Buenas Dias from Buena Vista, Costa Rica

I´m on the Pacific coast on a small beach call Playa Buena Vista, a few kilometers outside Samana. This is a volunteer program through ASVO, a Costa Rican sea turtle conservation program. We live right on the beach in an A-frame type building. There is running water, a flush toilet and shower, all of which is outdoors. It is remote.

The sea turtle nests are just between us and the beach. It´s the end of the Oakley Ridley and Greeturtlele season here. The eggs we are harvesting are from mid to late November, with a 45-day incubation period. When the turtles come up, it´s in mass. Sometimes over 100 turtles per nest. They are so cute. We transfer them to a bucket of sand and deliver them to the beach, where they miraculously crawl to the water. Then, they´ll come back here to lay eggs of their own. Amazing. We have to watch out for racoons and other wild life that can harm them, but once they´re in the ocean, they´re on their own.

The other volunteers are from all over--Sweden, Germany, Holland, Finland and more. Even a few Americans. It´s been fun and fulfilling. Lots of pictures to come.

More from Mexico.