Dear Friends,

Our female hawksbill 'Funny' who we fitted with a transmitter on November 22nd, returned to nest on Klein Bonaire last night. She chose the same stretch of beach to come ashore as on previous occasions and laid her nest only 2 meters from one of her earlier ones. This is probably at least her sixth nest for the season. We anticipate that she will depart Bonaire shortly and when we can confirm that from the satellite locations, we will let you know and keep you posted of her progress.

Robert P van Dam

Project Director
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

Dear Friends,

'Funny', our female hawksbill and the last active turtle of the 2004 Bonaire nesting season, has finally departed after nesting one more time on Klein Bonaire the night of December 8th. As you can see from the attached map, her initial course is towards the northwest. She covered approximately 25 km in the last 24 hour period.

Yesterday, at a ceremony attended by Bonaire's Governor and representatives of Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, STINAPA, and the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance, the Netherlands Antilles postal service unveiled a new set of very nice postage stamps dedicated to sea turtles. The stamps depict six species of turtles: the Loggerhead, Kemp's Ridley, Green turtle, Olive Ridley, Hawksbill and Leatherback. The unveiling ceremony was highlighted by the Governor releasing five Green turtle hatchlings that had been rescued from a nest only the previous day into the Caribbean Sea at the Plaza Resort.

Best regards,

Andy Uhr
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

Andy

Thanks for the update on Funny, I love the stamps

Regards

Brian

Dear Friends,

Hawksbill turtle 'Funny' picked up speed yesterday after departing the waters of Bonaire, swimming over 80 km in 24 hrs and steering well clear of Curaçao. She is now over 100 km from Klein Bonaire where she last nested on the night of December 8th. Her track is still towards the northwest, which puts her on a preliminary course in the direction of Jamaica.

In the meantime, we continue to receive good signals from Green turtle 'STINAPA', who remains in the same location at her feeding grounds off the coast of Nicaragua, since arriving there on November 30th. 'STINAPA' is also the mother of the five rescued hatchling Green turtles released at Plaza Resort Bonaire by Governor Domacassé last Friday at the launch of the sea turtle stamp set issued by the Netherlands Antilles' postal service (Nieuwe Post N.A. n.v.).

We will keep you posted,

Robert P van Dam

Project Director
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

Dear Friends,

'Funny', our female Hawksbill turtle, is really moving. She covered over 115 km in a 24 hour period yesterday! She is currently 230 km to the northwest of Bonaire, almost due north of Aruba, and moving in the direction of Jamaica.


Best regards,
Andy Uhr
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

Andrew,

I note the long stretches between dots on the plot, which I gather mean that long between satellite message pickups. Is that so? And, if so, is the longer spacing because of satellite pass/turtle surfacing timing (or is the satellite geosynchronous?)? Or does she really stay underwater for that distance? Or???

Glen,

I'm hardly an expert on the subject but this is my understanding: The satellite is in a polar orbit and must be in the proximity of the turtle to receive signals. Further, the transmitter on the turtle is programmed to operate for only 8 hours a day in order to conserve power. Not only does the turtle need to be on the surface but he/she must stay at the surface long enough to send out multiple transmissions. The satellite calculates the position of the turtle based on the Doppler shift in the multiple transmissions received and also calculates a confidence level for each plot. Factors affecting the confidence level are the position of the satellite to the turtle (directly overhead is less advantageous) and the number and durations of the signals received. Much of the data we receive is of no use and is discarded. That, along with the primary factor you have already identified, the satellite position/turtle surface timing is why there are frequent gaps in the plotted points.

In fact the turtles surface quite frequently and are only swimming 10 feet or so below the surface.

I hope this helps. Thanks for your continued interest.

Andy

Dear Friends,

Female Hawksbill turtle 'Funny' swam another 100 km yesterday and is now over 325 km from Bonaire. She continues to move in a northwest direction towards Jamaica.

We will keep you posted.

