The love in our hearts goes out to Poerave today on Valentine's Day. Last November during our mating season Poerave arrived on her chosen beach to lay her eggs in the middle of the night. But this time Poerave life was almost taken from her. After Poerave laid her eggs and on her return back to the ocean a band of poachers found her. The poor turtle helpless out of the water was turned over on this sandy shore line and left there to die in the hot morning sun.

The small islands of the Tuamotu are the chosen breeding grounds for these extraordinary sea creatures. The South Pacific breeding season starts in the month of November to the end of February each year. This is when our summer months start here on the islands and the sands on the shore are the warmest for the hatching of eggs.

On the sandy beach of Manihi Poerava made her way up the beach to lay her eggs. It has not yet been determined how many poachers were waiting for her and others to arrive to lay their eggs. On Poerava return to the ocean the poachers struggled with Poerava massive size and weight to turn her over on her back. Poerava was not killed right away and was left to die on this sandy shoreline.

During mating and breeding season the families' that live on the small islands of the Tuamotu guard and protect these extraordinary sea creatures. At three in the morning Teva wakes to make his morning stroll down to the shore line to check on the nests that have been laid the previous night. To his surprise he finds Poerava helpless and on her back. Her nest of eggs has been taken and she is left to die.

Immediately Teva runs back to his home to call the Turtle sanctuary set up on the small island of Maupiti to arrive in Manihi. Teva wakes up his family and finds all the bucket, pans and what ever else he has around his house to take back to the beach. His family starts immediately to bring up fresh water from the lagoon and pour over the top of Poerava to save her life. It was impossible for Teva and his family to turn the turtle back over.

By six in the morning the Turtle rescue boats arrived at Teva's location. Poerava is struggling for her life now. The rescue crew along with help from others on the islands of Manihi turns Poerava over. Poerava is loaded in the boat and rushed to the hospital for turtles set up on the island of Maupiti. There all efforts are taken to save Poerava life.

For the first week we all sit and watch on the television the efforts of the Doctors to save Poerava. Finally after fifteen days Poerava is out of danger. Poerava is given a safe home on the island of Maupiti. Poerava has lived on this island for over a year now. This year Poerava has laid eggs three times during her mating season. Normally Poerava would not lay eggs here in Maupiti but would return to her chosen beach in Manihi. But to our great surprise Poerava laid eggs in Maupiti.

Maupiti Turtle Rescue is proud to announce that Poerava is the proud mother of 350 babies who are all healthy and swimming in the tanks on this reserve. The babies will live here in Maupiti for around five years before they will be tagged and released back into the ocean to live out their lives.

The Turtle Rescue has saved the lives of over 1.500 sea turtles here on the islands of Tahiti. Each year the Turtle Rescue is there when the babies are hatched to gather them up and move them to the island of Maupiti. Here the baby turtles are feed and kept safe and when large enough released into our waters here in the South Pacific. The Turtle Rescue is here to preserve the turtles from extension.

Today the boats from the islands gather in the waters next to Maupiti. For today is the day that Poerava is released back into the ocean. Today Tahiti has given the biggest red heat to Poerava on this day. Many happy wishes to the Turtle Rescue have been received. For today on Valentine's Day is the day we open our hearts to them.

At ten this morning the boats will leave in a grand procession to follow the Turtle Rescue boat to the open sea. For today when Poerava is released back to her native ocean all the people of the islands will throw flowers into our ocean for her.

Today is the happiest day of many lives here on the islands. Today the poachers' sentence is set. They will be spending ten years in our prison and not allowed to come back to our islands ever again. Today all hearts sing with love and rejoice at the efforts made by the team of Doctor's on the island of Maupiti.

The giant sea turtle is sacred to the people of these islands. Here all efforts are put forth to save these giant sea creatures and our waters here on the islands. But to others around the world these giant beauties of the sea bring in money. The shells are sold to the highest bidder and the meat is cut up and sold at $50 for less than one kilo. This is so sad to all who live here on the islands and enjoy watching these creatures swim free.

On the island of Bora Bora I took photos of these giant sea creatures. The grace and beauty of seeing them swim in our waters is unbelievable. Today on Valentine's Day we give all our love to the Turtle Rescue Doctor's for saving Poerava life. We also give Poerava the biggest gift of love anyone can give to her. We give her back her home in the open sea where she can be free to swim and mate again this year.

With love to one and all from the islands' of Tahiti Happy Valentine's Day to everyone and especially to Poerava. .

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