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ENLARGE
In 1998, my wife and I visited Costa Rica. I remember it well because one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in history slammed Central America while we were there. A word of advice – never go to Costa Rica during the rainy season.
We stayed on the northwest coast near the small town of Nosara. I'm pretty sure Nosara is Spanish for “the edge of nowhere.” It was about 60 miles down a mud track that ended at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Needless to say it was beautiful, wild and very remote. At daylight the howler monkeys woke us up.
One afternoon we were sitting around the pool when this little Canadian guy solicited us to go with him on an adventure to watch sea turtles lay eggs on the beach. Unless you're out checking out the wildlife of Costa Rica there is absolutely nothing to do in Nosara, so we loaded up in the “crew” part of some other guy's crew cab Ford pickup and headed out with two perfect strangers to cross rivers and chase turtles.
We first visited a fine restaurant on the side of a mountain. During dinner we were served turtle eggs in a shot glass with a little salsa. Turtle eggs are considered a delicacy in Costa Rica and are served in bars nationwide. I have to admit that a raw egg from a giant reptile isn't the first thing I think of when I sit down for dinner. I also have to admit that they are quite tasty. I even had my wife's shot since her thinking on dinner precluded even trying giant reptile eggs.
After dinner we headed for the little town that protects the beach of the “arribada.” Arribada is a Spanish word meaning arrival and in the case of Ostional, Costa Rica, it signifies the nights when thousands of sea turtles arrive to lay eggs on the same night.
Thousands upon thousands of Ridley sea turtles lay eggs on top of eggs. This phenomenon is known as “predator swamping” and is a way for the turtles to overwhelm the animals that prey on the little ones. If one in ten thousand makes it to adulthood, then the arribada is a success.
Thanks to the people of Ostional, the odds of survival for the turtles increase to one in 300. A symbiotic relationship has been established that is profitable for the townspeople and positive for the turtles. The people are allowed to collect eggs for 36 hours after an arribada and then sell them. In return the turtles are protected and managed by the people.
Everyone in town over the age of 15 gets a share of the profit and when we pulled into town everyone in town had spent the money on beer. It was like a zombie movie. The whole town was trashed and stumbling through the streets.
We followed the little guide onto the beach and started the search. When we came upon her she was using her rear flippers to dig the nest. Then she began laying the eggs. When a reptile lays eggs they go into a trance that is so deep and impenetrable you could pet a crocodile while it lays its eggs. Fortunately, we were only petting a huge turtle. We touched her head and her front flippers and we watched her eggs as she deposited them in the hole.
The guide reached in and grabbed an egg as it fell from her and showed us the leathery skin and the dimple that would appear where we touched it. I asked him if he would return it to the nest and he said that the bacteria on his hands would foul the entire clutch. I asked him how to open it. Grasping the leathery shell between my thumb and forefinger I twisted it open and immediately sucked it dry.
Direct from the rear end of a turtle, that egg was the freshest eaten in all of Costa Rica that day and it was an experience most Costa Ricans will never have by eating eggs in a bar.
The New York Times reported last week on the plight of sea turtles in Costa Rica. On a beach just north of Ostional the locals marked the spot 55 yards above the high tide mark, which is what a turtle needs to be sure its eggs aren't inundated. With rising oceans the mark placed a decade ago is frequently underwater. The oceans, whether you care to believe it or not, are rising. And the turtles will likely go extinct because of it.
The hurricane that visited Central America when I was there in 1998 was at the time one of the strongest to ever hit land. Since then, there have been many more Category Five storms, but Mitch was the worst. It left 7,000 dead, 8,000 missing and 12,000 injured making it the second deadliest in history.
These occurrences are all related to one central problem – climate change. This phenomenon is changing our world into something that we might not be able to adapt to. Every time we get a cold snap I hear someone make fun of climate change. Most have never stepped foot outside and have no relationship with the rhythms of nature. I would rather listen to people with contact with the land like the farmer in Missouri or the Costa Rican in charge of ensuring the survival of turtles.
When President Obama takes on climate change, it can't hurt us to support ideas that force change down our throats. Otherwise, we will do nothing until it's too late. We face a crossroads between getting off our asses and listening to the natural world, or going the way of the turtle. The choice should be obvious.
