Thursday 24^th January

Wow! After leaving the beauty of Wayag we motored, as seems typical in this part of the world, to the small island of Ai (00:20.489N 129:51.767E)where the Leatherback Turtles like to lay their eggs. As we arrived we were greeted by the team of Indonesians in charge of monitoring the nests and eggs. The beach was a challenge to get onto with a huge wave up onto the sand making landing the tender a little like being a surf lifesaver! Monitor lizard tracks lead us to the depressions in the sand where the turtle had lumbered up the beach and dug a hole for their eggs. They unfortunately dig them up for an eggy snack! It was lovely to have a walk on the long, deep, sand beach and the girls enjoyed collecting shells, lovely, white rocks washed smooth with the waves and amazing chunks of blue coral.

At 8 pm we embarked with Bev and Gary into the beach again, to be led in by flashing torches. After much waiting, enjoying a moonlit night, it was a no show much to everyone’s disappointment. Sand castles and hermit crab gardens were built while listening to the crashing waves and watching a starry sky. When everyone was tucked up in bed there was more flashing from the beach! Jeremy, Phoebe and I were lucky enough to see a Leatherback, with a 106 cm shell, finish covering her eggs. So amazing to see her so close up, with the droopy watery eyes peering in the torch light, her skin so smooth and shell so hard and strong. The locals unceremoniously turned her over to check the underside of her carapace so we could clearly see all her body parts. They were very keen for Phoebe to hop on her back to show how strong she was! She humped her way back down the slope she had climbed up, leaving waving marks in the sand and looking very uncoordinated lumping along with her flippers. Sadly we watched her crawl over the reef and disappear out to sea, leaving her eggs to incubate and fend for themselves on their journey to the sea in three months’ time.