Eulogy for Kirsten

I would like to provide a link to the full text of the lovely eulogy which was provided by Kirsten's brother Sean at her funeral. All her friends will appreciate Sean's touching and eloquent words. You may click HERE.

Memorial being established for Kirsten Dahlen

I received the following information this morning in regard to a memorial account being established in Kirsten's name:

Gulf Islands National Seashore has set up a memorial account for Kirsten Dahlen. These funds will be used for marine turtle conservation in the local area.

Checks should be made out to "The Department of the Interior". In the note section please write in "Kirsten Dahlen fund". Donations can be sent to:

Gulf Islands National Seashore
ATTN: Budget Office
1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

All contributions will be recorded. A letter will be sent from the park to Kirsten's mother, indicating who all has contributed to the fund in honor of Kirsten. This will occur at a later date when it appears contributions have slowed.

Mark Nicholas, Biologist
Gulf Islands National Seashore
National Park Service

A Special Life

I received e-mails this morning which directed me to Kirsten's obituary online. I hope you will take time to read it and see what a special life she led and some of the places she traveled.

Kirsten,

Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the gentle night to you.

~~ A Gaelic blessing

Another Farewell

It was only two and a half weeks ago that I posted "Farewell to our friend", Kirsten Dahlen. It is with deepest regret that I now share the news that Kirsten passed away unexpectedly in her sleep yesterday. As you can imagine, her family and friends are devastated.

Some of you got to know Kirsten through my blog and became faithful followers of her 'Traveling Turtle Girl' blog. Kirsten was a dedicated Park employee and passionate about her work. We were so lucky to see the Gulf Islands National Seashore through her eyes with her beautiful photographs of shore birds and sea turtles on Santa Rosa Island.

A quote on her blog says so much about Kirsten spirit. It reads,

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."

~~ Jack London

Kirsten's family are suffering a great loss and while we want to respect their privacy during this devastating time, you may send condolences to her family through her brother-in-law, Tom Freeman at Tom.Freeland@Duke.edu. I think it is important to let them to know how Kirsten touched the lives of others in a very special way.

Sliding into Thursday - Ike

At midnight on Wednesday, I returned home, but not before calling Kirsten to update her, tell her I was heading out, and that I'd keep my phone close should she need help later.

A hot shower was the first thing in order, then I went to my computer to check Weather Underground for an update on Hurricane Ike. I had experienced much harsher conditions than I'd expected on the beach just before midnight. Now I was very concerned not only for the hatchlings but for what a large storm could do to our island.

Around 2:00 a.m., I finally went to bed.

[Click HERE to read Kirsten's hair-raising experience at the other end of the beach in the wee hours before she returned to Nest PB 7111]

At 4:23 a.m. my cell phone rang. I'd meant to leave it on my bedside table, but had forgotten and left it in the charger downstairs. Being a light sleeper, I quickly roused and rushed downstairs to return the call, knowing it was Kirsten and that she needed help.

After learning how serious the situation had become and that she was trying to save the nest, I hurried to the site. Luckily I was only 10 minutes away.

It was horrifying to see what had happened in 4 1/2 hours. The waves were enormous and had been washing not only over, but far past the nest. The screen I'd set in place around 7:00 p.m the night before had washed away and was nowhere to be seen. And, as I looked around me, I realized some waves were washing close to foundations of nearby homes and high tide was still more than two hours away.

Kirsten--who cannot be 100 lbs. soaking wet--was exhausted, struggling to keep her footing, holding on with determination to a cooler in which she had added a few inches of sand from the nest and had stowed the rescued hatchlings. She had managed to save approximately 70 small turtles from the nest and had already released 20 into the churning Gulf waters. I could see the hole above the egg chamber where she was trying to reach emerging hatchlings, but just as I arrived another wave swept over the nest and completely filled it in.

Both of us already soaked from the waist down, stepped just below the crest of the dune where the nest had been located and began to release the 50 remaining hatchlings -- four at a time. It may sound like an excessively slow rate unless you've been in the situation. Each huge wave which swept past us frequently swept the hatchlings back into tangles of sea oats and dangerous territory. All we could do was firmly plant our feet to prevent ourselves from being knocked over and possibly crushing a hatchling underfoot. If we caught a glimpse of a one sweeping behind us in a rush of water, we spread out and searched through debris, sand fencing or sea oats until we found them, then proceeded to release another four.

