Saskia Renshoff has stopped working for STCB in mid April as a marinebiologist. During a special STCB-boardmeeting at the end of April it was decided to hire a new biologist a.s.a.p. in order to start the new research project this year as we had planned. I'm very happy and proud that last week STCB has succeeded in reaching a principal agreement with one of the top sea turtle researcher in the Caribbean for the next three years. The contract between and STCB and the marinebiologist will be signed before august 1st. His name is Robert van Dam (yes, a marinebiologist with a Dutch nationality) and he lives in Mexico. Robert is among others very well known for a still ongoing researchstudy on sea turtle in Puerto Rico (Mona Island). With him we will have a enormous amount of experience and knowlegde on Bonaire for the near future. In October this year the new researchproject will be kicked of. It will run for at least three years. In the last newsletter that we send you via the (snail)mail you can read more about the STCB-managementplan 2002-2005.

Last week Bonaire was honored to get a visit by a rare visitor. A total exhausted Olive Ridley washed ashore on one of the sandy beaches on the windward side of the island. The strong surf and wind made it impossible for this small sea turtle (the smallest species of all sea turtles) to return to the ocean. The sea turtle was examined, transported in the back of a pick-up truck and finally released in the more comfortable water of Lac Bay. Robert van Dam identified the sea turtle via a photograph . See attachment for a photo of the exhausted sea turtle. A special thanks goes to Martine Vingerhoeds who found the sea turtle.

Also last week STCB was able to present it's first own boat.
The boat is a special gift from Co de Koning and the engine(15 hp) was sponsored by the foundation ' Stichting vrienden van Bonaire' . The boat has been named after late Nancy Ainsworth Vaughn. Nancy and her husband Dale were frequent visitors to Bonaire. Nancy and Dale donated $10,000 for the purchase of a new boat. Nancy died last year December on Bonaire after returning from a shoredive. The boat is an assurance that Nancy and her love for nature conservation shall not be forgotten on Bonaire. Volunteers did all the paintwork. A special thanks goes to the following volunteers Gerard onder de Linden, Giovanni Saragoza and Navigante N.V.

Will Robert be monitoring this message board? If so, Hi Robert. Have you ever done any work with the turtle farm on Isla Mujeres? How is that place doing?

Thanks for posting the infromation from the STCB. It is good to know that the turtles will be looked after in Saskia's absense.