Updated tracking for Nov 9

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Dear Friends,

'Nautila' has just reached the coast of the Dominican Republic, over 700 km away! She appears to be swinging to the East, but the next few days we will know for sure whether she stays or keeps on going. There is good feeding habitat for hawksbills all along that coast, but it is also a dangerous area for turtles, with lots of fishermen. Let hope she knows what she's doing! I am enclosing a more detailed map of the area she is in.

Hawksbill 'Schillie' is still here with us, along the north coast of Klein Bonaire, probably preparing to lay another nest, perhaps next weekend.

I will keep you posted.

Bon siman!

Robert P van Dam

Project Director
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

phone (599) 717 2225
cellular (599) 790 0433
email stcb@bonaireturtles.org
website www.bonaireturtles.org

P.O. Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

"Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, local affiliate of the Wider Caribbean Sea
Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), has been protecting sea turtles
through research, conservation and education since 1991."

I messed up adding the images for Nov 9.

Thanks again, Andrew...I am fascinated by her journey. I do hope she is safe from here on in. Just amazing! Carole

Update for Nov 10

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Dear Friends,

We are now tracking 'Nautila' as she moves along the southern coast of the Dominican Republic, in south-westerly direction, and now near the city of Barahona. The next few days we will see whether she really lives in this area, or gets her bearings and continues on her way. Since 'Nautila's' movements will be on a smaller scale now that she is in shallow water, and as she probably starts to feed again, I am including a more detailed map of the area.

'Schillie' is still with us at Klein Bonaire and this afternoon Funchi and I will go out on the reef to try to find where she is resting before she returns to nest again.

I will keep you posted.

Robert P van Dam

Project Director
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

phone (599) 717 2225
cellular (599) 790 0433
email stcb@bonaireturtles.org
website www.bonaireturtles.org

P.O. Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

"Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, local affiliate of the Wider Caribbean Sea
Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), has been protecting sea turtles
through research, conservation and education since 1991."

Andrew

Thanks - very enlightening. I hope you can keep updating this.

regards

Brian

Will she return to Bonaire, Andrew?? Carole

Yes, she should return in about 3 years. It takes them that long to recover from a breeding season.

Andy

Update for Nov 11.

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Dear Friends,

'Nautila' is still on the move along the coast of the Dominican Republic, now in a south-westerly direction and past the town of Barahona. It looks like she now knows where she needs to go to find her feeding habitat again. Since we can expect some larger scale movement from her again, I have zoomed out on the map showing her recent locations.

Yesterday we went out to look for 'Schillie' on the reef at Klein Bonaire and were able to find her within about 5 minutes! She was resting on a tiny sand patch amongst the coral heads at about 10m/30ft depth. The turtle and transmitter appear to be in fine shape.

I will keep you posted.

Robert P van Dam

Project Director
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

phone (599) 717 2225
cellular (599) 790 0433
email stcb@bonaireturtles.org
website www.bonaireturtles.org

P.O. Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

"Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, local affiliate of the Wider Caribbean Sea
Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), has been protecting sea turtles
through research, conservation and education since 1991."

This is all so very interesting! Thank you for taking the time to share her journey!

I am LOVING this! Thank you SO much for taking the time to share this with all of us. Absolutely fascinating.

I feel like a voyeur and a scientist combined! This is great stuff. Thanks again, Andrew. Carole

Update for Nov 12

Dear Friends,

'Nautila' continues swimming very close to the coast of the Dominican Republic, now in southerly direction towards the Parque Nacional Jaragua. Because this coast is south-east facing and constantly exposed to on-shore winds, waters there are rough so threats from encountering fishermen are probably reduced. The area is potentially good hawksbill feeding habitat. 'Nautila', however, remains on the move...

'Schillie' is still with us here on the reef at Klein Bonaire.

I will keep you posted,

Robert P van Dam

Project Director
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

phone (599) 717 2225
cellular (599) 790 0433
email stcb@bonaireturtles.org
website www.bonaireturtles.org

P.O. Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

"Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, local affiliate of the Wider Caribbean Sea
Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), has been protecting sea turtles
through research, conservation and education since 1991."

I just can't believe how fast she is moving along. Have you been able to calculate out her speed in mph and kph?? or knots? Hmmmm. Amazing, simply amazing! Carole

The only info I have regarding her speed is from Robert van Dam's observations during her first several days away from Bonaire. During her first 2 days,per Robert, she was averaging about 100 km per day. For the next 2 days, she was doing about 60 km per day. Robert is the Project Director for SCTB.

Dear Friends,

These turtles never cease to surprise: just when we expected her to follow the coastline to the south-west, 'Nautila' yesterday changed course and decided to move towards the south-east. She is now about 30 km directly away from the coast of the Dominican Republic. 'Nautila' is once again in water too deep for her to feed in, which means she will continue to move. From here it is anyone's guess where she'll go next...

'Schillie' is still here at Klein Bonaire, on the reef along the north coast of the island. We are expecting her to lay another nest on No Name beach within a few days.

I will keep you posted!

Robert P van Dam

Project Director
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

phone (599) 717 2225
cellular (599) 790 0433
email stcb@bonaireturtles.org
website www.bonaireturtles.org

P.O. Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

"Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, local affiliate of the Wider Caribbean Sea
Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), has been protecting sea turtles
through research, conservation and education since 1991."

Update for Nov 14. Robert will be off-island next week therefore reports may not be available every day.

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Dear Friends,

We are now seeing 'Nautila' pick up speed, again towards the south-west, paralleling -and well offshore- the coast of the Dominican Republic. It looks like she succesfully extracted herself from the "trap" formed by the bay around the city of Barahona. Perhaps 'Nautila' is now trying to find a safe passage around the triangular chunk of land that is the Parque Nacional Jaragua.

'Schillie' remains here on the reef at Klein Bonaire.

For a sobering perspective on the fate of other traveling marine turtles tracked by satellite, see the news item in this week's journal "Nature" at http://www.nature.com/nsu/031103/031103-17.html

The Bonaire turtle team, 'Funchi' and myself, will be visiting turtle projects around Puerto Rico next week. I will do my best to keep you posted on the movements of our turtles!

Robert P van Dam

Project Director
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

phone (599) 717 2225
cellular (599) 790 0433
email stcb@bonaireturtles.org
website www.bonaireturtles.org

P.O. Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

"Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, local affiliate of the Wider Caribbean Sea
Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), has been protecting sea turtles
through research, conservation and education since 1991."

Thanks again, Andrew. Amazing, simply amazing is the speed in which she can travel while in the water. Thanks for the link to the article, as well. It is disturbing but enlightening, as well. Let's hope the statistics turn for the better in the near future.

We anxiously await your next posting! Carole

Update for Nov 15:

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Dear Friends,

'Nautila' is still moving, apparently somewhat undecided where to go next, and now moving south.

'Schillie' is here at Klein Bonaire. No sign of her nesting yet.

We are off to Puerto Rico this morning. I will try to keep you posted as much as possible.

Robert P van Dam

Project Director
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

phone (599) 717 2225
cellular (599) 790 0433
email stcb@bonaireturtles.org
website www.bonaireturtles.org

P.O. Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

"Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, local affiliate of the Wider Caribbean Sea
Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), has been protecting sea turtles
through research, conservation and education since 1991."

Oh my! I wonder if she'll head back to Bonaire now?? She is amazing...she's really traversing the waters at quite a clip. I'm hooked...have to follow her until she settles in! Thanks again for the updates. Have a safe trip to Puerto Rico! Ayo. Carole

Maybe she realised that the Dominican Republic isn't a patch on Bonaire and is heading home. Sounds like a smart turtle to me.