The sound of music.

Is that a symphony I hear trying to lull me asleep. Nope, it’s the alarm trying to arouse me at 4 am on a Friday. The start of another turtle patrol day. As I groggily make my way to the bathroom in the dark so I won’t awake my signifacant other trying to avoid the furniture and walls. That sucessfully done, head downstairs to start the coffee and put out the bird feeders. By then enough coffee has perked to get my first cup.

Sipping my first cup of Joe I read the weather for the day (hot and humid, starting to sound like a broken record), then catch up on the news and finish my coffee. Then back upstairs in the dark to grab my carefully laid out clothes and carry them to the bathroom where I can get dressed in the light.

That done, back downstairs to fill the water bottle and grab my truck keys. In the garage I check to make sure I have everything I need - probing stick, badge and beach shoes. Garage door up and I am backing the truck out at 5:15 am. Driving carefully in the dark tying to avoid the deer (which I did not do two weeks ago). Meet up with the rest of the team before 6 am at Johnson Creek Tavern to get our assignments and any news we need. I then realize that we have been doing this for 13 straight weeks and wondering if this season is going to be like last year; first walk May 2nd and last walk Dec. 31st - 8 months but you know what - I would not change a single thing. I really look forward to these days of getting out on the beach at sunrise and engaging nature.

Two new nests today, number 222 in zone 2 (Helena says that there was a couple on their anniversity and they decided to adopt this nest. Nest 223 was found in zone 1 with 2 NNC in zone 3

Nest 222.

Nest 223.

This gal had a long slog on the beach with no nest.

The pictures were taken by permitted volunteers under permit 2024-MTP537 & 2024 -MTP565, Following all rules and guidelines. Only permitted individuals are allowed to engage in sea turtle conservation activities.