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Bonaire Nature & Nature Organizations: Satellite Tracking - Week of Dec 7
Bonaire Talk: Bonaire Nature & Nature Organizations: STCB (Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire): Satellite Tracking - Week of Dec 7
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Uhr (BonaireTalker - Post #40) on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 9:11 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dear Friends,

We are now tracking 'Nautila' as she moves northeast 100 km off the Dominican Republic. She is now approaching open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, with the only shallows relatively on-course being the Banco de la Plata, towards the northwest of her. Her destination continues to be a mystery.

Signals from our second mystery turtle, 'Schillie', indicate that she has definitely returned to the area around Klein Bonaire, possibly because she senses she needs to lay yet another nest there. This despite our report earlier last week that she was moving north and possibly away from Bonaire. We will have to wait and learn what see what she is up to next.

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."
nautila-dec07domrep

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1574) on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 10:18 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

It is interesting that Nautila's course north of the Dominican Republic appears on the plot above to be on the same line as her path to the island. As if she took as excursion from a planned course to get around an obstacle. Not on a locally constant line of magnetic force, is it?

But this is why the radio trackers were installed, wasn't it. Fascinating stuff.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #9714) on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 11:43 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Glen, interesting observation.

Andy, are these the first turtles you've tracked after they have left Bonaire? If there have been others in the past, what course did they take? It will be interesting to see where 'Schillie' will go once she's done! Thanks again for doing this!

Cynde

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1575) on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 2:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I checked the longer path on the turtle website and it does look a continuation of her path up to 1 Nov when she went half left to the island. Interesting.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Uhr (BonaireTalker - Post #41) on Tuesday, December 9, 2003 - 8:43 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde, These are the first turtles fitted with tracking devices on Bonaire. I believe that funding has been obtained to do some additional tracking next year.

Glen's observation may be right on. Currents may have taken her west and it took her a while to figure out her location and get back on track.

Andy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Igor van Riel (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2090) on Tuesday, December 9, 2003 - 9:57 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great stuff Andy!
I just discovered this topic and I love it.
Please keep us posted.
The Nautila Legend continues :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #9723) on Tuesday, December 9, 2003 - 11:40 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Andy, thanks for the information, this is exciting!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Uhr (BonaireTalker - Post #42) on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 - 8:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

update for Dec 8.
--------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,

Hawksbill 'Nautila' has now slowed down east of the "Banco de la Plata", on what may be a relatively shallow bank. If so, this may be her normal foraging area and her final destination. We are looking for nautical charts of the area to see whether the depth of the area is appropriate, as adult hawksbills typically reside in waters that between 20 and 60m deep.

'Schillie' is once again back on the reef along the north coast of Klein Bonaire. She may be preparing to lay another nest at "No Name" next week, which would be at least her fifth for this season.

For the benefit of those joining our "turtle tracking update" through NANCIweb, I am enclosing the complete track of 'Nautila', as recorded since she left Bonaire upon completing her nesting activity on the 28th of October. Other tracking maps can be found at our website: www.bonaireturtles.org

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."
nautila-dec08domrep
nautila-dec08

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Uhr (BonaireTalker - Post #43) on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 - 8:43 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

update for Dec 9.
---------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,

'Nautila' is continuing her way northwards into the Atlantic off the Dominican Republic. The only shallow waters that she needs for feeding nearby are to the west of her present location. Where will she go next?

In the meantime, 'Schillie' remains near 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."

nautila-dec09domrep

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2936) on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 - 11:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm addicted to this journey! Thanks ever so much, Andrew...we can't get enough of Nautila and Schillie's adventures. Just simply amazing....Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Uhr (BonaireTalker - Post #44) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 8:37 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

update for Dec 10.
---------------------------------------------

Dear Friends,

'Nautila' continues to move in northerly direction, located about 80 km east of the "Banco de la Plata". Her only choice to reach suitable habitat is to move towards the west from where she is. 'Nautila' is now 900 km from Bonaire and has traversed over 1200 km in the last six weeks.

Today we received no usable signals from 'Schillie', but it appears she remains near 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."

nautila-dec10domrep

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2940) on Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 9:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

WOW! That's a lot of pedaling, for sure! Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Igor van Riel (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2116) on Friday, December 12, 2003 - 4:20 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks 4 the updates Andy (and Robert :-) ).
It's some trip Nautila is making. I'm glad I don't have 2 swim along with her :-)
Where will she be going? I guess we just have 2 wait and see...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Uhr (BonaireTalker - Post #45) on Friday, December 12, 2003 - 9:37 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

update for Dec 11

-------------------------------------
Dear Friends,

Today we received good signals for both the hawksbills that we are tracking. Neither has moved much from their last positions, however. 'Nautila' is still about 100 km north of the Dominican Republic and east of the "Banco de la Plata".

'Schillie' remains at Klein Bonaire, with the latest location for her coming from Ebo's Reef. We expect her to lay one more nest on No Name beach early next week.

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."
schillie-dec11
nautila-dec11domrep

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2951) on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 4:33 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

When do they have time for "play"! LOL. Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andrew Uhr (BonaireTalker - Post #46) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 8:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

update for Dec 12.
---------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,

'Nautila' has remained in the same location for several days, which means she has most likely reached her destination. She at what is known as "Navidad Bank", a submerged reef bank to the east of "Banco de la Plata", about 100 km north of the Dominican Republic. The area is also known as the breeding ground for humpback whales at this time of year and should also be good foraging habitat for hawksbills. We expect 'Nautila' to stay on Navidad for the next 2-3 years before returning to lay more nests on Klein Bonaire. From now on we will provide further updates for 'Nautila' only if her location changes significantly or any further information becomes available.

In the meantime we are expecting our second transmittered hawksbill, 'Schillie', to lay another nest on No Name beach shortly.

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."
nautila-dec12domrep

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1583) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 10:13 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

TKS for all the postings, Andrew.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2956) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 12:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Feliz Navidad.....Navidad Bank...how appropriate! Good luck, Nautila. Time to take a long deserved rest...I hope! Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #467) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 1:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the updates. Good luck Nautila.

 


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