Maravillas y DefiZIHencias

https://youtu.be/QwjhyqIPE0U

Locally the number of deaths keep climbing from Covid-19, now mostly among younger people. Currently Zihuatanejo registers 397 active cases. The local hospital reports they are having difficulty finding enough oxygen for their patients with respiratory issues.

Still awaiting confirmation of dates and venues for the next round of vaccinations, hopefully next week.

Our hospital remains so overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients that Zihuatanejo is unable to receive patients from other municipios. This is precisely what I predicted would happen and why I wrote the gobernador and the ayuntamiento to suggest they use the funds from the unsolicited and unnecessary "remodelación del Paseo del Pescador" project to either build a new hospital or improve the one we have. Now people are suffering while politicians count their money.

A light evening rain yesterday made for perfect sleeping weather once again. So many flowers are blooming that the air is fragrant with their sweetness but not overhelmingly so. Just something else to love about the rainy season in the tropics. The waves were a bit high today in the bay, but not really a problem for swimmers.

Seeing too many turtle tracks where they aren't laying eggs but simply turn around and return to the ocean. In many instances they run into constructions on La Madera and Playa Principal, and I'm guessing sometimes they also run into dogs or humans that scare them off.

A few tourists remain around, but not many. School is scheduled to start at the end of August, though that is now doubtful, but the uncertainty and the Semáforo Rojo may be keeping folks away.

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#NoAlBlueFlag
#NoAlBlueFlagEnPlayaLaMadera
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo

After an overnight rain, the sand on the downtown beach looks dark, not the bright white sand we see when it's dry. Maybe it's just me, but the beach looks much smaller than it used to before the remodelación.

Somehow, tortoises and turtles have always been a major part of my life. In California, before we all became aware of "things," I saved up my allowance an bought my first California Desert Tortoise when I was 5. Cleo was with me until the year before we moved here to stay, making his time with me 61 years. The little green red eared slider that I bought with my allowance when I was 10 went to college with me.

We learned as much as we could about tortoises and turtles, and once we discovered Zihuatanejo, sea turtles.

We are on Playa la Ropa VERY early, in the dark. The las three days, we have had 26,35 and 19 haul outs, respectively.

We are learning as much as we can about our Olive Ridleys, Golfines that are the normal sea turtles here.

What we are learning is that most of the females haul out 1 to 3 times per season. Generally one of those is not one that results in eggs.

It all depends upon whose research you are reading.

We walk the beach most mornings, very early and count. It's really interesting. Soon, we will also be counting the tracks from the little guys making their dash to the water!!!

We tend to talk to people, education is important.

This morning we spoke to a neighbor who returned from the US, closing out his residence there, and arriving yesterday to stay forever. He told us he had returned yesterday, and just walked 4.5 miles on the beach.

We welcomed him home, and congratulated him on his exercise. He hadn't seen one turtle haul out.

We described to him what look for and hope he saw some this morning.

Hola. Please enlighten me: "turtle haul out" ??? Thank you

When the turtle comes out of the water and walks on the sand. Usually it is to nest or prepare to nest. The tracks are very distinctive, just like those of the crocodiles. They are easy to tell apart.

You will see that the tracks are in pairs, one coming out of the water and one returning. Maybe every 3 weeks or so, we'll see just the in coming track. Then, we look around and either see her still laying eggs or making the dash back to the water. Fortunately we have never just seen the turtle disappear.