THE TURTLES ARE COMING…THE TURTLES ARE COMING


Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: 15 chicken eggs- $3.15

I look out at the sea and notice hundreds of heads popping in and out of the waves. They are scattered throughout the horizon, uniquely positioned like a cunning naval offense. It’s that time of year—the turtle invasion has begun.

Thanks to our friend Rolf at Hotel Luna Azul in Ostional, we were alerted to their arrival. He is the area’s turtle whisperer, “The big “arribadas” has started,” he writes. “You do not want to miss this.”

I glance down the beach and see many have already laid their eggs in the sand. Some are dragging their exhausted bodies back to the sea; each step a struggle, their bodies not designed to maneuver in this terrain. Their appendages dig into the sand and push, inch by inch, towards the ocean leaving what looks like tire tracks in the sand. They let out deep
breaths and rest for prolonged periods of time. It’s taking every last bit of their energy to return home.

“There is a delicate balance here.” Rolf tells us over breakfast at his hotel. I sit at an ocean view table spreading homemade marmalade on toast. He has just poured me a second cup of coffee after bringing out a plate of fruit.  Rolf’s hospitality is as good as his breakfast.

Rolf enthusiastically explains the phenomenon that is occurring, “Playa Ostional is one of the world’s most important nesting beaches for Olive Ridley turtles. It would seem this close-knit community has struck a delicate balance between preserving the turtles for future generations and the culture of the people.  So many turtles arrive with each new wave that they trample and destroy the nests that were laid the night before. These eggs are thought to be an aphrodisiac and are highly sort after by people of Costa Rica.  The community participates in a program that allows collection of up to 5% of this first wave of eggs likely to be destroyed by the turtles themselves. The later batches laid by the turtles are to be left to hatch and hopefully make it back to the sea.

“It is possible to conserve our resources and live in harmony with nature,” Rolf explains. “But only if we all come together through education and develop programs to make that possible.”

Playa Ostional couldn’t be a more beautiful beach. It’s a peaceful area located approximately an hour and a half south of Tamarindo. It’s exactly what I love about living here, uninterrupted landscapes with seawater at my feet.  No wonder the turtles come here year after year. It would seem our friend Rolf runs his hotel in one of the most spectacular places in all of Costa Rica.

We return to Ostional once again after Rolf informs us the babies are hatching. When we arrive, we follow tiny prints in the sand until we catch up with the babies. They are fast and scurry towards the sea. The vultures are hovering overhead; the turtles know this is the most important race of their lives.

The babies sprint across the hot beach, their little paddles flinging up grains of sand to the top of their shells. The grains resemble tiny flakes of gold glitter in the sunlight, turning their grayish shells into sparkling gems.  Rolf warned us to resist the urge to pick them up and rush them to the water—if you don’t allow them to walk to the water their lungs will not have a chance to fill with air and they will ultimately drown. The turtles must do this journey on their own. All I can do is chant, “go turtle go!” as I protect them from the
predators overhead. This one will make it, I say to myself. I watch as he finally hits the surf, his little appendages instinctively paddle rapidly. In a split second, he disappears into the darkness of the ocean.

Costa Rica often gifts me with life-affirming moments. Today I reflected on my own existence by simply watching these turtles recreate their miraculous return, an event that has gone on for thousands of years. I can’t help but think how rich my life has become while living in Costa Rica and how lucky I am that people like Rolf are here to share their love for this country.

Perhaps I’ll stop by his hotel again this week. I have a feeling he has other secrets to share over breakfast.

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:35-04:00 December 3rd, 2011|Categories: Nature|Tags: , , |15 Comments

About the Author:

Nadine is the author of the best-selling series, Happier Than A Billionaire. Join her as she navigates living as an expat in the sometimes confusing, always beautiful, country of Costa Rica.

