Community News

Turtles nest at Cove Bay

Story and photo by Suzanne Nielsen and reprinted with permission of the Daily Herald.

October 10, 2004

Turtle nests were discovered this week at Cove Bay beach. Marine Park Manager David Kooistra took immediate action to cordon off the area to keep the nests out of harms way. Divers in the Saba Marine Park commonly see turtles while snorkeling or on scuba, but nesting has become less common.

Turtle tracks were spotted from the airport by Vincent Hassell, assistant airport manager, who called Sue Hurrell, a Saba Marine Park volunteer. Hurrell said that there were tracks all up and down the beach, but it was impossible to tell how many turtles had come ashore, but they located about seven possible nests.

Puerto Rican turtle expert Dr. Pedro Rivera, on Saba for the month-long Sea and Learn project, visited the site and said that the nests were probably made by Hawksbill turtles, since it is their mating season. The turtle is on the endangered species list, and only about 1% of the offspring survive to adulthood.

It is important to leave the nests undisturbed, since the eggs are normally laid in a hole more than two-feet deep. Rivera speculated that the turtles had in fact accomplished their task and laid eggs, given the amount of energy spent in coming ashore through the rocky debris and digging the pits.

There are usually more than 100 eggs in each clutch. Rivera said the turtles would normally return in 10-12 days to lay more eggs, and would repeat this behavior several times during the mating season.

A resident of Hell's Gate was not surprised, and recalled turtles nesting in Cove Bay and Spring Bay in years past. Large turtles can often been seen in both bays from as far away as the curve in front of the Hell's Gate Catholic Church at an altitude of about 1,300 feet.

Both areas had more sand in the past, Sabans recalled. Cove Bay now has arc lights near the recreational pavilion, which are on all through the night. Rivera proposed changing these to low pressure sodium, since the bright mercury vapor light can confuse the turtles

Photo: Suspected turtle nests have been cordoned off at Cove Bay.

Click here for a larger version of the photo.


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Story and photographs © Suzanne Nielsen, 2004.