DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT IN NEVIS

They emerge one by one from a pile of eggs buried deep in wet sand. We make notes, counting the broken shells and the stillborn embryos and registering the number (40) of Leatherback turtle hatchlings that make it to the top. Carefully, we place the tiny creatures into a folded T-shirt. It is almost midnight and, under a mercury moon, I am out on patrol with volunteers from the Nevis Turtle Group.

Between June and October – turtle nesting season – they are here on Lovers Beach most evenings, monitoring the excavated nesting sites.

We tread carefully to the water’s edge, stepping over the tangled tree that are natural barriers for the turtles. We place the hatchlings, wriggling like miniature clockwork toys, into the foaming water.

As we make our way back along the beach by torchlight, we are startled by a large shadowy shape: an adult green turtle shuffling its way to the ocean.

The two-hour turtle watch is an activity offered by the Four Seasons Nevis.