Only a week to go before we leave Maito Turtle Camp

Hi everyone. I had hoped to put some update photos on since 10 November but the internet is really slow tonight and taking for ever to upload images. I'll try again later in the week or next week when we return to Puerto Vallarta. We are into our last week almost and have mixed feelings about moving on. We have been so happy here but have been really busy since the girls left and concentrating on clearing many nests of baby turtles and releasing them to the ocean, but have also suffered dog predation, i.e. dogs digging up the nests prior to completion of incubation and eating the eggs. Most frustrating and I have been frantically fence repairing where they have forced their way in. It upsets us alot when this happens, of course, but we are still releasing about 2000 baby turtles a week. Marilyn and I are a bit concerned that at times the staff here are not always dilligent to this cause. They are more concerned that it isn't the camp dog but alas, it has been on occasions!!?? Turtle conservation means the world to us. Anyway, enough of that! We had a nice day out last Friday with a visiting group of students and teachers from Guadalajara, and went afloat for a boat trip and seeing the turtles basking in the sun. This was followed by a luncheon at the restaurant in Tehuamixtle, a nearby bay where we boarded the boats. After lunch we visited a bat cave and saw 3 different species of bats, including the vampire bat!!

Yesterday was my penultimate day at the local school where I've been teaching English 2 mornings a week to 6/11 year olds since mid-September. I organised a sports running competition in the playground with prizes afterwards! I had to give them to everyone as there would have been the usual squabbling if I hadn't!! Lovely kids - shall miss them when we've gone. It's been an interesting experience.

We leave for PV next Thursday, and after a 2 day stay in the volunteers flat, will make our way to Cabo San Lucas to join the "Island Princess" for our 14 day cruise through the Panama Canal. Sightseeing etc on the way, via. Mazatlan and La Paz. The ship arrives on 7th December.

No other real news. I'm out on patrol tonight for turtle nests and we may be lucky and seeing a Leatherback turtle - very few in existence and I'll let you know the outcome. They are almost 2 metrs long and weigh up to 650 kilos. One came up last night 3 kilometres from here but didn't lay and we only saw the flipper tracks - huge like tractor tyre marks. Well, time to return to the camp. Will report back soon. Jon.