Cabo San Lucas, BCS
One of our favorite places on this planet is Baja California Sur and is very high on our list for retiring abroad. It is a beautiful area and the tropical desert climate is a lovely juxtaposition to the gorgeous water surrounding it. Jacques Cousteau once called the Sea of Cortes ‘the world’s aquarium’ due to the vast biodiversity of marine life—whales and rays, sharks and sea turtles, as well as innumerable other colorful fish whose names I don’t recall. An experience I had always wanted to do was to release a newly hatched baby sea turtle and on one of our trips I was determined to make this happen. I researched several options and found ASUPMATOMA (www.asupmatoma.org), a non-profit organization that focuses on marine turtle protection, conservation and research. One of their programs allows community members to participate in baby turtle releases—I was sold!
On the morning of our great adventure, we left our lovely boutique hotel called Sirena Del Mar before dawn, as we needed to be on the Pacific Coast by sunrise. The concierge at Sirena assured us that the place was easy to find, so with no trepidation (at least on my part), off we went in our serviceable non-luxurious rental car. About an hour later we made it to the place we were supposed to turn off the highway…but we couldn’t find the turnoff. Back and forth, back and forth, until I finally said ‘do you think it’s that dirt road?’ It was the only road in the area so we took it. Shortly after turning there was a paved road to our right and a dirt road straight ahead. We decided to take the paved road and found ourselves facing a Jersey barrier which fortunately prevented us from driving into a deep ravine[!]. We backtracked to the dirt road and followed its rutted path until we came to a gated and padlocked entrance. Michael, at this point, was in full-on anxiety mode, convinced that we were in unsafe territory and we were making a terrible mistake by being there. A guy eventually came out and asked questions in his native tongue, in which neither of us were even passably functional. We eventually understood that he wanted Michael’s driver’s license number and identification. This request ratcheted up his anxiety even more. There was a dog barking at us which Michael was sure was a trained guard dog, although on closer inspection he looked like a friendly mutt who wanted petted. A few minutes passed and we were uncertain if we were going to get to see baby turtles, but then the man opened the gate and we were through to the other side!
He promptly locked it behind us, at which point Michael was even more anxious that we were in danger. We went down another long dirt road, saw black-tailed jackrabbits and then spotted a sign for a camel crossing. At this point, even I am wondering if we’re in the right place. We made another few turns and bends, and then the Pacific Ocean was directly in front of us. The beach was deserted. No, really. It was deserted. We were the only people there. There was a building that appeared to be the ASUPMATOMA Welcome Center, but it was locked. Silence, other than the morning breeze. The setting was gorgeous, but not what we were expecting. Now what?
I called the phone number I had and a female voice answered. We had a brief conversation and I could hear a 4-wheeler sound in the background. We looked up and saw our guides headed our way, back from their morning roundup of turtle eggs. This was really going to happen! Our guide was a college student who was working here for the season, and she was very informed on the turtles, their habits and behaviors, and she demonstrated how the research staff relocate and bury the turtle eggs in a sanctuary to keep them safe from predators. Right next to where we were standing, we noticed a full batch of hatchlings!! They were wiggly, sandy and ready to start their journey to the sea! We loaded them all up in a bucket (78 of them!) and carried them to the edge of the wet sand. One by one, Michael and I released every single one of them—just the two of us! I cannot tell you how ecstatic I was—almost tearful with the wonder of this ancient ritual that sea turtles participate in. The deserted beach, the morning sunlight, the murmur of the waves sweeping onto the sand, the tiny turtles making their way into perilous waters…it was a precious magical moment. Michael eventually capitulated, agreed that the journey was worth it and that maybe, just maybe, we never were in any danger. Unless you call falling in love with 78 baby sea turtles dangerous. If so, well, it was a perilous journey after all.
