Nature Trust have advised that a turtle mother has returned to its birth place to lay some 100 eggs as they usually do.

They are also placing volunteers who will stay there for a 3 hour shift to safeguard the nest  at Ramla Bay from predators, including man! If you can offer 3 hours a week to help they published an email in their first article on this news media.

If you do not see yourself fit to do such volunteering, or are too young, you still can play a huge part in this beautiful adventure.

First of all leave the sand smooth and even. Many kids and adults dig holes, build sand castles and some try to empty the sea water into their hole!

I urge you all that after you had your fun, before you leave, please re-smooth the sand as much as possible. This will be a great help for monitors to notice foot prints and holes of crabs or other tiny creatures, it is much harder to notice this in disturbed sand. Furthermore the holes makes it difficult for volunteers to monitor in the night or at dusk.

Secondly when you are preparing your snack and towels for your day at Ramla, take a flour sifter with you and while there sift some sand and collect the garbage that remains in the sifter and take it to the volunteers near the nest who will have a garbage disposal for this, or otherwise dispose of it in one of the public disposal containers.

Some years ago a container sank, containing billions of micro plastics which was to be turned into products. This dangerous stuff has found its way to our seas and shores. If you heed my advice and take a sifter with you, you will surely see they type of small tiny coloured balls which I am talking about. Do your bit to clean, even if it is just a tiny part of our beaches.

Thirdly, do not; a) dispose of your cigarette butts in the sand! Take it back home with you along with your other trash. Do not fill the beach with public garbage. You took it there, so you can easily take it back home separate it and dispose of it wisely. Compost stuff like watermelon peal etc, which brings mosquitoes and wasps if it is not separated. The public disposal bins are mainly for tourists who do not have a local home to return to. Do not be lazy and, sorry to say it, but – “ignorant.” This is common sense and it will show your love for our eco island.

If you want to take your music box with you, also take your earphones. No, keeping it at a low volume is not enough. Use earphones. In todays life of stress one would benefit to go there and hear ‘the sound of silence’ accompanied with the calming sound of the waves lapping on the shore, giggles of children and adults whispering. Yes this is very therapeutic.

Same goes to the banana rides with their loud music….. give the riders a wireless water sealed sound booster in the boat. “Who the hell gave you the right to bombard my essence with your noise, repeated, unmusical, and sick. Go to Popeye Village, there is the place right fir you.”

Anyway this is how I feel.

Anthony Zammit,

Victoria.

Permalink: We can all participate