This summer, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Tortuguero, Costa Rica during the Green Sea Turtle’s nesting time. Our group signed up for the Turtle Watch tour when we first arrived in Tortuguero. Not given much detail about where we would be traveling to, we were only told to meet at the boat dock at 10pm. Once we board the boat, I notice there are no tour guides present, only English-speaking tourists and a boat driver who speaks very little English. (One of the many times that made me realize I need to step up my Spanish skills.)
I look up to the sky and realize that since we are in the middle of the jungle, there is no light pollution. The sky looks endless and I am able to see more stars than I’ve ever seen before. In the far distance of the enormous and seemingly cloudless sky, I see lightning. An ominous sign of what was to come.
Our boat stopped at a small village that is blasting loud music. It was still very dark out and hard to tell what was going on. A couple strangers board the boat. After they’ve boarded the boat, a large man asks in Spanish if we speak Spanish or English. Judging from our blank expressions, he begins speaking a few words in English and tells us we will arrive at our destination shortly.
We ride in the boat for 15 more awkward minutes until we reach our destination. We all file out of the boat, still not sure of what to expect and who these strangers that boarded the boat are. The large man asks that we separate into groups of 10. All of the tourists are huddled together and still not sure what is happening. “WE NEED 10, ANY 10 WILL DO”, the large man yells. I see someone from my group join this first group so I step out and join as well and our tour guide leads us onto this expansive empty space in the middle of the jungle.
The empty space was paved with concrete and bigger than a football field. It was pitch black out, only lit by the stars and a small red flashlight that our tour guide carries. I hear someone ask “Where are we?”. Our tour guide, Rana, tells us that we are standing on what used to be an airport landing strip. She explains more about what we will be seeing and that there are spotters currently searching the beach that will tell her and the other tour guides when we will be able to head towards the beach to see them lay eggs.
We start walking through the jungle and finally reach the beach. I’ve never seen the beach look so dark. The waves are loud and it is hard to hear everything our tour guide is saying. I can hear her say that one group is observing a turtle lay eggs and we are waiting for our turn. As we are waiting, I see what appears to be a large rock moving slowly to the water. Behind this large turtle is a group with a tour leader shining a red flashlight on her. She slowly makes her way to the water and disappears in a wave.
It is our turn and we walk towards another turtle laying eggs. There is a spotter holding a red flashlight and it appears he is even holding up the turtle’s butt. This bizarre voyeuristic experience is made even more memorable when, in a flash, the rain comes. It seems there is no such thing as light rain in the Costa Rican jungle. When it rains, it pours. I was stuck out in the rain with only a water resistant jacket and no shelter, I’ve never felt so soaked.
We stand out in the rain, thunder & lightning. We walk slowly to a second turtle that is covering her eggs. She kicks dirt on us and even sends dirt flying into the face of someone who leaned in too close. After we’ve stood in the pouring rain for seemingly hours, our tour leader states that we must leave the beach, it is not safe to be on the beach during the thunderstorm.
The walk back to the boat seemed like the longest and most treacherous walk I’ve ever taken at the time. The path had formed into a river from the heavy rain and there was little light to guide our way. It was still pouring out and it seemed like we were destined to walk in the jungle forever. I was so relieved when we finally made it to the empty airport and then finally onto the boat.
On the boat, I sat in a seat by myself and hoped that we made it back soon. Everyone was drenched. A woman I had never met talked loudly and excitedly about how the turtle had splashed her face with sand. She announce to her friends that the turtle had chosen and christened her the chosen one, “It hurt but it was such an amazing experience”.