Raine Island - Nature's Cradle on the Edge of the Coral Sea
Satellite Web Cast From Turtle Heaven and Hell
Journal Entry - 12- 7 - 02 Turtle Day!

Starting very late! Its midnight. We have been on the island all evening searching for the five turtles we tagged yesterday. We found two before I had to return to the boat. The decision was made to remove the tags and reattach them in the next day or two. But, my four hours on the island were just amazing. We got on the island well after dark at 8:45 and there were turtles everywhere on the beach facing the anchored Floreat. Then as we walked around to the South side, the lee side I described yesterday, the number of turtles went through the roof. It was astounding. There were body pits with two and three turtle in in them. It was easy to see fifty to sixty black round boulders in the star lit night in a quick glance. A scan with a small hand held flash light showed twice the number within a stones throw distance.
Sadly the smell of death is also readily in the air as soon as you step foot on the island. Some of the females just don't make it through the nesting process for a variety of reasons and their remains litter the beach crest where they died. On a positive note I was standing in at the beach crest and felt something crawl over my foot and looking down found one of the cutest little animals I have ever seen. It was a hatchling on its way to the sea. I took a few shots of the hatchling with my colleagues and they released it and another we found in to the sea.
We also had the chance to observe a turtle laparoscopy. From the procedure we coud tell that the turtle had laid eggs before and would do so soon again. At the close of the procedure our reptilian friend was lowered back down to the swim step of the Floreat and took off at high speed for parts unknown.
On the technology side the Iridium satellite uplink to the web site is working superbly. The system allows me to get on line very efficiently and uploan/download data very expeditiously. Another key component here is this excellent computer, Apple G4, which is running like clock work and all the envy of the rest of the boat.
I am falling in love as well. The digital age has arrived! This Nikon D100 is amazing to use. You underwater photographers imagine being able to take more pictures underwater than you could ever hope to have enough air to be able to take. While I am not sure I want to give up my film equipment, but I can write that this Sea & Sea housing is working out very well indeed. The only issue I have relates only to the fact that is just different to my film camera housings. But that is be neither here nor there. I was at 100 feet this afternoon shooting a soft coral bush and it was very satisfying to be able to inspect the image in the back of the housing - the camera's LCD screen. I made a correction and got just the exposure I wanted. This is the type of feedback which makes for good students.
Tomorrow we are up at dawn 5 am to shoot the turtle which get stuck on the rocks at low tide and have to wait for high tide. There estimated to be about 200 in a particular spot on the island.
Check back tomorrow. Night!
Don't forget you can email us questions at
raineexpedition@netcarrier.com
Built on an Apple G4 Titanium Powerbook courtesy of Apple Computers Inc., Connected to the world by Iridium Satellite LLC and Digital eyes courtesy of Nikon - the new D100 digital camera, Captured on LexarMedia digital film.
© 2002, Paul Sutherland Photography LLC. All images and text on this and every other page on this web site are protected by US and international copyright law. No unauthorized use of any kind whatsoever is permitted.
Photo Captions:
• Retrieving a tag.
• Hatchling and Ashton.
• Hatchling and Tim.
• Getting tagged.
• Soft coral.