Turtle ride-along

This is Paul Janensch with a Treasure Coast Essay about my ride with a sea turtle’s best friend.  At the controls of a bouncy all-terrain vehicle was NikiDesjardin of Ecological Associates, one of the outfits that monitors sea-turtle nests on our beaches from March 1 to November 1.  We patrolled at dawn between the House of Refuge and Jensen Beach Park.  Niki marks new nests with yellow stakes to warn away us humans and checks out established nests.  If any have been damaged by predators, vandals or high tide, she will file a report and may relocate the eggs.  Niki predicts that we will have the same number of loggerhead nests as last year but fewer leatherbacks and greens.  She asked me to remind you not to disturb nests.  At night, no flashlights.  They confuse the turtles.  Night or day, no dogs.  I’m Paul Janensch.