into the sunset

Ninety minutes by 'snubfin' boat into the Timor Sea to Bare Sand Island one of a group of small, sand duned islands where Flatback Turtles come to lay their eggs.
Used by the RAAF as a bombing site until the 1970s and now (in theory) cleared of unexploded nasties, during the months of May to August, the turtles share the island with researchers from Aus Turtle a team of biologists and volunteers who watch and record the egg laying season activities.

The moment we land it is full on.
During the previous night a female had become disoriented and rather than heading back to the sea she had plodded her way inland.
A group of hatchlings decided to do the same thing so they had been rescued and we had the thrill of releasing them near water's edge into the sunset. Blimey, what a hazardous few steps that is! The wave picks up the little souls and sweeps them back and trying and trying again,finally reaching clear water they are off.
At that point, those that survive (less than 1%) vanish into the 'lost years', the females re-emerging some 25 years later to return to the beach of their birth to continue the cycle.

While the babes were on their way out to sea, some females were ponderously making their way up the dunes to lay a clutch of eggs (something they will do three times in a season). Moonrise is still to happen so it is VERY dark and by red torch light, we (the lucky 13 on this trip) watched the whole process of her making the nest by delicately scooping the sand out with her back flippers, laying the eggs and then back filling the hole before during seawards gain.
And we head seawards too, a full moon now risen and sparkling the waves on our return to Darwin.

Amazing experience, amazing guides (two young women: one a vet, the other a herpetologist and a bonus of two marine biologists on board!!) and amazing,majestic, enigmatic turtles.
One item on the 'bucket list' well and truly ticked :)