One doesn't even have a flipper. Five have only portions of a flipper remaining. As well, there are plenty of shell dings suggesting losing battles with boats and propellers. By the end of July we had identified 160 turtles, compared to 145 for all of 1999, but that's about the only comparison that can be made. At least part of the increase in sightings is the result of exploring new territory both to the north and south.
New territory means new turtles.
Some turtles, though, are conspicuous by their absence. Zaphod , sighted almost daily every summer since 1993, is missing. Well, Summer 1999 we saw her on the first dive and most dives thereafter. Other friends not here are accounted for. Tiamat crawled up on East Island and nested on June 22nd, laid her eggs, and got her picture taken.