Arribadas

'Arribidas' loosely translates in old Spanish to 'arrivals by sea'. It is an apt description for the unique, mass nesting behavior of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. In only a handful of locations around the world, these ancient creatures gather over the course of weeks to form a large flotilla offshore. At a precise moment they swim to the beach, en masse, to lay their eggs in the sand. Hundreds of thousands of turtles arrive on the beach as dusk settles, and by morning they are gone. This cycle repeat for three to five days, each month during the rainy season. Late in the season, one may be lucky enough to witness the first hatchlings from earlier months make their way out to sea. In Costa Rica, an organized co-op of local residents legally harvest the eggs and patrol the beach to prevent poaching. These eggs are considered a delicacy and are believed to increase virility.