It has been pointed out that I have been making a few mistakes in my blog regards spelling etc. I would like to point out that these mistakes are typos, and not an indictment of my linguistic ability. Typos borne of blood sweat and tears while I sweat away in an internet cafe for your amusement. Plus all my words show up in red because the computer is spell-checking in Portuguese.
I have managed to correct my housemates on a couple of issues at least. The other day Rodrigo gave me one of his elaborate handshakes that always end up with me punching his open palm, or high-fiving his fist, I'm simply not cool enough for this guy. Anyway, he gave me a smile and a 'tudo bom meu nig**r'.
I looked around, everyone was smiling at me despite this n-word, even Neto, who has very dark skin. Rather than play along, I decided to nip this in the bud, and explain that the English for 'negro' is black, or at a push negro. They were all surprised, and even moreso when I told them that the n-word was a smidge racist. You have a lot to answer for modern culture. Shame.
David has been around the Sanctuary a bit. The poor guy is very unstable on his feet due to his Parkinsons, and very slight in build. I think its his 74th birthday today, so I was surprised when he said he was going to Europe in March to see his mother. More luck to her says I. After having another dodgy tummy for day or so, and nothing working too well for me, he showed me where to get some leaves for tea or just to nibble on, which worked wonders. It felt much better for the soul than popping a load of white pellets.
I've been out a good few nights on my beach, Chapadao, which I really love, whether I find anything or not. Here's a quick run-down of the whole operation and process for a turtle, so skip to the next paragraph if you don't care.
The hawksbill turtle season here is from december to April, with this month being the busiest. There are Atlantic and Indo-Pacific sub-species, and this one is critically endangered. Armando set up a project here 7-8 years ago to monitor the area for nests, and regularly had biology students to come and help him on night patrols. The area was seen to be so important that a permanent base of TAMAR workers live here with regular students as well. Armando now lives in Fernando do Noronha, a step up career and location wise it seems.
We jump on the quads around 7 at night, get all the stuff, and head to the beach. I'm usually left on Chapadao, where I do a quick patrol, and relax. The whole process of the mother turtle going up the beach, finding a spot, digging a hole, laying her eggs and leaving takes at least 50 mins, so I can rest/sleep for forty minutes before heading off again. Being on an isolated beach means I don't have to help too much with dragging all the equipment around Praia das Minas, which is longer, and is more regularly visited by mothers. Keeping an eye on tides and moon, I patrol like this until 4 in the morning, when the sun comes up and we head off. If one emerges on my beach, I ring them and stay with her until someone arrives and help them with the tagging, measuring, weighing, and blood sample. Then off they go and I go back to my regular beat. The nests that are close to hatching I keep an eye on to. The other night I checked on Nest 4 and saw that the lads had emerged from the eggs, but were waiting for the next night to make a break for the water. I missed the actual event, but we'll be doing a few 'aberturas' in the future, where we invite the public to witness a nest hatching, so I'll get a video for ye then.
I really love it down there, staring up at the stars on really clear nights, or unbelievably bright moons like tonight. Just thinking...relaxing...listening to the waves.... falling asleep....until BZZZT BZZZT BZZZT, alarm goes off, better do another lap, how bad though?
Couldn't be bothered writing another section, so if you did skip that, go back and read it will ye? cheers,
I have managed to correct my housemates on a couple of issues at least. The other day Rodrigo gave me one of his elaborate handshakes that always end up with me punching his open palm, or high-fiving his fist, I'm simply not cool enough for this guy. Anyway, he gave me a smile and a 'tudo bom meu nig**r'.
I looked around, everyone was smiling at me despite this n-word, even Neto, who has very dark skin. Rather than play along, I decided to nip this in the bud, and explain that the English for 'negro' is black, or at a push negro. They were all surprised, and even moreso when I told them that the n-word was a smidge racist. You have a lot to answer for modern culture. Shame.
David has been around the Sanctuary a bit. The poor guy is very unstable on his feet due to his Parkinsons, and very slight in build. I think its his 74th birthday today, so I was surprised when he said he was going to Europe in March to see his mother. More luck to her says I. After having another dodgy tummy for day or so, and nothing working too well for me, he showed me where to get some leaves for tea or just to nibble on, which worked wonders. It felt much better for the soul than popping a load of white pellets.
I've been out a good few nights on my beach, Chapadao, which I really love, whether I find anything or not. Here's a quick run-down of the whole operation and process for a turtle, so skip to the next paragraph if you don't care.
The hawksbill turtle season here is from december to April, with this month being the busiest. There are Atlantic and Indo-Pacific sub-species, and this one is critically endangered. Armando set up a project here 7-8 years ago to monitor the area for nests, and regularly had biology students to come and help him on night patrols. The area was seen to be so important that a permanent base of TAMAR workers live here with regular students as well. Armando now lives in Fernando do Noronha, a step up career and location wise it seems.
We jump on the quads around 7 at night, get all the stuff, and head to the beach. I'm usually left on Chapadao, where I do a quick patrol, and relax. The whole process of the mother turtle going up the beach, finding a spot, digging a hole, laying her eggs and leaving takes at least 50 mins, so I can rest/sleep for forty minutes before heading off again. Being on an isolated beach means I don't have to help too much with dragging all the equipment around Praia das Minas, which is longer, and is more regularly visited by mothers. Keeping an eye on tides and moon, I patrol like this until 4 in the morning, when the sun comes up and we head off. If one emerges on my beach, I ring them and stay with her until someone arrives and help them with the tagging, measuring, weighing, and blood sample. Then off they go and I go back to my regular beat. The nests that are close to hatching I keep an eye on to. The other night I checked on Nest 4 and saw that the lads had emerged from the eggs, but were waiting for the next night to make a break for the water. I missed the actual event, but we'll be doing a few 'aberturas' in the future, where we invite the public to witness a nest hatching, so I'll get a video for ye then.
I really love it down there, staring up at the stars on really clear nights, or unbelievably bright moons like tonight. Just thinking...relaxing...listening to the waves.... falling asleep....until BZZZT BZZZT BZZZT, alarm goes off, better do another lap, how bad though?
Couldn't be bothered writing another section, so if you did skip that, go back and read it will ye? cheers,
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