They're trying to determine whether hatchlings use the Earth's magnetic field to orient at sea. With a neutral, non-magnetic bar, the hatchlings appear to go in a very straight line, booking it across the sea at 1.3 km per hour. Today we'll see what the hatchling does with a high-intensity magnet on its head. If it swims in circles or slows down, that suggests that the hatchling indeed uses the Earth's magnetic field. Susanna and Becky attend to the oversized antennae standing at the boat's bow.
Sunlight dances on the water like twinkling diamonds.
The wind blows his dark hair, tucked under his Nike baseball cap. Strong winds stir up the ocean and make it harder to find the tortuguita. The telemetry gear says the hatchling is right next to the boat, but she is nowhere to be seen. All eyes are on the water. The plan is to actually spot the hatchling in the ocean every 30 minutes, but it's been more than 45 minutes, and none of us can find the darned turtle.