15 Comments

  1. Rob Rescues A Turtle October 8, 2013 at 3:38 pm - Reply

    […] (read more about Playa Ostional in one of my previous posts “The Turtles Are Coming” ) […]

  2. Ann Ellison May 18, 2013 at 11:23 am - Reply

    Love your blogs and the pictures. Really enjoyed this one – amazing video.

    • admin June 22, 2013 at 7:42 am - Reply

      Thanks Ann!

  3. Anne Harper December 21, 2011 at 3:22 pm - Reply

    I have really enjoyed reading your experiences in Costa Rica. I bought your book
    Happier than a Billionaire and loved seeing description of some of the places that we have been. We have so much more to see and do and will be ready to get started when we return in February to Atenas.

    • admin December 22, 2011 at 10:20 pm - Reply

      I love Atenas, what a great place to live. I’ve met some of the nicest Costa Ricans in that part of the country. And I loved taking monthly trips to Poas Volcano. We would drive up there on our scooter, I have some of the best memories doing that.

  4. Robert December 12, 2011 at 6:34 pm - Reply

    What a great little video. Looking forward to seeing that in person. Thanks.

    • admin December 15, 2011 at 1:45 pm - Reply

      One of the best days here. Really a must on anyone’s list when visiting Costa Rica.

  5. Julie December 5, 2011 at 12:40 pm - Reply

    My husband and I had the opportunity to witness the turtles laying their eggs in the Guanacaste region in January of this year. It was something I could cross off my bucket list. I found it very moving and got a little choked up at the sight. I found it incredible that the baby turtles will return to the same beach to lay their own eggs. Definitely a wonder of Mother Nature.

    • admin December 7, 2011 at 7:41 am - Reply

      I got choked up too!! It was a real life changer for me. To see something like this just makes you want to protect this earth even more. My experiences here have made me realize that these moments I have with nature are the things that have brought me the most happiness. Far more than how I was living in the states. It’s so easy to get caught up in buying more stuff, that instant gratification it gives. But then you end up with a house full of junk not knowing why you ever bought it in the first place.

      Costa Rica has allowed me the chance to really open up and have gratitude for each day. It’s not hard to do when every morning I have a monkey looking at me through my window!

  6. Brett December 4, 2011 at 12:43 am - Reply

    What a beautiful sight. When I was living in Karachi, Pakistan I had the privileged to watch Green Sea Turtles lay their eggs and then go back later to watch them hatch. I know…Pakistan? Yep. It seems that a stretch of beach is a big nesting ground.

    It was really amazing, you had to stay away from them as they came up the beach so not to scare them, but once they started laying the eggs they won’t stop and it was OK to walk right up to them.

    Unfortunately I was in my early 20s and did not appreciate it as much as I would now. You are truly living a wonderful life.

    • admin December 7, 2011 at 7:37 am - Reply

      Wow, Pakistan! That must have been quite a sight. It was a special moment that I will take with me whereever I go. I know that leatherbacks also do this, so I will find out where that happens. I am glad that I got to share that video with you, it must have brought back some great memories.

  7. Mark December 3, 2011 at 11:26 pm - Reply

    What a great video, thanks for sharing that. Hope that adorable little guy makes it!

    • admin December 7, 2011 at 7:35 am - Reply

      Me too Mark. When I watched him swim off, I actually got teary. This moment was so beautiful, I hope they keep coming back for the next thousand years.

  8. Carla Rountree December 3, 2011 at 2:08 pm - Reply

    Wow! Does this event attract a lot of visitors? I would love to see this in person. I’d be horribly afraid of stepping on a baby turtle, though…

    • admin December 7, 2011 at 7:32 am - Reply

      I was too!! Every time I backed up to take a picture, there was another little guy running past me. I do believe this is a tourist attraction, but I only saw a few tourists on the beach. It’s amazing how wonderful it is here. This beach is off the beaten path, which is probably why the turtles keep coming back.

      I will definitely do this again. It was one of the best days of my life.

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