Our Little Marine Biologists

We went on a little beach trip over Labor Day weekend, since that's what Americans do. Drove down to the southern tip of the island, just past the old Dutch fort and port town of Galle. We had read there were sea turtle hatcheries along the way, and Ruby could hardly stand waiting to see them. All morning before we left she kept saying, "We're going to the turtle hatchery!" Luckily they did not disappoint. You'd have thought that after hearing her talk about them all morning we would've known to linger amongst the turtles just a bit longer. But no, we jumped right back in the car about twenty minutes later, and Ruby cried for the next half an hour down the road because we'd made her leave her sea turtles. But really, can you blame her? I never even dreamed I'd be this close to one.




Ruby took it all very seriously... They had a few young turtles and adults who either couldn't be released into the wild or which they kept for "research" (i.e. tourist) purposes.

Here's a really big one!



And a smaller one...



Then there were the brand new babies - Ruby really couldn't get over these. Supposedly these had just hatched, and they were holding them in the tanks until they could release them at night when they wouldn't be snatched up by birds.



It all seemed reasonably scientific until they pulled a few of the babies out of their tank to let us all hold - that can't be Sea World approved, can it???



Then things really veered off the "scientific" path. Gavin actually got to hold this poor little one - well, I guess they always say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!



Of course you'd think Ruby would appear more interested in the one she's holding...



...unless of course she's too busy watching the one the guide put in her pocket!!!