Max Milward makes the grade - our top man reports back on Zulu Five

Hot off the press - tonight at Fieldbase we hosted a very special ceremony: The 10B Golden Mess Tin awards. Venturers and Volunteer Managers perched on the edges of their seats as the nominations were revealed... but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out the full role of honour. Today though, we have a blog exclusive - the winner of our Top Male Venturer award gave us his final update on the turtle project at Playa Camaronal. Huge congratulations go to the marvellous Max Milward for his contributions, kindness, initiative, innovation and all-round good humour - and for being such a brilliant addition to the 10B expedition team!

Zulu Five were the third lucky group in Expedition 10B to get shipped off to Camaronal – the notorious turtle beach project. On March 22nd, the group arrived at a sweltering ranger station on Costa Rica’s Pacific coastline and it would be a lie to say that the weather had been anything less than this since. This has by no means prevented the diligent team from working hard on the tasks set by Turtle Nelson the Guardaparque. To start with, Zulu Five were seen completing the pipe laying that was begun by the previous X-ray group, despite a few minor setbacks involving broken pipes! Since then, the venturers have gone from strength to strength, working on the new turtle hatchery, clearing a path to the mirador and cleaning the beach of rubbish and turtle-obstructing driftwood.

Once the sun goes down and the stars come out, Zulu Five take it in turns to patrol the 3km beach looking for turtles, nests and poachers, which seems to be the most immediately beneficial of all the work. Despite only seeing two live turtles, and sadly a dead one, much time has been spent transferring freshly-laid eggs from their original nests to secret poacher-and-raccoon-free sites elsewhere on the beach.

During periods of free time the venturers have busied themselves with the odd tanning session, refreshing swims in the ocean, watching the sunset from the mirador, visiting secluded palm-fringed beaches and pimping up the already impressive camp. The latter of which has seen the construction (primarily thanks to Rich, our carpentry-savvy PM) of such items as bookshelves, hammocks, a three-bowl system stand, benches, thrones and rubbish bins.

PM Rich shows us round Zulu Five's jungle camp

All this, however, has now been dismantled in preparation for the group’s departure tomorrow. The three weeks have gone fast, all too quickly infact, for this not only means the end of Phase Three, but also the end of the whole expedition. I’m sure, however, that Zulu Five would agree that Camaronal has more than lived up to the rave reviews and media hype: a great three weeks, now sadly coming to an end.