Nest #9 emerged today. We counted 11 tracks out, 6 made it to the ocean and 2 walking to the ocean (one very feebly). Thought it might still be emerging or it emerged last night and the rain wiped out all the tracks except those left on the sand.
The nest itself had one emergence hole and one very large ghost crab hole on an angle which appeared angled right into the nest. The ghost crab hole was alive with flies. Our feeble turtle also was covered by flies so we believe s/he was injured by a ghost crab. I tried to whisk them away but they came right back.
Olivia, our resident camper, wanted to see the nest (I think she might have wanted to escape her drenched tent for a while) so we went down with her to see it. We then found one dead in the sand. Also the feeble guy was floundering in the shallow water. Olivia brought it out into the surf and watched it for a long time. It was not swimming well. Olivia said she was going to sit at the nest for a while and watch for any more hatchlings.
PS Olivia just called now and said no other turtles emerged!
PPS Tried to post videos and could not. Bill took one that captured the cacophony of sound coming from the brush as you went through the Coastal gate this morning. It was deafening!
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