Johnny's kids book, First Tracks, is available at Short Sport of Aspen, Sundance Gifts and www.ptopress.com. E-mail: snomasokist@msn.com
We stayed on the northwest coast near the small town of Nosara. I'm pretty sure Nosara is Spanish for “the edge of nowhere.” It was about 60 miles down a mud track that ended at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Needless to say it was beautiful, wild and very remote. At daylight the howler monkeys woke us up.
One afternoon we were sitting around the pool when this little Canadian guy solicited us to go with him on an adventure to watch sea turtles lay eggs on the beach. Unless you're out checking out the wildlife of Costa Rica there is absolutely nothing to do in Nosara, so we loaded up in the “crew” part of some other guy's crew cab Ford pickup and headed out with two perfect strangers to cross rivers and chase turtles.
We first visited a fine restaurant on the side of a mountain. During dinner we were served turtle eggs in a shot glass with a little salsa. Turtle eggs are considered a delicacy in Costa Rica and are served in bars nationwide. I have to admit that a raw egg from a giant reptile isn't the first thing I think of when I sit down for dinner. I also have to admit that they are quite tasty. I even had my wife's shot since her thinking on dinner precluded even trying giant reptile eggs.
After dinner we headed for the little town that protects the beach of the “arribada.” Arribada is a Spanish word meaning arrival and in the case of Ostional, Costa Rica, it signifies the nights when thousands of sea turtles arrive to lay eggs on the same night.
Thousands upon thousands of Ridley sea turtles lay eggs on top of eggs. This phenomenon is known as “predator swamping” and is a way for the turtles to overwhelm the animals that prey on the little ones. If one in ten thousand makes it to adulthood, then the arribada is a success.
Thanks to the people of Ostional, the odds of survival for the turtles increase to one in 300. A symbiotic relationship has been established that is profitable for the townspeople and positive for the turtles. The people are allowed to collect eggs for 36 hours after an arribada and then sell them. In return the turtles are protected and managed by the people.
Everyone in town over the age of 15 gets a share of the profit and when we pulled into town everyone in town had spent the money on beer. It was like a zombie movie. The whole town was trashed and stumbling through the streets.
We followed the little guide onto the beach and started the search. When we came upon her she was using her rear flippers to dig the nest. Then she began laying the eggs. When a reptile lays eggs they go into a trance that is so deep and impenetrable you could pet a crocodile while it lays its eggs. Fortunately, we were only petting a huge turtle. We touched her head and her front flippers and we watched her eggs as she deposited them in the hole.
The guide reached in and grabbed an egg as it fell from her and showed us the leathery skin and the dimple that would appear where we touched it. I asked him if he would return it to the nest and he said that the bacteria on his hands would foul the entire clutch. I asked him how to open it. Grasping the leathery shell between my thumb and forefinger I twisted it open and immediately sucked it dry.
Direct from the rear end of a turtle, that egg was the freshest eaten in all of Costa Rica that day and it was an experience most Costa Ricans will never have by eating eggs in a bar.
The New York Times reported last week on the plight of sea turtles in Costa Rica. On a beach just north of Ostional the locals marked the spot 55 yards above the high tide mark, which is what a turtle needs to be sure its eggs aren't inundated. With rising oceans the mark placed a decade ago is frequently underwater. The oceans, whether you care to believe it or not, are rising. And the turtles will likely go extinct because of it.
The hurricane that visited Central America when I was there in 1998 was at the time one of the strongest to ever hit land. Since then, there have been many more Category Five storms, but Mitch was the worst. It left 7,000 dead, 8,000 missing and 12,000 injured making it the second deadliest in history.
These occurrences are all related to one central problem – climate change. This phenomenon is changing our world into something that we might not be able to adapt to. Every time we get a cold snap I hear someone make fun of climate change. Most have never stepped foot outside and have no relationship with the rhythms of nature. I would rather listen to people with contact with the land like the farmer in Missouri or the Costa Rican in charge of ensuring the survival of turtles.
When President Obama takes on climate change, it can't hurt us to support ideas that force change down our throats. Otherwise, we will do nothing until it's too late. We face a crossroads between getting off our asses and listening to the natural world, or going the way of the turtle. The choice should be obvious.
Johnny's kids book, First Tracks, is available at Short Sport of Aspen, Sundance Gifts and www.ptopress.com. E-mail: snomasokist@msn.com
