Stinky Turtle at the Farallón Dillon

Woke up today to a steady rain. Was hoping for a sunrise but humidity, overcast and rain sent me back to bed. By 8 am it was a torrential downpour with thunder.

Here is a video I made of the heavy rain at the Farallon Dillon. I also found a bird had just caught a moth and was ripping the wings off so he could eat the body. Included in the video just for your watching pleasure.

There is a small drainage ditch just up the beach. But during the downpour the water tore a passage six feet wide and three feet deep. The red earth from the hillside flowed out into the ocean and created a huge dirt slick that lasted most of the day before drifting south towards Salinas. This photo is just at the beginning of the rain.

After the heavy rain there was a guy raking the beach. He had discovered something just on the other side of the ditch that had been formed. It turned out to be another large dead turtle. He went away and soon some boys came back with a shovel and rake and buried the turtle on the beach. They dug a hole and rolled it in. Packed the sand in on top. It must be a repeating occurrence. On the plane on the way home someone told me there is a problem with wild dog packs that attack turtles when they come ashore to lay eggs in the night.

I went in the pool several times during the day. Also walked the 124 stairs down to the beach three times. Yep I counted them today.

This morning the flies had abated on the dead turtle. But the maggots had hatched. Gross. They were even leaving the nest so to speak. About a thirty five foot radius of maggots traveling outward. Bones strewn around too from the vultures picking at the corpse. 

Late in the afternoon I checked again and most of the maggots were gone. Still lots though. The day has been clear and hot with little rain since about noon. Another few days and the cycle of this death will be over. I will check one more time tomorrow before we leave. 

For supper I had beef tenderloin, sautéed eggplant and onions, fries , coke and coffee. A pretty good tasting meal although I had to drink the coffee quickly as it was on it's way to being colder than a local beer. 

I decided no sunset pics today. Instead a few pics around here. The steps are about half of the stairs necessary to get to the beach. Other shots from in the museum and of a huge plastic sailor at the front door. 

 

 

Real Quick Trip Into Quito

Went into Quito to pick up two suitcases which had been left in storage for a month. Before the pickup we walked around in the Foche area. Of course we had to visit the market place selling the tourist knick knacks.

Then we had fish, chicken and ceviche at a place called the Yasuni Cafe Bar. OK I did not have any ceviche. But I had the chicken steak or whatever it came as. This would not be the first place that served flat tasteless breast meat as a chicken meal. I was always hoping for a chunk of thigh or leg to give some flavor. But everyone thinks breast is the best. Nope, at least not on a chicken.

Then took a three dollar taxi to the historical section to pick up the suitcases. Also ran over to the Central Mercado to try out the GoPro in taking pictures of cow stomachs, tongues, fish and other regular food items the mall had. None of the pics worked as I had not figured out the GoPro yet! It started raining extremely hard just as we got there so the mall was a good location for protection. Took a non-legit taxi back to Tababela.  It rained or poured most of the way. Rush hour traffic and constant broken down vehicles made for an erratic trip.

Quito Airport Suites (TripAdvisor photo)

Quito Airport Suites (TripAdvisor photo)

Back in Tababela at the Quito Airport Suites the sun was shining and it had not rained. We walked the few blocks to the store and bought bottled water and snacks for the evening.

5.6 km walking

Rain Gear

It has been raining a lot in Ecuador. Watching the facebook group and the weather reports have not been reassuring for travel to sunny beaches. A couple of days ago I decided I was going to the cheap store to buy an umbrella. Well, it cost three dollars and will be good enough.

I also had one of those very cheap rain ponchos that I paid a couple of dollars for during a rainstorm in Quebec City. The large red maple leaf on the front and back should make me a good target for those that feel the need.