Here's an update on the race:
April 16, 2007:
And they’re off! Eleven sea turtles set out for the Galapagos Islands TODAY after nesting on Costa Rica’s Playa Grande. On Day One, the Great Turtle Race already promises to be quite a competition.
Quick off the beach, Windy took the early lead, proving she’s determined not to let a few bumps and bruises hold her back. Like Windy, many sea turtles get hurt by boat propellers and fishing nets, lines, and hooks. But with a strong kick and a shoulder on the mend, Windy is hauling through the water at a speedy four-mile-per-hour pace.
Close on Windy’s flippers is the big and beautiful Stephanie Corburtle. Ms. Stephanie is one of many leatherbacks who have stayed away from the race in recent years; the number of turtles nesting on Playa Grande has dwindled by more than 90 percent in just a decade. Race experts now speculate that Stephanie was holed up in training and preparing for her comeback.
In an unusual turn of events today, Champiro, the turtle known for her stellar sense of direction, made a dive to 300 feet beneath the surface. Frontrunner Windy also plunged to 275 feet midday. They might have been snacking on jellyfish. To no one’s surprise, Hollywood starlet, Drexelina, got off to slow start after the paparazzi flashed photographs incessantly in her face at the starting line. Turtles are often disoriented by lights on the beach. Drexelina and Sundae are currently in last place.
To learn more about sea turtles and to check out the updated Great Turtle Race website, visit
http://www.greatturtlerace.com/.