Cape Temperatures Plunge under Arctic Assault
— 24 November 2000
Temperatures dipped below 30 under Arctic crisp skies. Northwest
winds blowing 10 to 15 mph focused our sea turtle patrols on south Eastham,
Orleans and Brewster, the inside arc of the elbow. Twenty miles to the
north the Pilgrim Monument, decked in Christmas white lights, marked the Cape’s
fist across an inky black bay in Provincetown.
This afternoon the 10th Kemp’s ridley was recovered,
dead, from Rider’s Beach in south Truro. This first Arctic blast with
plunging water temperatures bodes ill for any ridleys remaining in Cape Cod
Bay. Even the bulkier loggerheads will begin cold-stranding as winter
takes hold at the end of the universe. So, it’s imperative to rescue these
turtles as soon as they wash ashore, to prevent death from hypothermia — all of
which translates to night patrols.
Tonight’s high tide came a little before 10 P.M. and our first
find was another dead seal beached between Point of Rocks and Breakwater in Brewster.
At Skaket Beach in Orleans, a gannet had floated in
with the tide. These pelagic pe bombers drop from dizzying heights to
fish the Cape’s waters. Sometimes, though, they hit at a bad angle or pick
a spot just too shallow for their Olympian pes, and necks break from the
strain.
At Crosby Landing, the 11th ridley of the season was
found washing ashore with the tide. Retrieved from breaking surf, she
seemed stone cold to the touch. Back at the Sanctuary this tiny ridley of
just 21.5 cm carapace length and 1.5 kilograms weight registered an internal
body temperature of only 33.8 degrees. Her eyes were dehydrated and fixed
and it was impossible to determine whether she was, in fact, still alive.
Nevertheless, cleaned and lubricated, she was placed in the cold recovery room
at ~ 42 degrees to begin the long thawing process. Adding to her challenges, we
discovered on her underside a large barnacle embedded in her plastron.
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