Monday 14 July Turtle hatchery

This evening all rally participants were invited ashore to the sanctuary on Silingan island see the turtles come out of the sea to lay their eggs. First we went in in our dinghies to the visitor centre in the afternoon for a welcome meeting with the Head of Tourism for Sabah, Tengku Adlin, Sazli the rally organiser and the Head of the parks and shown a video about turtles conservation and the work at the sanctuary.

We returned to our big boats in choppy and wet conditions as a storm was approaching from across the horizon. The plan had been for the tender from the centre to come out and pick us up from our boats – no dinghies allowed in the water after 6pm, no walking on the beach after 6pm in case we hit or disturb the turtles – but the storm hit us sending boats dragging in 3m seas. Not a good time to leave you boat. Our anchor held well but the snubber was snapped as our bow dipped and lurched through the waves. In the end our visit to see the turtles was abandoned: impossible for the resort boat to leave their protected anchorage, too risky to leave our boats. I understand life for the turtles carried on regardless.