I have noticed that one of the topics titled First Timers to Tobago have been given advice about staying near Turtle Beach.
We are over in Tobago in May this year and wonder if we can have advice on whether it is OK to drive ourselves to the Beaches to see the turtles or are we best going on a guided tour?
Please let me know what you recommend, if we can drive there ourselves then that is great but we want to do the best thing to get the most out of the Turtle watching
I've just returned from the Rex hotel on Turtle Beach.
The arrival of the turtles is very random so you need a tip off from the resort or better still the SOS beach watchers
(http://www.sos-tobago.org)
As many of the sightings are 2-3am you need to be very committed to travel onto the beach from afar
Peter Cox is one of the SOS volunteers and has been known to tip off those interested - suggest if you take one of his rainforest trips thats the time to mention your interest?
(http://www.tobagonaturetours.com)
Hey, just got to add in my two cents here.
I'm one of the founding members of SOS Tobago and now working on reviving a sea-turtle group in Charlotteville.
As far as I'm aware Peter Cox was never a volunteer of SOS Tobago, he maybe a volunteer now, but that was never the case. In my experience everybody is 'an SOS Tobago volunteer' when money pass!
If you simply contact SOS Tobago, they can provide all the information you need. Of course a donation or purchasing a t-shirt would be nice!
I shudder to think, that for a person to experience a sea-turtle nesting they have to do a tour with someone first.Not cool, I'm also a tour guide and find it unethical.
What's even easier, is to just go to Turtle Beach and look for persons wearing SOS Tobago t-shirts.There you go!
Enjoy!!
My apologies Steve if I may have seemed to presume something which I know nothing about.
I've sent a letter to Tanya Clovis, the president of SOS Tobago, yesterday to confirm whether the good gentleman is in fact a member of the group. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, many leather back turtles abandond Tobago for nesting and come to Trinidad now.
This development has picked up in speed and numbers over the last few years and environmentalists and scientists
blame it on the frequent disturbances at the Tobago nesting areas.
If you want to watch turtles coming on shore like the allies in their landing crafts on D-day , you have to come
to Grand Riviere in Trinidad. It is a spectacular experience !
Check out travel arrangements / hotels / tours etc. in the web.
Thats sad news Andy..but maybe not so sad for the turtles..if its better for them than so be it...Ive seen them come ashore many times during previous visits in the late Eighties and early Nineties..and it really was a remarkable experience to witness..
Ill return in 6 days for another visit..I'm keeping my fingers crossed )
Let's just say that I am full of praise for the foot soldiers who do such sterling work on the turtle patrols. My frustration is with those higher up!!!
During my recent visit to Tobago, I was extremely concerned to see the amount of clearance of undergrowth bordering Turtle Beach and seeing activities, including officers from the security forces playing handball, on the beach in the main nesting area. I understand that there is increasing destruction of the nesting habitat on the beach. I expressed my concern to many people and asked what was being done about it. The answer seemed to be an unequivocal “nothing”. Everyone agrees that the SOS beach patrols are a great thing, but that seems to be about as far as it goes.
SOS has apparently become more of a social group in recent year. Over the years I have several times offered support, both in terms of publicity and logistics. They’ve never even had the courtesy to reply. My apologies if my frustration shows.
No wonder the turtles are echoing the sentiment of tourists and, finding that Tobago is lacking, are going elsewhere. I know the feeling!
Steve Wooler myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
Like Steve, all credit to those who attempt to conserve but I have no wish to invade the privacy of these wonderful creatures. They were around far before us and I find it a travesty that tourists think it quite acceptable to indulge themselves in this way.
Same reason we have never been to the Nylon Pool and never would.
I can easily spend my tourist dollars in the local economy without intruding on the natural habitat. Enough said.
)
Please let me know.