Hey world,
I planned to leave Puerto López for
the Galápagos Islands after a day or two. Well, the research permits didn’t
work out right away, and my visa never came, and we are all on Ecuadorian Time
after all. I integrated myself into Barbara’s turtle volunteering organization,
Equilibrio Azul, and I’ve been here helping out
with the turtles ever since.
I won’t bore you with the daily
trials of life in Puerto López. Instead, I will focus each blog entry on a
different aspect of the turtle conservation project. I’ve gotten the
opportunity to do some pretty gnarly things, from ripping open dead eggs full
of bacteria and fungus, to patrolling a restricted white-sand beach for nesting
hawksbills at night, to snorkeling amidst jellyfish in search of tagged green
turtles. I’ve also had my share of adventures of the bird-watching,
horseback-riding, and scuba-diving variety.
Here is a tantalizing sneak peak at
the entries to come:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjMG8YekanWTRFccNSD0CWsaaAw-B_jcPZ-6Lufrj74-9nCsmZNlR62hV0cgP_GZccjPL6bwf83LwuuyvNUG1ThhYPKmXnwP_LmUNRmykPbni969M7ya-kHFJuIc3dpaIw5bFdoQr4Ik/s1600/IMG_7134.JPG) |
Bomb scientists using tools to measure turtle tracks in the sand. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUk9ilqiGV5Za-wfXDpVgpqtg9EnlyyypHAxr19NKv_lqLQ5Pp-Co8kKbKWhZt9DpXosg5mkgbGkPSMMDufz85d9_012rmLcc-7q6gnlycfO8PBXbU8upMpgYrW2JVHOqWFuaZIlv1LZ0/s1600/IMG_7162.JPG) |
Nest excavations and embryo autopsies. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN68X1TBSzDhcHWF8gblRKWlDx0OQQ0KLlAZ_G2Vam8D4tsTE3H4zsNMW5Zma7T_9Xx3CTdZUww7DC4TDVXmONjEWSB5Q8GzMTfRxVemr7T2VI50cyN6KDGm_pKDVQfZa9eVaXkpBRC2s/s1600/IMG_7190.JPG) |
Shark bycatch at the morning fish market. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmkGheisPcgZ5tTK5EbGEdFPM_W5ZNidTKfqvsvIpjNoJSsCrqJtQ9PL0hk-jHGx0bQu4yTmjdeXRRgmVURbR2wFwojzEjZt5R-vqwav6VjyHse4l2Ht4o2LqJq1VSoU7YxDPmB2tGu4/s1600/IMG_7231.JPG) |
Cute children painting the fence blue. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDr89rdVER0_R-RIjZ2SjR2S8H1cAtNBP-eTBoFs6lhuZ2Lu_GICvQlrCVsitr8o1r-1cjry15Od8FNtIfHNv6yxXldrz2G6VQAKmItWarwUZY78F4nH0HMTAsEXNR4ywf13TI6BlDwg/s1600/IMG_7287.JPG) |
Mud ninjas. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOGnhRYUGDweK1XL0_3Wn-51x2i-m50bb7ero9l5aUCm8kWdEJaOEVh2kJeAlTF94_vxZXNwbw37wXxGTgRA2CGUfMRs6tE3xrD8njriuVLF29Fq4f2luHJ5wjW6SrD-jEjBmUmjPjio/s1600/IMG_7402.JPG) |
Adolescent blue-footed boobies. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhjL1pPjc4LlkJvNNa7lDdNfkXWqo172q_4dGk73wiMnZMfcZXnU3XGwjVoBHN79we5i7_xEDRAonSY3CAymIfabUxw63hrqlV03fPGclZ2si8OPqM67sDEi3g6cJwjCYUrPtBoZerFA/s1600/IMG_7591.JPG) |
Big hawksbills in little boats. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVm3Ui4uWktNqfGLFCsHBGnlWIfQLJIRyDVQGhyphenhyphenfEarBnv1f1GKXRU1RZ02gojzKIZZqOlCab-dLPtPpGpNC3StLQDDj3EiCsq-_yLxAD3pIE3QwERzd5mCnjsTWiF51qw9cqczHca8II/s1600/IMG_7746.JPG) |
And much more! |
It’s not research in the Galápagos
Islands as planned, but there are worse things than being stranded in Puerto López.
I have enjoyed living these adventures – I hope you enjoy reading about them!
Yours truly,
Nina