the turtles are happy enough to lay eggs.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Gillan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #112) on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 - 4:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Zwa Kooij on Beach, Sand, and Turtles:

Interesting and important post on Bonaire beaches and sea turtles. After the mother's tracks have been washed away, it is difficult to see where the 100+ turtle eggs are buried. Walking or driving on them certainly can do a lot of damage. Here in our town in south Florida we had about 800+ turtles lay their eggs last summer.

Educating people about the biology/ecology of sea turtle nesting has really made a difference. Lightless "turtle walks" are hosted every night now by local environmental centers. Juvenile turtle releases are equally well attended and educational. Since turtles imprint with nature's GIS/geomagnetism, they are most likely to return to the same location they left. Imprinting on Bonaire beaches ensuring future generation of sea turtles for our kids' kids.

Zwa, where did you see the large loggerheads and how large were they? Females?

Thanks.

Bud

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Pochodzay (BonaireTalker - Post #16) on Friday, June 25, 2004 - 5:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

This information should be added to the Marine Park briefing. This is the first time I have heard this request, it makes sense but I never thought about it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marlene Robinson (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #9) on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 4:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I will be in Bonaire from July 26 to August 11. I would be happy to help publicize this request, for instance, if you decide to put up signs or produce brochures or fliers to post at local shops.

I know my partner, Bruce, will also be happy to put in some time on a project to help raise awareness about this issue.

 


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