San Pancho and Turtle News from Ecological Group of Costa Verde Frank D. Smith - Ecological Group of Costa Verde | |
August 2, 2015 |
Summer, Joslin and Sterile |
Hola Volunteers, Supporters and Readers ~
The final number of hatchlings released throughout the 2014 nesting season came to 89,462 from 1,256 nests collected and/or recorded.
It looks as if the 2015 season may reach 1,200 to 1,300 nests although it is a little too early in the season to know for sure. By the end of July we had collected and/or recorded 107 nests. Of that number, the first seven nests had hatched with 455 female hatchlings released, not good, but expected for the first seven.
Volunteer-wise: on July 11th, Joslin, Summer, and Sterile returned to the United States after eight years of devoted work. Manuel and Simon will assist the program as needed throughout the season while Jorge, Patty, Mando, Fabio, and Hattie remained throughout July. Sally and her daughter, Ruby, arrived in mid-July for two weeks, and Michelle and Nancy returned home on the 23rd after a one month stay. For the first time in over a decade we have enlisted enough volunteers for the season: 33 volunteers. For a look at our lineup go to Schedule.
Manuel is keeping the San Pancho Turtle Facebook page alive by sending information and photographs to Joslin. Good work, Manuel. Although, remember, if you have official business send it via our email address, as Joslin is now over 4,000 miles away from San Pancho.
Ready-or-not, by the end of July our work is in full swing and do I miss Joslin’s help. At the same time, I also miss having several other good dune buggy drivers that can take my place. Presently, I have only one other driver which means I'm in the driver's seat all night, every night, working until 4 or 5 AM, and the hours are taking their toll on me. Which brings up a sore point: There are other possible dune buggy drivers but because the buggy’s transmission and motor mounts are so screwed up, I don’t dare let them drive.
On July 30th, Chava, our mechanic, begin replacing of the buggy’s transmission for the third time in a year (all under warranty). The problems don’t end there. The clutch has to be replaced, the gas tank patched, the alternator repaired and the transmission mounts reinforced. While the buggy is being worked on we will be able to use a quad-runner supplied by a resident of Los Olas.
Weather-wise: Daytime temperatures are again hot (heat index is occasionally around 114°f plus). Daytime temperatures mostly in the very high 80°s and often in the mid to high 90°s. Night time temps from the high 60°s to very low 70°s. No unusual weather events. July rainfall was 6.63 inches, 19.95 inches for the year. No tropical storms.
Water hyacinths are rapidly taking over the surface of the lagoon but, fortunately, they are valuable aquatic plants that filter and transform microscopic sewage into beautiful flowering plants. Up to the end of July, the arroyo was mostly dry and will remain so, perhaps, for a while into August. After the New Moon, the high tide has smoothed and cleaned into a beautiful palm laden beach.
Town and country wise: As mentioned in our previous newsletter, it looked as if they were dismantling the old gas station after it sat idle for years. Now it appears that they are upgrading the old station and building another new gas station just on the other side of highway 200. Finally the municipality is patching our roads.
The peso is slowly rising from 15.1 to 15.9 per US dollar. Regular gasoline stabilized at 13.57 pesos per liter and propane stabilized at 440 pesos per tank. Regular gasoline is (3.78541 liters per gallon X 13.57 cost per liter / divided by 15.4 pesos) = $3.34 per gallon.
Frank D. Smith, Director
Grupo Ecológico de la Costa Verde, A.C.
Project Tortuga
Tel. (311) 258-4100
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