Best regards,
Andy Uhr
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

WOW Andrew!

I had no idea this was such a complicated process. And here I thought the hardest part would be catching the turtles to attach the transmitter :-)

Thanks once again not only for the work you and Robert and the rest of the people do to track the turtles, but a HUGE thank you to you Andrew for taking the time to post the information here for us to enjoy.

Belinda

TKS, Andrew.

Andy, thanks for the info, very interesting!

Dear Friends,

'Funny', our female Hawksbill turtle, broke our single day swimming record yesterday covering 125 km! The previous high mark was set by 'Extra', who swam 120 km in a single 24-hour period. What's unusual about 'Funny' is that she is traveling at such a high rate every day. She is currently 450 km from Bonaire and continuing to move towards Jamaica.

We will keep you posted.

Best regards,
Andy Uhr
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

Andy ...thanks for the update ! Funny broke the single day swimming record 125 km ! Question: this turtle "funny"is younger than stinapa ? thanks

Andy, thank you so very much for sharing all this info, I check this part of the BT site now everyday.... my son used some of your information as part of a final presentation project he did for his college Environmental Science course, along with other internet search information he found... He also showed pictures he personally took of turtles on Bonaire and did a slide show of pictures Darelene Ellis took of turtles and hatchlings on Klein in October. Thank you too Darlene :-)

Denise

There is a mistake in my reply to Glen's question. The transmitter is programmed to be on for 16 hours a day rather than 8 hours.

Andy

Dear Friends,

'Funny', our female Hawksbill turtle, has slowed a bit. She traveled 85 km in the last 24-hour period and is now 530 km from Bonaire. If her destination is Jamaica, she is now about halfway there.

We will keep you posted.

Best regards,
Andy Uhr
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

Dear Friends,

'Funny's pace continues to slow. Yesterday, our female Hawksbill turtle covered only about 55 km. She is now approximately 580 km from Bonaire.

We will keep you posted.

Best regards,
Andy Uhr
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

Dear Friends,

Female Hawksbill turtle 'Funny's covered approximately 60 km yesterday and is about 640 km from Bonaire. She has turned slightly to the west and may no longer be headed to Jamaica. Her final destination is still a mystery.

We will keep you posted.

Best regards,
Andy Uhr
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

Hummmmmm...maybe she is late for a domino tourny on Jamaica (LOL...). Seriously, I love following our "Bonaire" Turtles. Thanks so much for the valuable information. Thanks Andrew for everything!

Liz Ginocchio

Andy, thanks for the turtle updates...they are fascinating!

It's a Lady's perogative to change her mind...LOL! Love to watch their progress and ventures. Thanks, Andy! Carole

Dear Friends,

Our female Hawksbill turtle 'Fanny's is now moving in a more westerly direction and may even be starting to go slightly to the southwest. Yesterday she covered approximately 64 km in a 24-hour period and is 690 km from Bonaire.

We will keep you posted.

Best regards,
Andy Uhr
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

It still amazes me every time I look at one of these postings....these creatures are something else...talk about fortitude and endurance! Thanks, Andy. Carole

Dear Friends,

'Funny', our female Hawksbill turtle has made a dramatic swing to the southwest. It is apparent that she has also picked up speed. We do not have a great deal of confidence in her last data point and cannot make an absolute determination of how fast or how far she actually traveled yesterday. We'll know more tomorrow and will keep you posted.

Best regards,

Andy Uhr
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

PO Box 492
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Netherlands Antilles

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

I can't help but feel I'm watching a hurricane track, something we do quite often on the coast of North Carolina. These animals amaze me with their endurance, so sluggish and slow on land , so graceful and swift by sea. Thank you for your updates!

As a many time visitor to Bonaire and always thrilled for a turtle encounter when diving, I am absolutely amazed by what I read here. Andy, thanks so much for the continued updates - it's become a highlight for me to pop in here to see where these fascinating creatures travels are taking them. Awesome beyond words!