October 24^th, 2006

The anchor of the Utile’s area, more accessible …view 2 Credit : Max Guérout

Once again it was an ideal day for digging, since the sky was overcast and the wind was moderate.

In the morning, the divers started to explore the surroundings of the northern tip of the island, looking for the anchor used by the castaways to cast off on their makeshift boat – the Providence. So we had to launch our dinghy, which was not an easy thing because of the beach slope and the swell, which was still there despite the moderate wind. So our divers did a first reconnaissance of the area.

Meanwhile, the probing team went back to work with enthusiasm. They also started to fill in again the holes they had dug on the previous days, after their position had been noted down. This was to remember what had been done, in case of another similar operation, even if most of these probings gave no result.

Entangled hermit crabs Credit : Max Guérout

In the meantime, we also drew a topographic plan of the so-called “landing area”, extending from the beach to the pathway on top of it.

In a hole we had dug on the beach the day before, a colony of hermit crabs were eating the roots of a big veloutier which had been uncovered. Hermit crabs are undoubtedly the biggest colony of the island.

A little turtle trying to reach the sea Credit : Max Guérout

During the hottest hours of the day, they hide in shady places, but at night-fall, they start to look for food everywhere. They seem to form packs and together, they go to the beach and capture the little turtles which are emerging from their holes trying to reach the sea. The latter have to overcome a terrible barrier composed of hermit crabs. In the morning, the numerous tiny tracks found on the sand show how febrile is the activity of the voracious hermit crabs.

Thomas Romon, always in a good mood Credit : Max Guérout

In the afternoon, we had planned to perform measures on the wreck. When our divers arrived on the beach, half-a-dozen turtles were emerging from their holes. But the heat of the sun exhausted them rapidly, so our divers helped most of them to get into the water.

We tried to probe the area behind the veloutier standing on the beach. At the beginning we found a thick tube which may be the gun of a rifle, but nothing else. However, this wouldn’t affect Thomas Romon’s good mood.