Ascension Island

The glimmering glow of a half moon creates shadows through the iridescent red glow of our head lamps.Six of us, all who have arrived on Ascension island by sea, walk the many hills of the yellow sandy beach. My toes dig deep into the sand to find balance under the 1 AM starry night. An amazingly pleasant experience after sitting on a rocking sailboat for 3 weeks. Some say sailing is adventurous but truth be told it is a little boring. Often finding myself having trouble sitting still for so many hours. Story telling fill our hours between meals. The kitchen galley becoming a focal point of our days. On a quest for green sea turtles at 1 AM on the worlds largest sea turtle nesting site after too many beers on a Monday afternoon is pure perfection.

“Watch out there’s another one”

I hear whispered into the darkness. My eyes registering on two baby green turtles the size of a x-large coin. Their legs,shaped as flippers push them speedily through the sand.  The mad dash for the ocean is in full bloom. At a huge risk for predators, the babies hatch from their eggs in the evening and make there way to the sea.

“Guys, guys over here”

The group has found a giant female turtle on her way to lay her eggs. Unfortunately our excitement level frightens her and she u-turns at a hustle back to the sea

I mumble apologetically as the guilt sets in.

“I guess that’s is why they have conservation projects like this one” We all agree as we continue are walk on the sandy beach in search of sea turtles. This time quietly, without lights and a whisper…..