Resort works with Bonaire conservationists to set up live web cam and nightly watch to document the hatching, expected to take place in early September. Mother turtle believed to have hatched in same location nearly two decades ago.
Bonaire, Dutch Antilles / ACCESSWIRE / August 27 2014 / Humans aren't the only ones drawn to Harbour Village Beach Club' serene, sandy shore. The resort recently welcomed what scientists believe is a repeat guest: a critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtle, who laid a nest of about 100 eggs near where it likely hatched 17 years ago.
The hatchlings are expected to emerge from the eggs and scramble through the sand and into the sea between September 5 - 15. To capture the moment and help educate people about these magnificent creatures, Harbour Village is working with Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire to set up a live web cam and nightly watches near the nest beginning the week of August 18. Updates will be posted at http://www.harbourvillage.com/turtlecam.html.
"This is something we want to share not only with our guests but with everyone interested in learning about sea turtles and how we can help protect them," said Jean-Marc Petin, General Manager of Harbour Village Beach Club. "We will catch the hatching live on camera, and Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire will provide volunteers to sit with the nest each evening around hatching time to document the event and notify guests when to come and watch the turtles come out of the nest."
Harbour Village Beach Club is located on a four-acre private peninsula on Bonaire's mainland. The nest, currently marked and roped off so as not to be disturbed, is located near the resort's dive shop.
Bonaire is home to three of the seven species of sea turtles in the world: hawksbills, green turtles and loggerheads. Hawksbill turtles weigh up to 185 pounds and prefer calm, tropical waters near coral reefs. They come ashore only to nest. The turtle who laid the nest at Harbour Village came onto the beach on July 12. A Hawksbill turtle laid her eggs near the same spot in 1997. Since sea turtles usually return to next where they hatched to nest, local scientists believe the turtle was likely one of those hatchlings.
In addition to sea turtles, the Caribbean waters surrounding Bonaire teems with a wide variety of marine life. The island is designated as having the most pristine coral reef environment and most species of fish in the Caribbean by the NOAA and is consistently named Best Overall Dive Destination by Scuba Diving Magazine's Reader's Choice Awards. Due to the island's leeward location outside of the hurricane belt, and its consistently pleasant climate, crystal-clear visibility prevails at any depth and gives an enthralling view of the undersea landscape. On land, Bonaire is also home to the world's largest pink flamingo nesting grounds.
Dive sites just off Harbour Village's shore include the shipwreck of the 60-foot "Our Confidence," located just 50 yards out, while another popular dive site, "Something Special," is also a short swim away. The resort also offers florescence night diving, allowing guests to use special UV lights to see the astounding array of florescent colors emitted by underwater animals and corals.
For more information on Bonaire and Harbour Village Beach Club, visit the luxury hotel's website at http://www.harbourvillage.com/ or call 1-800-424-0004. To access the resort's Turtlecam, visit : http://www.harbourvillage.com/turtlecam.html.
About Harbour Village Beach Club
Harbour Village Beach Club is located within an exclusive beachfront enclave on the unspoiled Caribbean island of Bonaire. Its well-appointed guest suites are nestled amid lush tropical gardens, just steps from its private, white-sand beach, and feature opulent decor and thoughtful details like secluded lanais and double hammocks. Amenities include a First Class 5 Star PADI Instructor Development Center offering onsite scuba classes and certification and a picturesque, 64-slip marina. The resort is also home to the acclaimed La Balandra restaurant, designed after an antique Spanish ship and giving the feeling of sailing with its dining deck located on a jetty extending out to sea, as well as a full-service spa offering professional reflexology, aromatherapy, therapeutic and relaxing couples massage. Harbour Village Beach Club was named Bonaire's Leading Hotel for seven consecutive years and is Bonaire's only member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
About Bonaire
Located eighty-six miles east of Aruba, the island of Bonaire offers year round sunshine, low annual rainfall, and has been designated as having the most pristine coral reef environment and most species of fish in the Caribbean by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. The Reef Environmental Education Foundation lists eight out of almost 90 of Bonaire's dive sites in their top 10 in terms of species richness in the Caribbean -- abundant underwater life includes more than 300 species of tropical fish and over 120 different types of coral. The island was recently voted #1 in the Caribbean & Atlantic by readers of Scuba Diving magazine in categories that include Best Shore Diving (Snorkeling); Best Beginner Diving; Best Macro Diving; Best Advanced Diving, and Best Underwater Photography. Bonaire is able to maintain this environment and receive awards for diving year after year because its surrounding waters have been protected as the Bonaire National Marine Park for over 30 years.
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SOURCE: Harbour Village Beach Club