During my six weeks at Ostional, I worked on a turtle conservation project for (mostly) the olive ridley species. There are four types of sea turtle in Costa Rica (the Hawksbill, Green, Leatherback and Olive Ridley). It is mostly the olive ridley that reside in the Pacific region of Ostional. Every night, the volunteers would carry out night patrols lasting four hours, searching for turtle tracks and following them up the beach, hoping to find a turtle in the process of digging a nest in the sand. If we did, we would then wait until the turtle began laying eggs and then take various measurements including the number of eggs laid, the depth of the hole dug, and the length of the turtle's shell. This data was then recorded and given to SINAC (Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación) to be used in legitimate scientific studies that document turtle numbers and their migration patterns. We had to be very quiet and keep a safe distance from the turtle at all times and only shine red light (which they can't see) onto them so as not to distract them. During our breaks, we would lie on the beach and watch the stars, gazing in awe at the glowing phytoplankton lighting up the waves, and enjoying our time getting to know one another. During daylight hours, all of the volunteers would partake in beach cleanups to ensure that the area was in suitable conditions for the turtles to nest and I was shocked to see how much plastic was washed up every day. The scariest thing to see was the massive amounts of microplastic that was really difficult to clear due to how small and frequent it was. The conservation centre also had a hatchery for the eggs of green and leatherback turtles and during my time there we had many of these nests hatch. When they did hatch, we would take quick measurements (weight, shell length, and flipper length) and then release them into the sea when the tide was high. I think that this was the most rewarding experience here because I got to see these tiny, little creatures making their way into the big, wide ocean, to one day become the magnificent creatures we saw every night laying eggs. We ended our days with a sunset swim which became quite a tradition whilst I was there - this was my favourite part of the day - being thrown around by the strong waves of the Pacific and watching the orange sun sink beneath the horizon. Arribada Once every month, a mass of thousands of olive ridley turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. It's a phenomenon of nature that scientists are yet to fully understand, which is why the work done at Ostional is so important. It's likely that the moon has something to do with it but the reason why the turtles all come at once is still a mystery. This monthly event lasts for a week during which work for volunteers is very intense, with longer night patrols and extra work counting the number of turtles on the beach. I was in Costa Rica during the dry season, which means it was the low season for turtles, but during the arribada the number of them was mind-blowing - with some even turning up during the day! A dramatic rescue One day, one of the local men who lived by the estuary noticed that there was a turtle who'd been stuck in the estuary opening out into the sea a week since the arribada had ended. This estuary was inhabited by alligators so was extremely dangerous for turtles and humans alike. At the rescue centre, some of the volunteers decided to help the man take the turtle out of the estuary and bring her back to the ocean. Bravely, he waded into this alligator-infested water and gently brought the turtle to the bank. The turtle was panicky and it was horrible to see her flailing around but we knew in the end she'd be grateful. A group of volunteers used a piece of sack and placed her on top of it then worked together to carry her to the shoreline. After a struggle (she was very heavy and was moving around a lot) the volunteers made it to the shoreline and put her down. As soon as she realised that she was going back home, she calmed down. She paused for a second before clambering into the salt water and within no time, had disappeared beneath the ocean waves. A Pacific Adventure When my time in Ostional came to an end, I was so upset because it really had begun to feel like a home. I'd spent six whole weeks living with the kindest host family, met incredible and interesting fellow travellers, and made friends with the local townspeople. If anyone is considering volunteering whilst traveling, I could not recommend it more. It is an experience I'll look back fondly on forever and I learnt so many things that I'd never have been able to anywhere else. Would I do it again? Most definitely! I think voluntourism, when done respectfully and conscientiously is probably the best and most authentic way to travel, and something all who enjoy an adventure should do.
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