The end of another perfect day in paradise

Grand Anse Beach at Sunset

Friday, April 23, 2010

 

  

 

  

 

  

  

 

  

   

   

Levera, Grenada - Turtle Beach

On Thursday, April 8, 2010, I traveled north to Levera Bay to see the endangered leatherback sea turtles laying eggs on the beach. These turtles lay their eggs in Grenada between mid-April and mid-June each year. They are the only sea turtles who lack a hard shell, hence earning the name Leatherback. The photos aren't very clear, as we were prohibited from using flash photography and were limited to red-tinted flashlights in order not to disturb the turtles. Within five minutes of walking onto the beach, we saw our first turtle.

 Most images are from the rear of the turtle in order to not distract her from nesting.

The turtles lay their eggs in a three-step process. First it uses its rear legs to dig a narrow hole, about three-feet deep. Then the turtle lays about 100 eggs, but only the first fifty or so will contain the yolk necessary to develop into baby turtles. The rest of the eggs are for survival and keep the nest warm and humid. Then the turtle uses her rear legs again to cover of the nest.

 A research team observes the turtles as they nest and collects data from the tagged turtles.

The research team measures the turtle for their records.

She's a big turtle!

Grenada Dora the Explorer style - Sauteurs and Belmont Estate

When my mother-in-law, Nancy, was here last week, we rented a car and drove all the way around the island following the coast.  The trip took about 6 hour in total, with stopping in Sauteurs, the Northern tip of the island, for lunch and at the Belmont Estate, where they manufacture chocolate, for a tour. 

Sauteurs, the Northern tip of Grenada

Sauteurs, an abandoned pier with abandoned cars (missing wheels, doors, etc)

Enjoying the scenery from the balcony at Helenas

The entrance to Helena's Restaurant and Bar, Sauteurs

Lunch: Chicken (which is widely debated...), rice and peas, boiled fruit, salad and fresh fruit juice

Same as above with fish (easily identified as fish) instead of chicken

 When asked what they had for dessert, we were presented with these plastic bags filled with frozen-something the waitress called "power." They were NOT tasty...

We later learned that "power" is a local Guiness and ice-cream concoction ...ICK

 The table next to ours was reserved...Nancy was hoping for Oprah (who owns property in Grenada) but instead it was an older couple on vacation from Chicago. Our table was not so swanky.

Welcome to the Belmont Estate...over 400 acres of cocoa, nutmeg and other fun things!

 I rang the over 300-year old bell at Belmont Estate...before the tour guide told me how old it was.

 Belmont also has animals.  This little guy was pretty cool.

  

 Workers sorting cocoa beans into bags, where they will be weighed and then will ferment in banana leaves, before being dried in the sun and used for chocolate...it smelled like vinegar, not chocolate.

Nancy buying as many coconuts as she could find from roadside stands

Booze Cruise 2.0 - Post Midterms

I organized a booze cruise (the same trip I went on a few weeks ago) for the Foundations of Medicine students to celebrate the conclusion of a painful week of midterms. 

Boarding the catamaran

First rum-punch of the day with my SO girlfriends, Sheridan and Sherry

My mother-in-law Nancy

CW and I enjoying rum-punch and Carib

Another SO, Robert, and I snorkeling in Flamingo Bay

Post-snorkeling beach and ocean fun

Me jumping from the boat, onto the water tramploine and into the clear blue ocean

Swimming with a beer in hand is an important skill, which Sheridan and I have both mastered

Foundations of Medicine students liming on a water trampoline

What a beautiful day! Successful booze-cruise!

Whale and Dolphin Tour

On Saturday, March 6, 2010, I went with the SGU Significant Others on a dolphin and whale watching excursion.

We left Grand Anse beach and headed north-west into the Caribbean Sea in hopes of seeing some marine life.

The scenery was beautiful, as we ventured further and further from our tiny island home.

I should also mention that the boat had an open bar.

Well, it’s an ongoing debate about whether or not we saw any whales. The crew claims these are melon-headed whales…I’m pretty sure they were dolphins.

So since we didn't see much going on in the water, we tried to make the most of our trip by having fun and drinking as much as possible in the 4-hours we had onboard.