Thankfully, Monica Cain, SCA, another incredible Gulf Islands National Seashore employee, arrived to help. Together we finally released the last of the hatchlings. I didn't even want to think of how they were surviving in the wash-tub of foam and giant waves they were swimming into.

Knowing that some hatchlings must have eventually been washed back, we guestimated a large grid, split up and started searching for strays. Considering you are in the dark, relying mostly on night vision, looking for a creature who weighs in at about one ounce, this is not an easy task.

Just as we thought the hardest part of our task was completed, we realized that a huge street light had probably attracted any strays back toward Boulevar Mayor and Via de Luna!

The search was on.

It took at least another 30 minutes, but we discovered 13 hatchings across the road, disoriented and working their way toward 'the light' -- Gulf Power, that is. Luckily, daybreak helped us follow their tiny tracks -- another lesson well learned for a volunteer, the difference between ghost crab and hatchling tracks.

It was approximately 6:30 a.m. before our work was finished. Perhaps I should say 'my' work, considering Kirsten and Monica were heading out to assess other areas. Kirsten and I both went for our cameras and started documenting the sobering sight of an immense storm before us as it grew lighter. If Hurricane Ike was still so far from Pensacola Beach and having this effect, what would it mean for people along the Texas coast.

I looked at Kirsten, both of us bedraggled, "You know," I said, as we clicked away with our respective Canons, "people would think we'd crazy if they saw us."

"Yeah." she smiled, "but we might as well prove them right."

Wednesday Night - Ike, Part II

At 8:15 p.m. Wednesday night, I made a run to the Starboard Village nest PB 7081 to see if water was closing in on that area of Pensacola Beach also. Though Kirsten, an experience marine biologist had heard very faint sounds from the nest a few times, as a novice I was never sure if that was the source of any sounds I heard. This particular nest had been exposed to more saltwater than the others and was located at a lower elevation on the beach.

I counted off 8 steps from the nest to the high water mark. It didn't look good.

By the time I got back to Nest PB 7111, which was located near the intersection of Calle Juela and Bulevar Mayor, Kirsten was there and as anxious as I was about the nest being flooded. But when Mark arrived and studied the situation, he decided it was best to wait it out and give the hatchlings a chance to emerge on their own. That has to be one of the hardest jobs for a volunteer to learn -- stand back and let nature take its course whenever possible.

Kirsten and Mark moved on to other sites on the island and I hunkered down with a blanket, planning to stay at the nest 'til midnight. The Gulf seemed bipolar - slow rolling waves which crashed spectacularly across sandbars in the distance with thundering booms, then switching into a churning, foaming, angry sea, rushing toward the dunes with way too much attitude.

Around 11:30 p.m., the wind picked up quickly and considerably, easily gusting up to 30 mph. Things began to feel different as a hot heavy wind blew over me, followed by a cold dry rush. The two forces continued to duke it out for at least half an hour in their atmospheric boxing ring.

Midnight: time to head home and escape the elements which had definitely taken a turn for the worse.

Are they here yet?

Kirsten Dahlen, our Traveling Turtle Girl, attends a nest on Pensacola Beach.


Kirsten listens for sounds of the tiny hatchlings working their way to the surface.

Although I've witnessed two other hatchlings in as many years, this is the first year I've stayed so long at the nest and listened as they work their way up. It's a startling experience the first time you hear hatchlings scratching beneath the surface.


It turned out to be another beautiful night on Pensacola Beach, though when I left shortly before midnight, no hatchlings had emerged. Tomorrow night for sure! Or maybe they will be gone by tomorrow morning! It's SO exciting!

Disoriented!

I am so appreciative that our 'Traveling Turtle Girl' (marine biologist, Kirsten Dahlen) shared these photos with me. You can see first-hand one of the magnificent creatures we try so hard to protect.


This beautiful loggerhead turtle was disoriented when Dr. LiMarie Rodriguez discovered her wandering in the Opal Beach area a couple of days ago. Thankfully, she and Kirsten found volunteers to help hoist the tired turtle back to gulf waters. You may read more about the adventure in Kirsten's blog.


Happily, this loggerhead lives to see another day, another nest. Seeing her return to the sea we understand the impact we can have on them/their environment. This is why we try so hard to raise awareness, reduce lights on the beach, pick up our trash, fill in holes dug in the sand, reduce recreational equipment on the beach overnight, eliminate plastic bags/Styrofoam/balloons on the beach.