Summer Summary--2001 (01/09/15)

Traditionally, the first Saturday back from Hawaii I write up a summer summary. Given the catastrophic events of this week, however, the summer seems like it happened a thousand years ago.

I remember pressing concerns about fibropapilloma disease and about whether we'd see Polzbarney and Makana this summer (we didn't).

I remember pressing concerns about how grievously sick some of the turtles were.

Grievously sick 65K JPEG

I remember pressing concerns about an algae bloom that was killing corals we've been monitoring for years.

I remember pressing concerns about how this green slime might affect the turtles we've come to love.

This green slime might affect the turtles 43K JPEG

I remember pressing concerns about waiting for a turtle to re-nest on a West Maui beach, and the fatigue associated with that.

I remember pressing concerns about the turtle's original nest being nearly washed out in a torrential rain.

Nearly washed out in a torrential rain 60K JPEG

I remember pressing concerns about--it doesn't matter, but there were other pressing concerns.

We flew back to Canada and arrived in Toronto at 6:30 am on Tuesday, September 11th. Three hours later and the world cracked.

Ever since then I've been trying to make some kind of sense of this all. And of course I can't.

Yesterday I went to the U.S. Consulate in Toronto to pay my respects. I wasn't surprised to see so many other Canadians just as sorrowful and disoriented as I was.

My respects 40K JPEG

I admit this Evil has scarred me right down to my DNA.

I've read the equivalent of a book since Tuesday on these events. Everything from minute-by-minute news updates to opinions--everyone has an opinion. But I was no closer to understanding in all that "noise."

Then this morning a good sea turtle friend forwarded a "Special Report" and it's clearly what I needed. I realized that for the past four days I'd been focusing on hate--staring it in the face. I understand now that Evil and Hate are sides of the same coin.

And what this article reminded me is that our only "defense" is Love. And the three most powerful words humans can utter or hear is "I Love You."

Peter and I love sea turtles. There's no creature more beautiful.

There's no creature more beautiful 42K JPEG

We love each other.

We love each other 45K JPEG Photo by George H. Balazs

Love isn't just everything--it's the only thing.

Summer of '01 at Honokowai

Turtle Happenings

Who's Who Underwater at Honokowai

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Last modified 01/09/15
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