Huevos de la tortuga (by Karlie)

Yesterday I was privileged to witness one of the most amazing things I've seen so far in this life time. I was walking along the beach just before sunset and ran into a friend. We decided to sit and chat and watch the sunset together and soon after we sat we realized that there was a big mama turtle about 2 meters away from us diligently laying her eggs in the sand. She was at least 2 feet in diameter and absolutely breathtaking. There were about 8 people sitting around her as she did her work. Then a lifeguard realized that she was there and he went to get a bucket and wait for her to finish so that he could collect her eggs and take them to the nest. Since sea turtle eggs are a delicacy for both humans and dogs the local lifeguards here who are also keepers of the local environment dig up the eggs and take them all to one spot where they can remain protected until they are released. My friend and I watched the 10foot waves crash as the pink sun descended and sky divers were released over head, Puerto Escondido at it's best. Soon the lifeguard lifted the turtle's bottom to see if she was finished with her work and then he moved her aside as he dug up each of her eggs and moved them for transport into his bucket. All the while that he was gathering her eggs she continued her work of burying them in the sand. Unaware that she wasn't above the nest anymore, her fins kept working and moving the sand behind her. I was able to look her in the eye at that point and that was the most amazing part: she was SO focused on protecting the eggs. I could actually feel it and see it in her face. Soon it started to get dark but I stuck around to watch her tail as she waddled back to the ocean and then with the help of the lifeguard she was swept up by the surf and disappeared under the waves.